Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Politics : Foreign Affairs Discussion Group -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Win Smith who wrote (135669)	6/4/2004 6:02:01 PM
From: carranza2	Respond to of 281500

Win, the energy issues should be bipartisan or, better yet, nonpartisan. Neither party is going to offend its core constituencies on the energy issues. It's strange that both parties' short term political interests lay in cheap oil, which seems likely to go the way of the dodo. Neither will embrace conservation until the marketplace absolutely positively requires them to do so. Nader might bang the conservation drum--and I would agree with him--but unfortunately the facts of life seem to be that we are headed for a rude awakening on that score. The political fallout is unpredictable. Depends on who is in power, I should think.

To: Win Smith who wrote (135669)	6/4/2004 6:38:53 PM
From: Valley Girl	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 281500

Kerry recently called for release of SPR oil to ease gasoline prices. As Clinton actually did during his term. No one wants to be the one to tell soccer moms they can't drive the Hummer down to the grocery store anymore. Re. Mr. O'Bell's post, yes the effects of a tax would propogate through the channels and have a serious negative effect on the economy. For it to make sense, you have to accept the premise that the price is going to rise eventually anyway, so it's either pay (the US government) now or pay (Arab oil sheiks) later. It could have been phased in to give people time to plan and to turn over the automotive asset base. The money could be used to fund alternative energy projects. To some extent you want the price to hit channels so that you move to more energy-efficient transport e.g. from trucks to trains for long-haul shipping, but if you're really concerned you could allow trucks and ships to get a rebate of the tax based on distance travelled.