GAS PRICE LOGBOOK

[N2EY]

It is their oil to sell after paying for or bidding on drilling rights and royalty payments and taxes. What would you propose, that the government take ownership and nationalize all oil and production and sales?

Not at all - nothing of the kind! Nationalization is not needed at all!

All that's needed is for The Government to put some clauses into the oil leases on Government property. These clauses would require that all oil extracted under those leases could only be refined and sold in the USA, not exported. It would be a condition of the lease.

Other conditions could apply, too. There could be requirements that all workers on the oil projects must be documented American citizens, that all equipment must be American made, that if the oil is transported by ship, the ship must be American registry, etc. This would create American jobs and preserve/boost American industry.

Whether those measures would actually lower gasoline prices at the pump is a completely different issue. The oil companies could respond in various ways, depending on overall costs. If the cost of compliance cut into their profits, they'd just import more and develop less domestically. If the imports were taxed to raise the price, they'd develop more domestically, but the price at the pump would go up.

Meanwhile, they'd pump all they could from wells on private land, and sell it to the highest bidder - who probably wouldn't be in the USA.

All the while, the oil folks would be telling the politicians and the American people that the cost of gasoline was being driven up by those regulations. That by strangling the "free market", the regulations were hurting Americans. They have plenty of advertising money to get the message out. And it wouldn't be a lie - those regulations would, indeed, drive up the price more than it would be if they didn't have to follow them.

I mean, that's how we got NAFTA and all those other "free trade" agreements. Look how well they worked out for America....

73 de Jim, N2EY

[N2EY]

Though, WE (through our federal and state governments) CONTROL ITS PRODUCTION, since most oil reserves sit on federal lands or federally controlled waters, not private lands. Right now, current government policy does NOT allow exploration (drilling) to take place -- effectively controlling production. Certain other tariffs and regulations also essentially control and limit production.

The American people own it. The Government is just their agent. And as their agent, The Government has to see that the benefit to the people is maximized.

Of course The Government doesn't always do that job perfectly. The Deepwater Horizons disaster could have been avoided if regulations required a relief well, but they didn't. The lack of a relief well is what made it so hard to stop the flow of oil after the explosion. (The final stoppage was done by drilling a relief well).

The regulations, tariffs and other controls exist to maximize the benefit to the American people. Of course different people define "benefit" differently.

Once the federal/state/private lands are leased, the oil companies can sell recovered oil to whomever they please -- true. Yet our governments CONTROL exploration and production aspects... you cant have an egg without drilling the chicken (I like Church's).

I favor opening up federal lands to exploration/production through a massive easing of regulations (control). On the flipside (for such easing of regulations), I want our oil to be refined and sold inside the USA proper. In addition, I want massive tariffs placed on imported oil -- to curb purchases from outside USA or its North American neighbors.

That's called "protectionism".

I want my hard earned money going to support American oil/gas workers and the industries that support them. I want a good deal of the wealth generated from resource extraction to remain within America -- for oil industry workers are paid well -- I know. I want Americans to once again to have access to high paying jobs where economic independence can be garnered over time.

Then it makes sense to extend that policy to every part of the industry. The rules could require that only documented American citizens could work on the projects, that only American-made equipment be used, that every worker and industry supporting the extraction be 100% red-blooded American. That means no imported pipe, no imported drilling rigs, no imported computers, vehicles, clothing, supplies, etc.

After all, why should only American oil workers be protected? Why not all industries that involve The Government?

As for high tariffs on imported oil: they could be set so that American oil, even the hard-to-extract and hard-to-refine stuff, would be competitively priced. The money could allow reductions in other taxes, and go to fund energy research.

Of course all this would probably result in even higher gasoline prices for most of us, but hey, ya gotta break a couple eggs....

After all, for much of America's early history, import tariffs were a major source of Government revenue. They protected American industries from foreign competition, helping them to grow and prosper.

Don't the oil companies deserve the same?

73 de Jim, N2EY

$3.76 at the BP in Devon, PA today.

[NL7W]

Unfortunately, over time accidents like Deepwater will happen. It's inevitable. All I ask is that government bureaucrats be held responsible when the watchdog agencies fail to protect the Nation's best interests, when bureaucratic incompetence rears its ugly head. This happens all to often; it happened at Deepwater. Too little, especially in the current administration, have bureaucrats and political appointees been held responsible for anything whatsoever.

Yes, I am for protectionism -- the judicial use of it -- when it creates wealth for everyday citizens across the Nation, instead of sending what little wealth any of us have left overseas. I'm for full exploitation of our vast domestic oil, gas, and coal resources, with the aim of severely reducing to eliminating America's current, marked intercontinental dependence of oil from nations that, quite literally, hate America and Americans. Oil and gas, or the energy business in general, is the lifeblood, I figure, of the USA and our economy. Cheap energy has built this nation. There's no reason for this not to continue when its available right under our very feet.

Meanwhile, I paid over $94 to fill my tank tonight. Gas was $4.179 / gallon. That's three days of commuting in my household.

I just may have buy one of those flops... a $35,000 Chevy Volt. It would be for that around the corner trip for beer, methinks. Perhaps they could outfit its roof with Solyndra solar panels? Wasn't that WIK Steve's idea? I love it when Government picks all the winners...

Darn... I'd love to take advantage of that $10,000 government rebate on a Volt purchase, but I cannot. I'm not making $170,000 -- the average income of typical Chevy Volt buyer. Only they can afford and potentially justify this artificially discounted flop.

Bump Up the Chevy Volt Subsidy!



Good grief... I don't want to pay for WIK's new Volt with my tax dollars two times... (1) concerning the Chevy bailout, (2) surrounding their subsidy rebates! And possibly even a third time (3) if he decides to outfit it with defunct and now cheap Solyndra panels!



Yep... we must keep believing the NIMBY types and environmentalists... NO DRILLIN' HERE. We'll let the Russians and Arabs mess up their own lands -- where regulations and prudence are thrown to the wind. No drillin' here... no industry here... no livin' here... no success here. Why should Americans retain economic freedom opportunities through a vibrant economy? They shouldn't... Americans should be kept down and controlled. Control the car I drive through CAFE standards... = a loss of the freedom. Control my home HVAC and its appliances -- smart grid regulations now imposed = a loss of freedom. I could go on, but my editing time is coming to an end.

It's all about Power and Control. Create and mandate dependence. I know the game, old boy.

The American people own it. The Government is just their agent. And as their agent, The Government has to see that the benefit to the people is maximized.

Of course The Government doesn't always do that job perfectly. The Deepwater Horizons disaster could have been avoided if regulations required a relief well, but they didn't. The lack of a relief well is what made it so hard to stop the flow of oil after the explosion. (The final stoppage was done by drilling a relief well).

The regulations, tariffs and other controls exist to maximize the benefit to the American people. Of course different people define "benefit" differently.



That's called "protectionism".



Then it makes sense to extend that policy to every part of the industry. The rules could require that only documented American citizens could work on the projects, that only American-made equipment be used, that every worker and industry supporting the extraction be 100% red-blooded American. That means no imported pipe, no imported drilling rigs, no imported computers, vehicles, clothing, supplies, etc.

After all, why should only American oil workers be protected? Why not all industries that involve The Government?

As for high tariffs on imported oil: they could be set so that American oil, even the hard-to-extract and hard-to-refine stuff, would be competitively priced. The money could allow reductions in other taxes, and go to fund energy research.

Of course all this would probably result in even higher gasoline prices for most of us, but hey, ya gotta break a couple eggs....

After all, for much of America's early history, import tariffs were a major source of Government revenue. They protected American industries from foreign competition, helping them to grow and prosper.

Don't the oil companies deserve the same?

73 de Jim, N2EY

$3.76 at the BP in Devon, PA today.

[KC8VWM]

Right now, current government policy does NOT allow exploration (drilling) to take place -- effectively controlling production. Certain other tariffs and regulations also essentially control and limit production.

Yup and the oil companies like it that way.

[NL7W]

Not all... here's a great example -- when governments get out of the way. By doing so, our local Alaskan supply of natural gas, a supply that was in danger, is likely now secure. Voters potentially freezing to death doesn't sit well with leaders.

Escopeta Oil, a small oil/gas player won big right here in the Anchorage area. Alaska was running dangerously short on natural gas... imagine that... a state with more than any other doesn't have enough gas/infrastructure to heat it citizens. Southcentral and Interior Alaska is running out of old Cook Inlet reserves, to the point were demand might cause supply distribution shortages for heating in the deepest and coldest parts of future Anchorage area winters.
Ref: A Southcentral Alaska natural gas shortage unlikely, but still possible

Our State Government finally heeded voters and local governments and encouraged Escopeta to bring a shallow-water "jack-up" rig to southcentral Alaska's Cook Inlet. It arrived last August.
Ref: Escopeta Oil Jack Up Rig Calls Cook Inlet Home

In short order (3 months), Escopeta found a major gas field -- securing a future gas supply for Alaska's needs.
Ref: Escopeta Oil announces largest gas discovery in Cook Inlet in 25 years

Thank God for some state-owned lands/waters where the Feds aren't in complete control... otherwise, we'd all freeze to death in a future winter.


http://www.escopeta.biz/

Yup and the oil companies like it that way.

[N2EY]

Unfortunately, over time accidents like Deepwater will happen. It's inevitable.

The Deepwater Horizon disaster was preventable - particularly the long period when the well was leaking like crazy and couldn't be plugged. But with no relief well, the leak went on for weeks.

All I ask is that government bureaucrats be held responsible when the watchdog agencies fail to protect the Nation's best interests, when bureaucratic incompetence rears its ugly head. This happens all to often; it happened at Deepwater. Too little, especially in the current administration, have bureaucrats and political appointees been held responsible for anything whatsoever.

Just the "current administration"? What about previous ones? Did they allow massive development of our resources, which the current administration suddenly stopped? Or has there been a long-term pattern which is really non-partisan?

And why is it The Government's responsibility, but not the oil companies? Why aren't they "held responsible"? Did anybody at BP or the drilling company go to jail?

What does "held responsible" really mean, anyway? I don't see the folks at the top going to jail, losing all their money, being publicly disgraced, etc. Even those who "take responsibility" simply endure a few days of bad publicity. It's the folks at the bottom who suffer the consequences.

Yes, I am for protectionism -- the judicial use of it -- when it creates wealth for everyday citizens across the Nation, instead of sending what little wealth any of us have left overseas.

Then apply it across the board to ALL industries, not just fossil fuels. Computers, clothing, you name it - let's apply those same tax-the-imports/require-American-made rules to ALL industries which can "create wealth" here in the USA. And only documented American citizens get the jobs - right?

That's what you want for fossil fuel, so why not for everything else? Why not for EVERY industry - regardless of what it does to the price?

I'm for full exploitation of our vast domestic oil, gas, and coal resources, with the aim of severely reducing to eliminating America's current, marked intercontinental dependence of oil from nations that, quite literally, hate America and Americans. Oil and gas, or the energy business in general, is the lifeblood, I figure, of the USA and our economy. Cheap energy has built this nation. There's no reason for this not to continue when its available right under our very feet.

Except that what's there isn't necessarily cheap. You're assuming it is, but what about Mukluk#1? Or the Canol pipeline? Or other failures?

You take as gospel the predictions that the undeveloped resources will be much cheaper than what we're doing now, and that there will be no big problems. Except those of us with memories know that's not reality.

Meanwhile, I paid over $94 to fill my tank tonight. Gas was $4.179 / gallon. That's three days of commuting in my household.

I just may have buy one of those flops... a $35,000 Chevy Volt.

You pay so much because you CHOOSE to live where you do, CHOOSE to work where you do, and CHOOSE to drive what you do.

Sounds like you want the rest of us to pay for your choices.

The solution is simple: get a Prius. 45 MPG - that's three times what you're getting now. No subsidy, proven technology, the new ones are bigger. That $94 for three days drops to about $30.

Oh wait - they're imported. US industry couldn't develop the Hybrid Synergy Drive, but Toyota could. Why do you think that is? It's NOT because of "government".

---

One more thing:

Those hard-working oil workers who make the big bucks and climb the ladder of economic independence....they're all unionized, aren't they? Their UNION negotiates for their pay and benefits, right?

73 de Jim, N2EY

$3.76 at the BP in Devon yesterday.

[W4HAY]

Well, here we go again. Poor planning and ideology taking precedence over sound fiscal decisions, causing yet more green corporate welfare at taxpayers expense. When will the madness end?

I'm sure the explanations offered this time will be very, very amusing.

Wind farms in the Pacific Northwest -- built with government subsidies and maintained with tax credits for every megawatt produced -- are now getting paid to shut down as the federal agency charged with managing the region's electricity grid says there's an oversupply of renewable power at certain times of the year...

COMPLETE ARTICLE:

[AB8RU]

anyone ever tried Gas Buddy ? Grand Rapids , Allegan and Ottawa Counties $3.84 Wed March 6,2012
you can visit the site or downnload the APP on your smart phone IPad etc.. all Free.

[AB8RU]

As soon as we get to drill 4 oil again, overthrow Ajubedad, put the enviromenatlists in electric cars, create more jobs in building battries and associated parts, also sell plans for PPL to build electric cars, and whatever else it takes.

and get rid of NAFTA and CRAPTA and politicians affiliated with politically correct and send the looney toons to a space station in MARS


Hasn't anyone learned from the Acts passed under Smoot Hawley? ask around, total failurer.

[AB8RU]

To the PPL who want to go live in Backwards country.

Sell your home , your car and go buy a team of horses, and a plow, and live like the 1800's

No Smog except for Horse Crap, you need a shove, for that

wear funky clothes

Can your food, go gather wood for the stove.

and Live in the Past while the rest look at you like whatever.