Portland, Tennessee Blog

Today I'm going to watch "Who Killed the Electric Car," a documentary about the General Motors EV1 of the 1990s. Looks like an interesting documentary.

http://www.whokilledtheelectriccar.com/

50 year plus --- I agree with you ....a person can make incredible differences without anyone even knowing who did it. Good for you !!

Tim, first of all, I have cast a vote for you before, secondly, I'll respond to your remark (or "potshot") with my own response to "those of us who just sit and complain." I AM active in my church, and I AM active in the local sports programs and other activities. One can see me quite often, but I am never in the forefront. I am just one of those guys you may have happened to see at many of an event. You say it is almost impossible to make a difference without bringing attention to yourself? Well that's where I see things differently. I believe I have done it for many, many years. I do things in the community because it interests me and excites me. Not for notoriety.

Quick example of how government messes up our oil prices and wastes our money. The "Windfall Profits Tax Bill" would have done two major things. One, remove tax breaks for oil companies that they use to promote DOMESTIC drilling. If you raise taxes on domestic drilling, where will that push oil companies to get their oil from? That's right, OPEC. Then, if there are any profits left after they do that, we are going to tax that too.

Now Republicans are wanting to leave the tax breaks in to encourage oil companies to drill domestically, then look what happened today:
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WASHINGTON — A House subcommittee on Wednesday rejected a Republican-led effort to open up more U.S. coastal waters to oil exploration.

Rep. John Peterson, R-Pa., spearheaded the effort. His proposal would open up U.S. waters between 50 and 200 miles off shore for drilling. The first 50 miles off shore would be left alone.

But the plan failed Wednesday on a 9-6, party-line vote in a House appropriations subcommittee, which was considering the proposal as part of an Interior Department spending package.

With record oil prices and gas prices projected to hover around the $4 mark for the rest of the summer, Republicans have ratcheted up their efforts to open up oil exploration along U.S. coastline. But the long-sought change has so far been unsuccessful.
-------------------------------------------------

So on one hand, Republicans are handing out tax dollars to get try to encourage oil companies to drill domestically. On the other hand, Democrats vote against letting them drill domestically. So the tax dollars get wasted, we keep paying $4 or more per gallon, and no one wins. That's government efficiency for ya!

East rider you are correct, I've been hired as a political assassin, waiting to strike. Just kidding, still working away right outside Louisville.

Anyone else thinking maybe Daniel doesn't have enough to keep him busy in Louisville? :-)

Or is it somewhere else now? I heard he has changed jobs again since moving. If not correct maybe he will set us straight.

Come on Judy, what were the repugs supposded to do, pass a bill to help people? Then they wouldn't be able to get more money to their rich supporters.

Sorry I couldn't resist posting this long winded article - Judy

Senate GOP blocks windfall taxes on Big Oil

WASHINGTON (AP) - Saved by Senate Republicans, big oil companies dodged an attempt Tuesday to slap them with a windfall profits tax and take away billions of dollars in tax breaks in response to the record gasoline prices that have the nation fuming.

GOP senators shoved aside the Democratic proposal, arguing that punishing Big Oil won't do a thing to lower the $4-a-gallon-price of gasoline that is sending economic waves across the country. High prices at the pump are threatening everything from summer vacations to Meals on Wheels deliveries to the elderly.

The Democratic energy package would have imposed a 25 percent tax on any ``unreasonable'' profits of the five largest U.S. oil companies, which together made $36 billion during the first three months of the year. It also would have given the government more power to address oil market speculation, opened the way for antitrust actions against countries belonging to the OPEC oil cartel, and made energy price gouging a federal crime.

Americans are furious about what's going on,'' declared Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D. He said they want Congress to do something about oil company profits and the "orgy of speculation'' on oil markets. But Republican leaders said the Democrats' plan would do harm rather than good - and they kept the legislation from being brought up for debate and amendments.

Tim,we are in the same boat with ya.Who do ya vote for.

Now Tim, you know Obama is going to be the opposite of your golf game, he won't need ten mulligans to be succesful!

Daniel, Daniel, Daniel, you poor misguided man. I don't suppose the new government imposed quotas on ethanol production, made mostly from corn, has anything to do with food prices? As far as I know, we are the only nation that burns a large portion of our food.

You're right. I did vote for Bush twice, and honestly, if he ran against Al Gore or John Kerry again, even though he has lost my support, I'd have to hold my nose and pull the lever for him again, because compared to the other two, his platform more closely resembles what I believe in.

I actually am very much against voting for McCain. For the same reason I did not vote for Gore or Kerry. Right now I am leaning third party. This would be a good idea for a thread to discuss on its own. "Is a third party vote a wasted vote?" Maybe I'll start that thread. I don't want to get too political here because this thread is about gas prices, not the Presidential election so I'll stop here.

Come on Coker, gas prices dropped for what, a month? Illegal immigration is a stupid issue. Read up on how food prices are going up because there are fields full of crops with no one to pick them. You say you don't like Bush now, but you know you voted for him twice and probably will a third time with McCain. As long as we are trying to take over Arab countries, they aren't going to support us. The problem with a Republcan-ruled country is historically, it makes our economy go to crap. But I'm sure a few more tax breaks for the rich will make it all go away...

Hey Panther. I don't blame you for thinking that. I can see where it is very easy to believe that. But let me challenge you to do something. Try to make a difference somewhere, whether it be in a school, a church, a hometown, state, or the world WITHOUT drawing attention to yourself. It kind of goes with the territory.

Some of us get out there and try to make our home a better place. Others just sit and complain and take potshots at those trying to help.

dontmakemelaugh - June Post is up, sorry for the delay and Thank you for reminding me.

Mack - I do understand what you are saying, and Politics is never a clear cut subject leaving too much finger pointing to be done and feelings to be hurt.

As a blog author we can only think of so many things to blog about without new thoughts and ideas it becomes same ole, same ole. My brain has been going in so many directions in the past month I didn't even realize I'm a week late on starting the Around Town, but It is up and so is your suggestion, Thanks - Judy

Judy, I would rather see this board go back to talking about what it is meant to be, which is Portland. As you can see, once we get on the national politics, it just causes arguments and hard feelings. Just like when you have a family get together and you know that some of your family doesn't agree politically as you, you just DON'T talk politics because there really is no point, and you don't want to create arguments and an uncomfortable atmosphere. That's what we have here now thanks to one blogger's desire to turn our community board into a political debate. Hard feelings.

Here is a topic about Portland I'd like to discuss...What are areas of the town you think need more police attention? Whether it be traffic violations, or something else?

Judy, can you start the June post please.

I guess when ever a topic turns political the mud slinging has to start. If you want to talk about something else LET'S HEAR IT!!! I have asked until I am blue in the face and never a word of suggestion. If you don't like what you see, then contact Charlie and ask to be put on the blog as an author, then you can write about what ever you like.

I like reading some of the posts and there are others I just skim across. Would someone like to talk Knitting?? That should be a real thrill!!

Yes, Chuck you are a Republican. God Bless You!

Tim, you are as well, by the way, great job claiming you have no desire to be in the spotlight after writing to every newspaper, posting on every blog, hosting a local radio show, and running a failed attempt to unseat a very popular local representative! You claim you have no desire to be in the spotlight?! That's ridiculous. It is my opinion that you are 100% a politician before anything else. I think you eat it up.

I agree with the two prior posts. The first time I left this blog was because of two or three people taking it over. I am about to do it again.

Personally, I think Chuck should start his own blog somewhere and not monopolize this one.

Hey Corn Cobb Coker is that you.

Here's something chuck siniff said a few days ago. ( Well, guess I'm wasting my time. You've all made your point, and you won't hear from me again.) Since then he has posted seven more times. Now tell me why anyone would believe someone who tell's you one thing and then does another. What else is he going to lie about. I also agree that chuck like's to babble a bunch of crap and hope someone will belive him. I personally wish he would just log off for good and go play in traffic.

Now I know Daniel will throw around the Bush lover moniker (nickname... loved the parentheses Chuck, that was hilarious), but I actually don't like him because he is not Conservative enough. Bush has shown me that it does not help to reach across party isles because he has done it so much it has cost him his party (illegal immigration, education, spending) and the Democrats still hate him.

Anyways, I am posting because of Daniel's many unsupported statements. Number one, I'm sure the Arab countries in the Middle East will automatically love us when we get out of Iraq, and completely forget that they were mad at us anyways for supporting Israel. Yep, oil prices will fall overnight just because we hang Iraq out to dry.

Really, do you think lowering the speed limits helps at all? Most of the drivers I come across think the speed limit signs are just suggestions anyway of the absolute slowest you should go, not the limit to how fast.

When Bush came into office in January of 2001, gas prices actually dropped. I remember because I was traceling to East TN three times takng football pictures for teh paper and I was estatic gas was below $1 for the first time in years. Now I am sure you can come back with some kind of conspiracy theory where he convinced his oil buddies to lower it for a while before jacking it up to remove suspicion, but really, when you are just making four cents on every dollar, how "jacked up" of a price is that?

Daniel, I love ya man. I miss playing golf (broke 100 for the first time last week by the way) and basketball with you, but you spout the Democratic party line more than anyone I have ever met, and you claim to hate people that spout the GOP line.

Get some info to support your statements. Some figures to back up your ideas, then maybe you'll have a shot. Remember, just like you had to get lessons before ou could compete with me in golf..lol.

All the best.

I agree that leaving Iraq, at least leaving quickly, is probably not a good option, and it certainly isn’t one that Obama should be promising. Of course I’m not sure how many have heard the caveat, “…best case scenario.” I’m not sure our leaving will help our status in the world-view anyway. We’ve been hated by countries in the Mideast for a long, long time. They don’t really seem to care which of our national parties hold the White House, and they’ve been pretty consistent in their hatred. Many things were better before the Bush Presidency, but if Clinton had done more to deal with terrorism, than throw a few Tomahawks at the animals, things may not be as grim as they are now.

I’m not sure Obama’s name and race will play as big a factor as some might think. Fifteen years ago, I would have agreed, but there are so many young voters today who don’t view race as their elders did, that I think he can get past that. His promises of change will help, but his lack of executive experience as well as a very limited record on legislative matters will probably be a bigger hurdle than race. Change is fine, but he’s going to have to come up with some pretty specific plans if he wants to rely on that approach in the general election.

As for drilling: I think we have to use everything we have but agree that it must be a temporary fix. I’d like to hear Barbara Boxer explain why it is ok with her to drill within the 3-mile limit of California, but not outside. If she can get past that with environmental arguments, I’ll be REALLY impressed. In fact, no matter what anybody wants, oil will only be a temporary fix. If we haven’t learned that lesson by now, we’re really in trouble. I believe we need to get hot and heavy into nuclear energy as well. It’s a proven technology, and one we can use immediately.

Leaving Iraq would help because we are hated by the rest of the world because of our war of aggression, but I'm not sure it can even happen now.
Face it, things were going good till Bush took over, and they've been horrible ever since. His propaganda wing is devised by Cheney, and it worked for a while. Sorry part is, I'm not sure Obama will win. Not because of his plans, but because there are too many that won't vote for him because of his name and skin color.
As for drilling off the coast, I have no problem as long as it's not hurting the earth. But it's still only a temporary fix.

Daniel,
I certainly can’t argue that the Dems have not been hamstrung by threatened and real vetos. I’m sure that will change in November, because I’m expecting wholesale slaughter of the GOP. However, I think your proposals, and expectations are overly simplistic. First off, how long do you think it will take Obama to get us out of Iraq? Next, what makes you think our leaving Iraq will automatically result in a whopping 50 cent drop in gas prices? Do you really think the county will be stable enough to make that much difference? When someone in Nigeria sneezes, prices shoot up: I don’t see much difference in Iraq unless by some miracle all sectarian violence just disappears overnight. I’m also concerned about the affect Iran will have in the region after we leave. Don’t you have the same concerns?

Would you agree that nuclear power should be included in the “other power sources” that you mention? Would you also agree that we should be using and developing the oil and coal resources that we have while we await a suitable substitute? As for the SUV’s, I would hope you’d agree that the market will take care of getting rid of those. The evidence is already out there, and unless the automakers want to continue getting their clocks cleaned, they will have to eliminate or greatly reduce the production of the gas guzzling monsters. I think the answers are more difficult than any of us realize, not just Bush. Even the “experts” agree that it will not be an easy or painless project.

I have mixed feeling about your “propaganda” statement. There can be no doubt that he took advantage of the national mood after 9/11 to get into Iraq, and toss out provisions of the Geneva Convention. But we’ve been victimized by the Left using the very same tactics. Fear is a very powerful force and one at which both parties have been able to use with great effect.

First of all, the Dems haven't got much accomplished because because bushwhacker vetos everything. But, they have kept him from having free reign over policies that have crippled our nation in the past 8 years, unlike the congress before that passed everything Bush suggested.
As far as oil, if we get out of Iraq, gas prices will drop 50 cents within a year. Beyond that, speed limits should be lowered, the country should be rid of gas guzzlers like SUVs and the money we are blowing on Iraq could be invested in developing solar energy and other power sources. That's pretty mcu Obama's plan to, along with eliminating all the coorporate tax breaks for the companies that continue to ship jobs overseas and bankroll China.
I don't think the answers are as hard as the Bush regime would want you to believe. But of course, this is how they've gotten support for Iraq and forced congress into forgetting about the constitution, it's called propaganda.

Buy a Horse........ Now there's an Idea!
I might be better off with a mule though, they're much shorter and the fall won't hurt as much!...
(geesh I woke up way too early this morning)

"The truth is that Lincoln became a great president because he was so thoroughly prepared for the demands of the job. During an era of intense partisanship and shifting political alignments, he was arguably the most seasoned candidate and party leader ever to occupy the White House."

He ran for elected office nine times, and had an 8-1 record. Not bad.

Here's the link: http://hnn.us/articles/446.html

Judy,

Abraham Lincoln only served one term in the United States Congress if I am not mistaken. Would that have been considered lack of experience?

Judy,
I watched a program on CNBC this evening, and about all it did was depress me. However, they did provide some tips. There is a website, gasbuddy.com that will tell you where the cheapest gas is on your route to work, or the area you live in. I haven't checked it out yet.
The rest of the tips were pretty standard. Check your tires, drive slower, lighten loads, reduce trips, buy a horse...you know, the usual.

There were a number of interviews, but again it was mostly a lot of finger pointing. LOTS of finger pointing. Not much good news.......

OK............ On the GAS/Oil issue
What can we do RIGHT NOW ...... as individuals??
What can we do TOMORROW... is there hope for relief?
How can we make an impact on this issue?

As for the next president..... Obama is not even an option as far as I'm concerned. I have not heard him say anything that defines his "changes", his experience (or lack there of would be a better statement) is truly scary!!

Billyg,
As much as it galls me to say this, we need to be careful blaming all of this on the Dems. By doing so, we put ourselves in the same boat as Daniel. That is, blindly shooting barbs at the opposition, while avoiding reasonable debate that will help resolve the problem. While they did make promises they could not keep (not that that’s a shock from ANY party), many of the problems causing the current spike in prices were not foreseen by anyone. Oil spiked another 11 bucks today because of a comment by the next possible leader of Israel. Not much Nancy or George could do about that. LOL! The Left is just as guilty as the Right for the problems, and once we (including our representatives) realize that, maybe we can make some progress toward solving them.

I’ve got some serious reservations about Obama as well. I’ve read his positions on taxation, and have to admit that some of them sound pretty good….in theory. My concern is similar to yours: He’s got NO track record to speak of. I have NEVER been a big Hillary fan (actually, I’ve never even been a small fan) but if we get a Democrat in the White House, at least we’d have a pretty good idea of where she stands and what she'll REALLY do. Obama is not much more than words on paper right now. It's a scary time to have a complete rookie on the mound.
Cheers.

Well Daniel, another well thought out response by a professional journalist. If you read my post closely, I don’t think you’ll find that I ever exonerated (relieved from guilt) Bush from blame. Of course, maybe you just missed my meaning due to all the “big words.” I simply pointed out that there were a number of other factors involved, and that Bush is not SOLELY to blame. While calling me a closet Bush lover, you regurgitate (throw up) mindless Bush-hating rhetoric that contributes nothing to the debate. Were you aware that Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT, and hardly a Bush lover) said yesterday on the Senate floor, “Trading on oil futures have raised the price of oil nearly 30% higher than they would normally be.” As I stated earlier, there are reasons for these prices that do not fall directly in the lap of the President. Of course, I’ve already seen your inability to be objective, so your response is not surprising. With the exception of your comment about drilling in the ocean, the rest of your post isn’t worth reading, let alone responding to. I have to question the debating skills of anyone who cannot find at least a little fault with their political party of choice. You may question the fact that I find many faults within the GOP, but I have found that following any party blindly, as you seem to do, is counterproductive (Tending to hinder rather than serve one's purpose). Your belief that oil use by China and India is THE main reason for our current high prices must come for some information only you are privy to. Many, including some in the Democratic Party seem to disagree with you. Maybe you should share your insight with them, rather than with us.

I have not attempted to place blame solely on any one party, or person. We’ve all had a hand in this current mess, including the Clinton Administration. Do we, or will we ever have an endless supply of oil? Of course not. We should be working hard to develop alternative energy supplies. But until we do, wouldn’t it make sense to use the resources we do have? I know Senator Boxer and many environmentalists do not want to allow drilling off the California Coast. Were you aware that drilling is already being conducted there? Seem there is a little information that has not seen widespread airplay (television/radio). Well, maybe it is widely known and I just missed it. It seems that Barbara and her pals have no problem drilling offshore, as long as it is within the three-mile limit. That ensures that California receives the revenue. However, outside this limit, they won’t profit, so under the guise (external appearance) of environmental concerns, they won’t allow it. Is this Bush’s fault as well? We as consumers drive SUV’s, drive down the block to visit a neighbor, and just waste energy in general. I guess you’d blame this on Bush too.

I see you are ready to condemn any future drilling or exploration for additional oil, but I see you don’t offer an alternative, either. I wish we would get off the oil and coal dependence, but unless we have some cost effective alternatives ready to replace these energy sources, what would you have us do? If you can answer any of these questions, I would sure be happy to listen to them. If however, you simply want to bash Bush and the GOP, I’d prefer to listen to my dog bark.

Here you go again Daniel, I love how the democrats all ran two years ago on how they were going to lower the gas prices when they got into office. Looks like Nancy Pelosi and her minions have done a great job of doing that. Gas prices have been raised almost $1.50 and some places more than that across the country since the Democratic take over in Congress.
Another thing, Why wont the dirt people let us build new refineries? Its called socialism Daniel. The funny thing about watching the debates between Obama and Hillary was the fact everytime they talked they were spending more and more tax dollars. They want to give everyone everything, but they only way they could pay for it is by raising taxes.
Ask any Obama supporter what he stands for and no one call tell you anything that he has done in the Illinois senate or the U S Senate. All people can say is that he promotes change. I dont know about you, but the change he is talking about scares the crap out of me.

Chuck thinks his big words with little meaning touch even the threshold of what this is about but he's lost. You have yet to touch on THE main reason our gas rates are so high, it's because countries like China and India have exploded financially in recent years. Their people are buying cars now meaning oil companies don't have to just sell to America and Europe anymore. Not to mention, how could you defend Bush or the oil companies? They are both in this above their heads and its obvious to everyone. Bush was MADE off of oil. When he gets in office prices sky rocket and he declares war on an oil-rich country for no reason but you see no connection? duh...oh wait, you probably work for a company that has benefited from the corporate tax breaks that McBush wants to continue. If you're rich, then you love Bush. He's done all he can to make our country two classes, the rixch and the poor. All the while, he's destroyed our reputation around the world so that rebuilding our economy will be an up-mountain chore.Of course, the typical closet Bush lover says he hates what has happened in recent years, knowing all the while you still want to blame it on dems and the people. Typical Republican response. Self first, country and everything else second. Tim, as usual, brings up a good point about drilling in the ocean. Only problem how far will we go? How much of the Earth will we destroy? What about when that supply runs out? What then?

I agree. What's with these long-winded novels a couple of these fellers are putting on here? I just want to know when the next Ronnie McDowell concert is.

As fer as who I vote fer, I will have to wait and see who Toby Keith tells me. He is a smart man. I got his last CD at the Wal-Mart's.

This page is really getting Boring................

Ok, the non-Chuck haters have it. I’ll share a few more items, one of which I only learned today, to give some more insight into why gasoline is where it is, and where it may be headed.

We have not built a refinery in this country since 1976. We actually import 10% of our gas because of limited refining capabilities. We actually EXPORT oil, and import the gasoline byproducts. I think everyone would agree that this can’t all be blamed on Bush. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) stated on the Senate Floor today, “Trading on oil futures have raised the price of oil nearly 30% higher than it would normally be.” Again, somewhat hard to put this all in Bush’s lap. There was actually some great debate on the “Cap and Trade Bill,” but I’ll leave that for the other blog.

I read an article today about a city in South Dakota that voted to allow the building of a new refinery. Of course, the environmental lobby plans to go after them vigorously, in an attempt to stop the project. Isn’t it time we became a little more vocal? If we begin raising he** will our representatives, I would like to think we may be able to overpower the minority attempting to halt our efforts to become energy independent. I’m already drafting a letter I plan to send to our representatives telling them I think it’s time to tell the environmental lobby to shut up, or put up. Unless they can offer an immediate alternative to oil and gas, we need to take steps to increase our production capabilities. As Senator Craig so eloquently put it, “Our rush to be green and our rush to deny the realities of the market place have produced the problems we have today.” We haven’t been allowed to drill, we haven’t been allowed to expand refining capabilities, yet we have also been denied viable alternatives to oil and coal. They (environmental lobbies) simply can’t have it both ways.

Congress is already looking at ways to put a halt to the speculation, but that is only a small part of the equation. Until we can come up with alternatives to oil and coal, we’re going to have to use them, and ideally use and refine the products we already know exist.

And Terry.....I like the way you think, LOL!

Chuck - You're letting them win! and running off someone that has some common sense. I enjoy your posts and hope they will continue. Everyone needs to have a more open mind, be better readers, and think a little more before spouting. I've been guilty of that myself and over the past few months I have enjoyed more of what I read because I am trying to be more open to how others might think!

Terry - Now that was funny!!

Those of you who think you know everything are very annoying to those of us that do.LOL

You know, I've been an Internet user for a long time (by Internet standards anyway)--about 12 years now. Back when I first got on line, I was an avid chat junkie. Unfortunately, as time went on and more and more people got on line, the quality of the chat went down the tube and what had been intelligent discussion with room for more than one opinion became a thing of the past and I ultimately quit "chatting" altogether.

It appears that blogging is no different. People have their opinion and no one else's matters. I've actually seen arguments here in the past few days where I agreed with some points even of those authors I generally disagree with--points that encourage me to THINK. That's what this is supposed to be about--open exchange of ideas. The lack of civility is appalling and distasteful, and like Chuck, I wonder why I waste my time.

If you want to change my mind about what I think, persuade me with logical, factual writing and thoughtful opinion. Name-calling and personal attacks are for second graders.

Chuck,
You have excellent posts, don't let anyone run you off the blog! I enjoy reading your posts. It's been nice to have an actual debate/discussion about something great instead of chicken, groceries and yard sales, lol. Yea, people tend to get upset when someone else says something they don't agree with and starts with the flaming. But you don't strike me as someone who pays any attn to blog bullies! Stick with with and happy posting!

Tim...you're right.
I have been known to write my Congressmen and let them know how I feel about things....maybe it helps, who knows ? I wonder if they even read their mail.

It would be a good idea if everyone could understand how our govt. is really working and what really goes on. I was reading tonight about
"signing statements". Tim, I know you probably know what these are....but I just learned about them tonight....and how have been used to circumvent bills brought to the President.
It's really very scary to know that our Constitution is being so undermined....most of us have no clue. We all need to study and read constantly about these things and then we'd be a more informed electorate.

Chuck, you really shouldn't let anyone stop you from expressing your opinion. That is what this space is for. While there are many who just vent their spleen, namecall, and enjoy demeaning the other bloggers, I do enjoy have a cogent debate from time to time. Look at it this way. If the ones who genuinely just want to debate topics in a respectful, fact-backed manner stop blogging, who does that leave?

As for the rest of the discussion as of late... I could not agree more that nothing is being done. In my opinion, do you know why? We spend too much time giving our opinion to people who have no power. I am pointing the finger at myself here too. How many of us spend 15-20 minutes, at least, reading and typing out blog entries without echoing our sentiments to our Representatives in Congress. They are the only ones that have some power to help try to fix this mess.

Speaking as someone who has had some experience in politics, as long as the people are quiet, politicians will just do whatever is in their best interest, or just whatever the heck they want to do. It is only when you make them feel their job may be in danger, that they get off their butt to do anything. So as long as we gripe and snipe at each other here on the blog, and don't make any official noise to our government leaders, things will continue to stay the same.

I plan on doing a better job of letting my Reps know I watch how they vote and I will hold them accountable for how they do so. If enough of us do that, maybe then we will see real change instead of politicians just talking about it in their speeches.

Well, guess I'm wasting my time. You've all made your point, and you won't hear from me again. You can all sit around, slap yourselves on the back, and run anyone else who disagrees with anything you say out of the discussion. That's what makes this such a wonderful country.

If the other know-it-alls (MG62 & Terry) would like to discuss something on another blog, I'll keep my eyes open. Until then, I'm outta here.

Kurt i think Chuck Siniff should run for public Office he seems to think he knows everything. MG62 And Terry George might also be good at it.

WOW.... Chuck, Tim, JW and Terry,
I'm impressed!! Keep it going, love the reading, and I SEE a lot of GREAT points in all your posts!!

Terry,
I think that's just another example of who is really being represented in Washington. I also find it disgusting to see elected officials go into office with no more money than many of us have, only to come out of office as multi-millionaires. I know much of the money is "legal", but it doesn't make me any more comfortable.

I'd be willing to be I'm not the only one disgusted at how Congress spend their time, either. What company in America would give their mid-level managers a decent six figure salary (for life), great benefits (better than most of us get), yet only ask them to work a third of the year? When they do work, we see them dealing with the REALLY important issues, such as who's using steroids in baseball. Maybe it is just me, but I'd prefer they deal with, oh, let's say healthcare for a starter.

What you must remember is that theo office of the President is an "EXECUTIVE" office and not a "LEGISLATIVE" office.He doesnt make the laws,congress and the senate do,A deomocraticly controlled congress and senate.These are the people who should be held responsible if anyone because of the Lobbyist and PAC money funneled to them by the oil companies.That is something I don't understand,if it is illegal for politicians to buy our vote,then why the hell isn't it illegal for the lobbyists to buy theirs?

JW,
I couldn't agree more. Below is a response I sent to one of my Uncles. We've been discussing politics, etc. and You and I actually seem to be on the same page, at least as far as our government is concerned. Here goes:

If you wait for me to get it all out of my system, you could be in for quite a wait. I’m mad for all of the reasons you list. I’m angry at the ineffectiveness of government, I’m mad at the Republicans for making things worse, and I’m livid that the Republican Party has pretty much abandoned “its values.” However, I’m just as angry with the Democrats for some of the things they and their representatives have done. I also wonder about your seemingly unquestioning loyalty to the Democratic Party. I have been a long-time supporter of the GOP, but I also realize they have some big problems right now.

Have I lost faith in democracy? No. Have I lost faith in what we try to pass off as democracy? Yes, I think I have. You state, “I may be wrong but I believe that conservatives don't trust real democracy and feel more comfortable with an election process controlled by business. I won’t argue the point, but I think it disingenuous to say its only conservatives. The super delegate concept is hardly a textbook example of a democratic election process. It appears to me that liberals don’t trust voters any more conservatives. Look how both parties handle the primary process. Two states decide they want to hold their primaries early, and they’re banned from representation. Millions of voters now no longer have a voice. Democracy at work? The Republican answer was only slightly better. “We’ll give you ½ votes at the convention. How would you sell this crap to a developing nation as “Democracy”?

At the rate we’re going, we will be back in the Stone Age before we get a government that is truly responsive to the needs of the people. Look at the debates we see between the candidates. Are they really discussing any substantive issues? No, they’re calling each other names, making ridiculous accusations, and throwing out 20 second sound bites. And this nonsense knows no political boundaries. They ALL do it. The media eats it up, and most of the media reports the news as it fits into their own agendas. While this goes on, the rancor between the two “sides” gets more heated, more destructive, and the cycle starts all over again. When I mentioned the Chesapeake Bay cleanup, you state, “But that's the kind of thing we could be debating if government was working better. Now it doesn't even appear on the radar.” That’s my point. There is no national debate on these issues because everyone is too busy listening to Rev. Wright, or McClellan

As I hope you see, I'm don't like the finger pointing anymore than you do. I'm so fed up with the way things are going in this country that I'm beginning to think you're right: Some kind of revolution is the only way we'll save it. But we can't blindly follow ANY political party and that's why I think these discussions can be good for all of us, if they are conducted with civility, and open minds. The reason I like open debate is because there are a lot of things I don't know. I view the world differently than you do because I assume our backgrounds are different. Your experiences are different from mine. If I don't talk to you, I'll never know, or understand how you think.

Let me also admit that I fall into the finger pointing, and sarcasm trap just as easily as the next person. I hate that I do, but sometimes I let emotion take over and rationality goes right out the window. This is especially true if someone puts words in my mouth, or calls me names. I think you'd agree: it's a natural defense mechanism.

I would hope we can share our thoughts on how we can fix this mess, if indeed there is anything we can do.

Cheers

Chuck...

You seem like a nice enough guy..(sarcasm of course).

I really could not give a rats hairy behind why the prices are higher and who's fault it is. You can come on here and Pontificate all you want...at the end of the day people are still suffering..and all I seem to see and hear....is this....

Thats right Nothing!!!! No one seems to want to deal with this, not the Government who is totally inept and is on the verg of collapse...certainly not the oil companies who continue to sit back and get fat and happy on the backs of every day people, and surely not wall street as they aren't the ones that are hurting.

Then on top of that we come here to read the latest happenings and have to read your endless spew about speculators, investors and whatever else you can throw out there. Yack all you want, still nothing gets done...nothing changes.

you can continue to talk and talk and talk, seems to be the popular thing anymore, everyone wants to talk about everything all of the time.....still nothing gets done.

You know what I see...I see people hurting, losing homes and struggling to buy groceries and gas and cloths etc....and I see a government that rather than help people which they could do and could have done way before now in an abundance of ways, they do nothing but TALK, TALK, TALK. Kind of like you.

Less talk, more action is what is called for here. Maybe a revolution is in order. Maybe we need to take our Country Back because it has been hijacked by this bone head that calls him self our president.

I am sure I sound angry....You bet I am angry. I am angry at what this country has become, where it is going, and how greed is destroying it. What we need to hear are solutions, not blame and finger pointing....SOLUTIONS!

So respond in whatever way you feel you need to that is fine.....in the end still nothing changes.

By the way JW, the customer's that purchase the products from the company I mentioned may disagree with your determination that they are not a "need". I'm not all that certain that you'd be the best person to decide who needs what.

JW,
I take it from your response that you would have the oil companies provide their product at no cost to us? I can’t even get my mind around that type of thinking. What would you propose to reduce our costs, while allowing the oil companies a reasonable margin of profit? Would you like us to go the way of Venezuela and nationalize the oil companies. I'm sure that would be a big hit.

Do you have a real understanding of why the prices have skyrocketed lately? It has not been cause by the big bad oil companies. Much of the problem has been caused by the speculators. Even Congress is looking into this, and are hoping to impose some type of restriction on this process. Our dollar is so weak thanks to the never-ending drops in interest rates, that commodities traders are using oil as a hedge against inflation. If you want to vent, vent about them.

Once again, despite my statements to the contrary, you’ve come to the conclusion that I support Bush. Mind-boggling! I don’t know how much clearer I can make it. I think Bush has made a mess of our economy, and it makes me sick. He makes the "tax and spend" policies of some look attractive. He's adapted an even worse policy of "borrow and spend". His handling of Iraq and Afghanistan is beyond inept, and if I could remove him from office today, I would do so. Please, pay attention to what I say, not what you think I say. I could not agree more with you statement about Carter. I’m not sure Bush won’t replace him as the worst ever.

Again, if you want to debate, please come back with some facts or information to back you up, rather than gut feelings.

Chuck,

I doubt the company you work for in Nashville was involved in selling something that is a need, people have to have gas to get to work etc....

this is the problem....Gas is not a luxury for us....it is a need....without it, this country, for now, would come to a halt....that is the problem I have with big oil. They have us over a pitch fork and they know it....as a result, they can raise prices and raise prices and raise prices, and we are at their mercy if we want to get to work etc....

This is not the same thing as a snow cone or a gallon of milk....they are not something that we NEED to have.

If you want to live in the fantasy land and you honestly believe Bush has made this a better country...you better sit up and look around.

The worst President of my Life Time was Jimmy Carter.....Bush is a very close second.

Keep it up Kurt....we're behind you all the way!

Kurt, part of my last post didn't make it.

I worked for a company in Nashville whose profit margin on many of their supplies is %50. Nobody is protesting that. Can you imagine what the oil company profits would have been at THAT rate?

Kurt, your response is all too typical of other Bush haters. Instead of taking the time to outline why you believe oil companies are to blame, you attack my defense of them. You attack me by blindly assuming I'm happy with GW with absolutely no proof to back that assumption.

If you would simply provide some facts to back up your belief that big oil is responsible for high gas prices, I'd be more than happy to read, and research them. If you can provide some substance to your view, who knows, you might change my mind. By simply attacking me, and spouting the usual rhetoric, you'll accomplish nothing. Oil prices won't go down, and my views won't change either.

"$36 billion in profits this last quarter with most Americans struggling to make ends meet."

I won't argue either point. But do you have an idea of the sales required to get that $36 billion in profit? Can you tell me how the profit margin compares to the profit margin of the Panther Den?

"Glad YOU are excited that BIG OIL is making a profit!"

As a matter of fact, I am glad they are making a profit. I have some investments energy producing companies, which include those in oil. I also have investments in medical and pharmaceutical companies. I'm hoping they make a profit, too. Does this make THEM evil? Where would we be if companies did not make profits?

I find it interesting that the Bush haters begin the name calling simply because some of us don't think the high gas prices are Bush's fault. I'm especially intrigued with the response of the beloved Daniel Suddeath (a "journalist" who does not seem capable of putting a coherent sentence together with superglue.)

Mr. Suddeath states that we would blame McDonald's if cheeseburgers hit $10. If the prices of beef and cheese skyrocket as the oil prices have, would it be their fault? If corn prices continue to climb, (thanks ethanol) $10 burgers could become a reality. As usual, he uses simplistic statements, and ludicrous comparisons to support his biased view that prices are Bush's fault. Unlike Tim Coker, Mr. Suddeath has followed the lead of the mainstream media and reported events as he would like to see them, rather than how they really are. Calling him a journalist is only slightly less disingenuous than calling Maury Povich an investigative reporter. Tim Coker has done a good job explaining why prices are high, and what needs to be done to bring them down. I see no need to repeat what he said.

I think Bush has done a horrible job leading this country, and his heir apparent (McCain) is not much better. He has surrendered his leadership to elements of the party who do not have ALL our interests in mind. I don't think any of the candidates are worth much, as all (yes, including Obama) will be beholden to special interest groups. Be it big oil, labor unions, environmentalist, or Hispanics, all the candidates are pandering to get votes, not strengthen our country. But I digress. If you would do even a tiny bit of research, and were honest, you would see that Bush is not solely responsible for high gas prices, nor are the oil companies.

Congress is now looking at a bill to cap the release of hydrocarbons, and the bill as it stands now would cause prices to rise even more. I'll leave the debate on the specifics of the bill to another time. However, one of the problems with it that is common to many proposed solutions to our energy woes is that it proposes decreases in one area (oil, coal, etc.) without a proposal on replacements. It mandates decreases of one energy source, without proposing an alternative. We could easily decrease our oil and coal consumption by substituting nuclear power, but this is not what the bill does. Is this Bush's fault as well? What actions have our Congress taken to reduce the cost of energy? Partisan bickering and tremendous pressure by the environmental lobbies are drowning out common sense. Until our representatives begin working together, and proposing realistic solutions, we are doomed to more of the same, regardless of whom the president is.

I guess I should not be surprised by the bitter tone, and lack of specifics evident in the posts seen here. Politicians on both sides spend more time attacking one another than outlining SPECIFIC solutions to the many problems facing our country. The media (I guess that would include Mr. Suddeath) do nothing to help the debate, as they no longer report the news; they spin it to fit their specific agendas.

I would the opportunity to discuss the issues facing our country in a civilized, and constructive manner, but when I’m falsely accused of something because I make a statement disliked by someone, I doubt that will possible. If anyone IS interested in trying this, maybe we could start a few subject specific blogs in which to do so. I’ll check in from time to time to see if anyone is interested.

"I'm for drilling in the skull of a panda bear if it will lower gas prices."(Drew Hastings,comedienne)

Just a few figures to help in the debate about gas prices...

What do you think is fair markup on a product? Would it be safe to say that most of the products we buy in America have at least a ten percent markup to make profit for the company? I am shooting low there, because most of the things that I know how much they cost the retailer had something in the neighborhood of a 30 percent markup, but let's stay with ten.

Out of every dollar that we spend on gasoline, do you know what the markup on it is? Four percent. That is it. About 80 percent of every dollar goes to whoever dug it out of the ground... in our case mostly Canada and OPEC. Guess where the other approximate 16 percent goes to? That's right, taxes to the government.

Now when I see oil companies making hundreds of billions of dollars in profits, I might think it could be fair to say "Can't they lower the price and make smaller profits?" I guess they could, but even if they were just breaking even, that would only lower the price four cents on the dollar. It's not that the markup is high. it's that we buy so dang much of it.

To make a lasting effect, something on a larger scale must be done, and I just don't logically see how adding taxes to the oil companies will lower the price of gas. According to the numbers there is anough tax on it as it is in my opinion.

Let's talk about fundamental economics. For price to go down, supply must outpace demand. Now that can happen by a growth in supply, or by a shrink in demand. With countries like China and India industrializing and gobbling up all the oil they can get on the world market, I don't see demand going down on the world stage anytime soon. (I did read an artice that demand is going to in the US though, that has not had an effect on the world market).

That only leaves us with increasing supply. Well, as much as I hate to say it, government is preventng that from happening too. We are not even touching many of the oil reserves that we have available to us in the US and the Gulf of Mexico. This would not only help gas prices come down (if they would also possibly build another refinery or two), but would also help us gain a little independence from OPEC and the other nations that are holding this country hostage at the end of an oil spigot.

One last thing, take a look and see who is responsible for the price of a barrell of oil on the world market. Suffice to say most of the world's oil comes form the Middle East, correct? Do you know how much of the oil fields the companies like Exxon-Mobile, Shell Oil, and all the other non-Middle Eastern oil companies own? Last I saw it was less than five percent. The "oil companies" that we decry are having to buy the raw materials for their product from overseas where they control the price of their product by deciding how much they will produce. not exactly a situation that lends itself to free market.

I do not mean to rant, but I have been studying up on this quite a bit, and the only entity that can truly have a realistic hand in bringing gas prices down is our own government. Allow domestic drilling, stop making it cost-prohibitive for companies to increase refining compacity, and, for the love of all that is holy, do not add to the price of gas by taxing the oil companies which will just pass it on down the line to you and I.

I feel much better now!

McCain is a vote for the 3rd term of George W. Bush.....

I couldn't vote for McBush....I mean McCain if he were the only name on the Ballot.

Given my choices, I would have to say McCain!

So far I have seen no proof from either the republicans or the democrats in this election year that they can even unite their own party. Why then should we presume that whomever is elected will unite the nation? I think it is up to us--the grassroots, so to speak--to decide that we are going to do something productive and start making changes one person at a time and do it without government assistance.

There's no magic answer and no elected official is ever going to provide the magic answer. If he/she says they do have the magic answer--then I'm looking for Jesus to return, for the antichrist will be in power.

That's a good question.Do I vote for a democrat or a republican who wanted to be a democrat?LOL

Didn't Bush say he was a "uniter, not a divider" ?? LOL

Think he failed miserably on that one !!

So Terry, MDL and MG62...who do you think our next president should be...who might unite this generation to accomplish the things you mentioned??

I am not talking about the drive to work.I know that you MUST buy gas to go to work.My work IS here in town,BUT I made 3-9 mile round trips yesterday to take care of my business.This generation,including myself,is a very selfish,instant gratification fueled monster.We all want what we think is best for our families without giving thought to the big picture of our nation as a whole.This generation does not seem to have the ability to unite,about anything.Soviet prime minister Nikita Kruschev gave a speech in the 60's basically saying America's greed would be their downfall.That the United States would be destroyed from within.Everyone laughed.It really doesn't seem as funny now.I am not a blind follower.I do think the government shares responsibility for our problems.But unless we would put aside our differences and unite to change the way things are done this may just be the tip of a very hellish iceberg.

There are many here that are taking responsible steps to minimize the pinch of higher gas prices by sacrificing and using good judgement, kudos' to all that are!

It will take a whole lot more of these types of actions to even put a dent in this situation. And yes I mean "WE" the public, we play a big role in this situation as MG62 noted below. WE are partly responsible, NOTE.... I said partly!!

Basic economics says when government restricts the supply of a good, the price will increase. But... Congress continues to reject simple measures that could increase the supply of oil. For example: allow reasonable, environmentally sensitive, offshore drilling. Remove the numerous regulatory hurdles that add to the expensive task of building new refineries. There has not been a new refinery built in the United States since 1976.

When the powers to be start singing a different tune and allow this country to be more self supporting and not so dependant on foreign oil, PLUS, "WE" the people become more responsible then and only then will we see change!

That goes for me too, MDL. I think Terry and mg62 are exactly right, but then again, I'm also a realist.

Amen Terry & mg62, I hear ya!

Refuse to pay the high prices ? Go where and when we want ?? LOL LOL
I feel like I'm being held hostage in my house by these high gas prices. A trip to Bowling Green is a luxury now !

How do we get to work ??? By refusing to pay for gas ?? How do we refuse to pay the high prices ?
Is there a subsitute for gasoline I don't know about ?? Is there public transportation in Portland that we can take to get to work ?
Everyone does not work for the local factories here in town, you know.

I think most people have already given up vacations this summer, and most everyone I know is really sacrificing and really being affected adversely ....

You may be going everywhere you want and when you want...but I am not.....and I for one am mad as H*** over policies and decisions made by people whose only goal is another million dollars at our expense, sending all our work overseas,& selling our country out for profit.

We(as a people)continue to go when and where we WANT.We pay the outrageous amount for gas giving the oil companies these great profits.When I was a high school senior there were about 50-75 students who drove to school.Now there are hundreds at every school nationwide.Every teenager has a car.When we start refusing to pay these high prices letting their product sit on the shelf,then we will get some relief.They say those who do not remember history are doomed to repeat it.That's what is happening now.This same thing happened in the 70's.They reduced the speed limit to 55mph,even on the interstate,and full sized v8 vehicles were replaced by 4 cyl vehicles.When gas became cheap again, we raised the speed limits and went back to the full sized vehicles.It will take radical action by the American people to change this again, but we have to unite,and thats a hard thing for this generation to do.

Please don't waste your time feeling sorry for me. I'm happy, healthy, productive and content--perhaps moreso than many of you would appear. I am a realist, but not a nihilist, engaged in a thinking process rather than spewing the sound bites from my favorite (I think that's an oxymoron) politician or Hollywood performer who fashions themselves as expert in the political realm. I feel blessed to have been the product of parents who taught me what responsibility means, who taught me what real logic is--not college textbook logic, but good common sense (some of you understand what I mean--for example, if a $750 rent payment stretches your budget, then $1000 mortgage payment is an impractical next step). Say what you will, I will take this life in this country any day over the alternatives.

Finally, I've taken my opportunity to say what I believe to be true without attacking any individuals or their viewpoint, please extend the same courtesy to those with whom you disagree.

MG62 And Terry George It's sad that you actually believe what you are saying. I feel so sorry for both of you.

I am more than happy to take responsibility for the things I create and am responsible for, but the high oil prices are not one of them.
To imply that it's all the fault of ordinary citizens is absurd. The blame goes a lot higher than us.and is far more complicated than what you are presenting here.

MG62,finally,someone who takes responsibility instead of blaming someone else.Very well said!

I agree with Chuck, but let me add this. It's also time to place blame squarely where it is due--ON US. For the past 20 years or more we have wallowed in self-indulgence, buying bigger and bigger vehicles that we didn't really need, buying boats, jet skis, camping trailers--bigger and more than we could actually afford to pay for, more than we really could afford to operate. After all, who REALLY needs a Hummer? How many people actually NEED an Escalade or Expedition to drive to work every day? We apparently learned no lessons from the gas crisis in the 70s. We are only reaping what we have sowed with our lack of concern for the future. Do I like it? Nope, but I guess I can live with it. I made a drive today to Rivergate and did not notice any significant decrease in traffic, so I guess others are living with it also. At least I can say I'm driving an old Sentra getting better than 30 miles to the gallon. We have a big ol' gas-guzzling pickup truck too--but it generally stays in the garage unless we actually need to haul something. (By the way, if the President is responsible for our gas prices here, who is responsible in England and many other countries where the gas price is nearly double ours? Oh wait, I forgot--GW is responsible for everything bad and evil, regardless of the country.)

As consumers, we have to take responsibility for creating the current economic environment that allows OPEC to take advantage of us and that causes speculators to use oil as a hedge against the falling dollar, driving the price up. The world is laughing at our shortsightedness as consumers. They are laughing at our subprime mortgage crisis--which is nothing but product of our own greed and our own stupidity (both from the consumer end and the real estate/lender end). And they are laughing at us for expecting the government to bail us out.

It is likely consumers will have to make some changes to their lifestyle. Gee, maybe the kids can't participate in multiple extracurricular sports--it will not destroy their lives. Think of the money saved in gas not driving to practice/games, in fees paid to participate, in dinners purchased and eaten while driving or at the field, washing uniforms or buying safety equipment. Or maybe we'll have to cut out some of those movie channels or settle for regular cable instead of HD or digital. Maybe it means buying fewer video games (did you know last month set a record for video game purchases in the U.S.?) or fewer adult beverages or cigarettes. It's not painless, but it's a lot less painful than not being able to buy gas to go to the job that pays the bills.

Kurt...

very VERY well said......you are singing my song!!

Kurt, you said it just right. "blind worship and undying allegience" to George W. Bush. That is what has always baffled me, too....how any thinking person could be so fooled by him....it's going to really take some work to undo all the damage he and his administration has done to this country.

kurt you said what i was thinking. Back before the last election i was telling everyone that a vote for bush was a vote for higher gas prices. Also it doesn't do you any good to tell some of these people anything since they were brainwashed years ago.

I just hope that we live long enough to see the death of the Republican Party.

Chuck Siniff...why of course. For the the love of God, don't blame the OIL COMPANIES for the gas prices. My God. You and those who think the way you do are so responsible for the crisis this great country is in right now. Your blind worship and undying allegience to George W. Bush just baffles me. Big oil all high-fived each other after the 2004 elections, now they are reaping the benefits!

$36 billion in profits this last quarter with most Americans struggling to make ends meet. Glad YOU are excited that BIG OIL is making a profit!

Like I've heard from some who are older than me, I think that we all need to remember that we as a country have been spoiled the last several decades and things are getting a bit tough economically. Just be glad we aren't in a depression right now, yeah maybe something like that could happen again and some say we are headed there. I just prefer to look at it as maybe I have to shop a little smarter, start saving a little more, make better financial choices and doing those kind of responsible things will keep us all living still comfortable lives compared to the rest of the world.

Don't take this as a bash to people who complain and are looking for all the ways to start saving. I'm actually saying good job to those who are being responsible and not panicking or hoping this will all end quickly without changing their ways. So to all who are car pooling, planning your trips better, and being more thoughtful when it comes to how you spend your dollar, good job!

For the whole time Bush has been in office, gas prices have remained tolerable, now with him on his way out, suddenly "supply and demand" have taken a GIANT leap.....something just doesn't seem right to me about that...with these new prices everything is changing....has anyone noticed how the fast food joints are decreasing their serving sizes as well as upping their prices? I just paid $1.59 for a coke at Sonic and it was just a regular size; you get a large size at McD's (for the moment) at least for that amount....hello Daniel! Good to hear from you!

Hey Daniel! As much as I hate the gas prices, it is free enterprise and that's why no one has stepped in to do anything about. Granted, it may not be right. But basic supply and demand is the game. We gotta have it, they got it, profit is to be made. Apparently at all cost, but it is free enterprise. Man, I wish I still had stock in Exxon....

If McDonalds started charging 10 bucks for cheeseburgers, wouldn't you say it was mainly their decision/fault. If a big-time investor in Mcdonald's also happened to be the president, and he had declared war on say cheese crazy Wisconsin, wouldn't you see a connection? How could you not? Of course the oil companies and Bush are the most at fault for this.

who cares who's fault the high prices of gas are.....

the fact is they are very high, and need to be brought down, one way or another. We all need to conserve fuel, and lessen our travel, carpool, etc...

Until this happens, nothing is going to change.

I have a hard time why anyone would think these prices are the fault of the oil companies. Of course the media does a great job helping this, but in reality, very little of these skyrocketing prices are their fault, or Bush. Yes, they make huge profits, but their profit margin is well in-line with most other businesses. If people want to place blame, place it where it belongs instead of following the knee-jerk crowd who blame big oil. Our dollar is so weak right now (thanks to low interest rates, thanks to sub-prime mess)that speculators are using oil as a hedge against the ever-weakening buck. Big Oil has nothing to do with this.

We should also be looking to our so-called political leadership. Why is it that the Left claims the 10 billion barrels of oil available in ANWR would not have a significant impact on gas prices, yet they now want to tap the strategic reserve to help bring prices down. The reserve is only 700 million. Anyone else see a problem with this "logic"?

Finally, I think DeeAnna had a great idea. It would take some coordination, but sharing rides with others for recreational/shopping trips could save everyone some $$$$$$.

I work in Nashville and have started doing my shopping on the way home from work when I need something. This has saved alot of miles on the car and alot of money on gas which gives me more money to spend on thing's I want. The 4 dollar gas is bad but with some rearranging of my traveling habits I now have more money to spend.

I also save money at home by changing all my light bulbs out to Floresents. They do cost more but they save me money and last longer. I also started doing something I saw on HGTV. They said you could save money by storing your storage container's in your fridge. It actually work's because when you open the door on the fridge the cold air is being contained in the containers and the fridge doesn't have to run as long to cool back off.

I also go out every friday with family members to eat dinner and we take one car which save gas. We all pitch in five dollars and go to Hendersonville and have a nice meal and then stop to do a little shopping.

If anyone has any other Ideas on how to save post them. I'm always open to new Ideas.

I just had an idea......since Portland dosen't have any kind of public transportation, wouldn't it be a neat idea if people could form a "carpool" type situation if they wanted to go to Bowling Green to the Mall or etc.....we could meet at the Gazebo and share the gas money to go shopping for the afternnon or for a few hours...kinda like a ride share program ??
Think that would work ?

We are doing little things to make up for the rise in gas prices.

Husband works in Portland and drives his motorcycle to work on sunny days.
Canceled HBO
Stopped driving SUV so much
Using bank to make payments now instead of using stamps to mail them.
Eating more leftovers and not spending as much at grocery store.
Cut birthday presents down by $10.00. Use to be $50 now $40.

These little things add up quickly.

I see gas hitting $5.00 a gallon. The gas companies will make sure they do.

My husband drives to Hendersonville every day for work and between taking my son to school, the regular run arounds;groceries, having to go out of town to doctor appointments,ect.,we ended up paying more than our mortgage payment to fill up both of our cars this month. Its unreal. Not to mention how it is effecting my husband's employer..He works as a route driver for a small vending company, they have had to raise prices on their products to try and compensate for the rise of gas prices, in result, less people are buying items, with the strain of every day living, who can afford a $1.50 20 oz Coke nowadays? This, in return,makes everyone suffer since all of the vending route drivers work off commison of their route..So, we are all getting pretty jerked around except for the oil companies..Doesn't seem right.

Gas is 3.73 in Franklin, KY at the Flying J and Marathon if you're up that way. Rarely is it ever as much or higher than here in Portland. It's helpful to google and bookmark the Flying J site on your favs so you can check prices before you head that way if you don't go on a reg basis!

I have a theory.If the city were to play it's cards right we could benefit from these high gas prices.First,remove the city's portion of the sales tax,I believe 2%,on clothing only.Entice a middle of the road clothing retailer(say a Goody's,Belk type)to locate here.Then we will be competitive with Franklin's sales tax and better than Gallatin's on clothing.This,along with the high price of gas, may make more of the people who work in our town's industries want to live and shop here instead of driving from surrounding towns and states.This would increase our population,our sales and property tax revenue,and could give us those restaurants we really want.Like I said it's just a theory.

The high gas prices's effects are being seen in a very real way now...everywhere you look. Restaurants are half-empty, stores have many fewer customers, it's apparent there is a dark cloud hanging over everyone now...it's affecting all parts of our lives now. I heard a report on tv this morning that said we could expect that gas will surely be $7 a gallon within 2 years !

I don't see how our economy can withstand much of this....it's really going to affect people who have to drive distances to work....it's too bad there isn't some form of mass transit here....
we're all going to have to work out solutions to offset the hardships these gas prices are going to bring to our lives now.

Be happy what you are paying is only around 4 dollars. The news showed what the prices were in other parts of the world. England pays about 8 1/2 or 9 1/2 a gallon but the Netherlands was the worst at 12 a gallon. I don't think we'll see 5 dollars this year unless a hurricane hits a refinery.

I think the oil companys are trying to see how far they can push the prices before they stop. One other thing is George Bush is a Oil man and is trying to make all the money he can before he is out of office.

I drive from Portland to Nashville (airport area) everyday. It is killin' me. I'm considering going to a 4-10hr day work shift. From what I am reading, we can definitely expect $5 per gal gas in our near future. I have also had to curtail my local trips, i.e. to Franklin and White House. Just tryin' to save on that gas. Also, the overall cost of food has risen dramatically (even though the economists don't seem to think so).

I hope gas doesn't reach $5. per gallon, but we'll get pretty darn close probably by mid July.

I don't travel for work... Thank goodness!! and I sympathize with all of you that do, that's like taking a $1.50 per hour out of your pay check!! Hubby is fortunate to have company provided vehicle & gas, so it hasn't affected us too much, but we don't make trips to Bowling Green and Rivergate unless we have more than one thing to accomplish, and we do shop more locally than before.

I sure hope it don't. We just moved here from California and own a RV we had hoped to be able to see the east coast. But with these prices we are going to have to curtail our adventures. I have found some nice places to see (camp) that are close. Suggestions excepted... LoL... Over all we try a plan our trips to town so we do at least 3 things on our chore list