Quote:
Originally Posted by Future Mayor
The supply of gas is diminishing for one reason. Oil is controlled by a few people and the oil we have under our own continent isn't being used for anything, let alone the prodcution of gas. The oil companies control the supply and the federal government allow them to do so. The feds either need to mandate that either new sources of fuel, such as electric become the norm from car manufacturers or they need to allow the North American oil to be used in gasoline production.
FYI, We don't live in Europe!
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Using American oil would be like putting a bandaid on a a gushing wound. I must also point out that much of our oil
is actually used for production of a variety of petroleum products - including jet oil, heating oil and
gasoline.
I believe you may be referring to our strategic oil reserve, which is stored at four sites in the Gulf of Mexico and you are correct - is not used for anything. I must point out though that it has a capacity of just over 700 million barrels, and at current levels of consumption in the United States this would only last between 32 and 38 days. It is, in the truest sense of the word, an emergency supply.
You may also be referring to our proven oil reserve, which refers to those reserves claimed (usually by oil companies) that have a 90% certainty of being able to be recovered. This amounts to an estimated 21 billion barrels in the United States, or just over a 2.5 year supply. While I'm not opposed to your suggestion to increase harvesting of our oil reserves to produce more gasoline (and I know a lot of people would attack me for that position), there really would be little benefit to US gas consumers....
Last year, for the first time ever, the United States actually exported more oil products than it imported for the first time in 62 years, despite near record gas prices at home. Why? Because of growing global demand at a near exponential rate - think exploding middle classes in China & India and then consider that the largest US automaker GM actually sold more cars & trucks in China last year than it did in the US. It is actually still more profitable for oil companies to sell the gasoline and other petroleum products produced with American oil abroad than it is to sell it at home.
In response to these realities, I agree with your assessment that we need a much larger push into mass production of alternative fuels and electric cars. We must realize, however, that automakers - while making baby steps to appease the mass public and media on this front - will not so easily or willingly make this much needed, massive push on their own. It will take an extensive amount of pressure to get them to do what they need to, and I believe the American public will not exert their great strength and apply this pressure as long as cheap gas is still available (and yes $4 per gallon is still considered cheap on the global market - we may not live in Europe, but we are still part of the global market). I sense that $5+ per gallon will be the point when the American public really begins to demand some change - one can only hope that they are demanding it in the form of advancing new technologies on a larger scale and not in demanding a return to cheap gas once again, because on the former demand we have the power and chance to make a real difference but on the latter demand we will face nothing but defeat.
I still believe we, as Americans, need to be focused on long-term solutions including alternative fuels, increased use of mass transit, and
re-evaluating the way we live our lives and build our communities.
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How's that for cutting back? It's easy for you to say........"well they can cut back". But try cutting back while making minimum wage. I feel really sorry for those people who have to make that hard choice..........Fill up or buy food for the week. Some families can only cut back so much before they have to cut back on the basic. 
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