FrankM2.7

We are screwing our children by not implementing an alternative fuel for our economy. We are thinking short term. OOh we might hurt the automakers. Well when gas becomes $4 per gallon is that going to hurt. What about our ecological impacts. Damn it I am not gonna flag this as off topic. We need to do something. I say change the tax form to Check this box to donate $5 to the US alternative fuel program. For you Back to the Future fans where is Doc Brown now!!! Come one people lets get with this for our childrens sake. You all know long term we will be better off!!!!

Finman

We pay far less than we used to for a gallon of gas if you use inflation. We'd all survive if gas cost $4/gallon...we would just adjust our priorities...perhaps cars that got good gas mileage would again become popular.
When I couldn't afford gas, I bought a CRX that got 42-50 mpg...very cheap even for a poor slob student...now I'm a slovenly pig with 16 mpg...yikes, I'm a dumbass

I'm not impressed by these electric/gas hybrids...so the Insight allegedly gets 50-70 mpg...that is allegedly...all real world testing shows ~50 mpg, and the crappy Prius shows, real world ~38-42...big freaking deal...my 1985 CRX, 4-cylinder gas engine got, real world 42-50 mpg...damn, technology hasn't gotten very far in 17 years!!! True, Honda engines are now less polluting, but they've always (for 20 years, at least) been THE leader in "clean" gas engines.

TXurS6

Sorry, but in so many ways that is just wrong. The most efficient means of developing alternative fuels is to first have a demand for it. When the cost of oil rises high enough to allow alternatives to compete, you better believe someone will be finding a way to put it on the market.

I'm not knocking your desire to have alternative energy sources, I just strongly object to laying the responsibility on the government.

hidden agenda

when the countries (OPEC countries) that are producing this oil are selling the oil cheaper per barrel than what it takes them to desalinate the same amount of water per barrel. What the general public fails to acknowledge is that the brunt of gas prices is caused by the US tax system. They can subsidize gas and stop trying to shift the blame to others.

FrankM2.7

Our political world will be hurt by $4.00 per gallon for fuel. This idiot some 3rd world country would not be so able to mess with us. We are using 1900 technology, come one we can do better than that. Think of it as a new opportunity to show the world how smart we are, and as a byproduct we would be developing an entirely new industry. Think of that is a country were the unemployment rate is far higher than acceptable to our standards.

Finman

I don't think the government should subsidize much of anything, no less, GAS!!! Gas is already incredibly freaking cheap...even at $2/gallon! We don't need subsidies...they are just like welfare.
I realize much of gas cost is taxes, which it is debateable how much is truly "fair"...but at least it is a user tax...everyone who buys goods pays a portion, drivers pay their portion, and mass-transit users pay theirs in the fare. I don't know what a fair, per gallon, tax is on gas...but gas is freaking cheap as **** and doesn't need subsidies.

TheBrit

In the UK we just live with the cost of fuel, sure there might be the odd complaint or even the odd fuel blockade, but generally speaking it's one of those things that everyone moans about but still gets on with buying.

Those that truly object to 80% of the cost of fuel being tax, they either use public transport, cycle, walk or just buy a small-engined car with great MPG. Those of us (myself included) that accept that that's just the way things are go and pump £60 of unleaded into our 17MPG monsters several times a week and just bemoan the fact once in a while so we can delude ourselves that we're even considering the cost of fuel.

I don't think it would hurt the US if the general population had to pay more for fuel and car manufacturers had to get smarter with engine technology as a result.

What is a risk is commercial transport fuel rates. High rates of fuel for goods transportation will inevitably lead to an increase in retail prices of just about everything, especially in today's 'Just in time' delivery model where efficient transport is vital to the supply chain. Combine that with poor road maintenance and you have a meltdown waiting to happen.

In the UK the road network is badly underfunded, IMHO because the money raised from all the taxes on motoring are used to support an ever-increasing welfare state burden.

Just my £0.02