Gas Prices..Please don't flame me!!!

[shesemsmom]

I just sent out an email to all in my addy book. I am purposing that we not buy gas or ANYTHING from gas stations for the next 4 Wednesdays and Thursdays.I am tired of being held hostage by the machine and I am ready to try anything. Purposed dates are

June 22 and 23
June 29 and 30
July 3 and 4
JULY 10 AND 11
IF WE DON'T DO SOMETHING CAN $$$3 BUCKS A GALLON $$$ BE FAR OFF!!!

I am also purposing that we buy only AMERICAN MADE pumped out of the good ole USA when we do buy.
Thanks all

[Systematic Chaos]

1. Why would anyone want to flame you?

You have a great idea. Of course, even BETTER would be to refuse to drive AT ALL, unless there is NO other option, each of the next four Wednesdays and Thursdays. But then public transit systems would probably break down all over and who knows what else. :shrug:

As much as I could really still use it with all the doctors I'm seeing and stuff, when it all boils down I'm glad I lost my car. To fill my Honda Accord's 15-gallon tank every week would still cost nearly $40 at current prices, and $50 can't be too far off. :(

[shesemsmom]

6. Thanks!!

Please pass this on to everyone. Lets see what we can do. Thanks again

[hfojvt]

30. My purpose is to propose to a prosperous porpoise

accidentally? :nuke:

Why isn't there a gnatpicking icon?

[liberalnurse]

2. I got this email from a friend.....

I deleted the email hype stuff...just the facts here.

THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT TO KNOW..


Gas rationing in the 80's worked even though we grumbled about it.

It might even be good for us!

The Saudis are boycotting American goods. We should return the favor.

An interesting thought is to boycott their GAS.

Every time you fill up the car, you can avoid putting more money into the
coffers of Saudi Arabia. Just buy from gas companies that don't import their
oil from the Saudis.

Nothing is more frustrating than the feeling that every time I fill-up the
tank, I am sending my money to people who are trying to kill me, my family,
and my friends.

I thought it might be interesting for you to know which oil companies are
the best to buy gas from and which major companies import Middle Eastern
oil :

Shell............................. 205,742,000 barrels

Chevron/Texaco..................... 144,332,000 barrels

Exxon /Mobil................. 130,082,000 barrels

Marathon/Speedway............... 117,740,000 barrels

Amoco..............................62,231,000 barrels

If you do the math at $30/barrel, these imports amount to over $18 BILLION!
And now gas is at $52.00 per barrel and that gives them even more money !!!

Here are some large companies that do not import Middle Eastern oil:

Citgo.......................0 barrels

Sunoco...................0 barrels

Conoco...................0 barrels

Sinclair....................0 barrels

BP/Phillips...............0 barrels

Hess........................0

ARC0.......................0 barrels

All of this information is available from the Department of Energy and each
is required to state where they get their oil and how much they are
importing.

[shesemsmom]

4. Thanks for the info

I am emailing it out right away!!
What about Murphy oil (Walmart)Ugh and Swifty do you know. Thanks!!

[Igel]

13. I hate to snope at your data, but ...

http://www.snopes.com/politics/business/saudigas.asp

[shesemsmom]

18. Thanks ....I'm forwarding!!

[obxhead]

29. got tired of searching DoE for info

they don't weant me to have.
My ? is does this apply to all middle east oil or only Saudi oil?

[hyphenate]

3. Where do we find a list of only US based gas cos?

I know this was tried some years ago, and it was dismissed, because everyone had to go and buy gas some other day, even if it wasn't the boycott day. It's one of those things which we have to live with if we're going to drive.

I had to resort to public transportation for a year while my car sat languishing out front. I can say that it was not something I ever want to deal with if I can help it--I have many physical limitations right now, and on several occasions without my vehicle, I could have simply sat down and died where I sat from both pain and exhaustion.

[shesemsmom]

5. See the above list

I guess your are with me on this. Please pass it on!! Thanks

[Dover]

7. What's even MORE appalling is that it seems the auto companies

are in cahoots with the oil companies......not only have the American auto companies not put any resources into providing gas efficient cars, but they have their thumb on Japanese and other foreign car makers to prevent them from sweeping the market with fuel efficient cars (the way they did during the gas shortage) by limiting their allowable import inventories. So there is no place to for the consumer to find relief (just a few models and limited numbers).

[shesemsmom]

8. That is right

so we sit at home or drive only to go to work and to the store. Which is another rip off!!! That is why I took up the art of couponing and rebating. I wish there were coupns and rebates for gas:shrug:

[friesianrider]

9. That won't work...

It will only help in the long run.

What you need to do is not buy from one or two major gas suppliers, like say, don't buy from Exxon and Mobil or something. I got an email about it somewhere...

[shesemsmom]

12. okay, Ive got that

no exxon....no mobile....... and no driving or gas buying for 2 days a week

[Kellanved]

10. Which will accomplish what?

Are you intending to switch to your bike or public transportation? If so: kudos.
Simply moving the purchase to another day has *zero* effect.

As to not buying at gas stations: you will only hurt the owners of the station, nut the big, evil company somewhere far behind it. At least here in Europe, the food is their only income; they hardly make a cent with the gas.

[shesemsmom]

14. I will only drive to work those to 2 days and stay home other wise

or walk. I can expect everyone to do it. But the ones that will may put the hurt where the pain is....

[LastKnight]

11. will do, and will pass on.

those import stats as well as the boycott dates.

and in general im changing the station i buy at.

[shesemsmom]

16. I am doing the same. I usually buy BP

put now I WILL exclusively. Thanks for passing it on.

[CatholicEdHead]

15. Oil went over $58/barrel yesterday

so summer gas prices are going up as the heat goes on.

[shesemsmom]

17. I expect so, but we could cool their heals alittle

I'd like to see them have to PARK IT, because we aint buying it!!

[LastKnight]

19. while it may have no *REAL* affect on their pocketbooks

a symbolic stall in sales on the days you mention could get the point across. if we spread the word to all the large left wing blogs about these days... and make a big stink about it... get some attention, maybe... MAYBE it would work. im not gettin my hopes up due to the limited audience we can reach through the internet, because im assuming the mainstream wont really care... but i dont know for sure.

maybe we should set a few dates farther off, and publicize the crap out of em, in person and online.

i donno, maybe im just wastin time here but im intrigued to see what you DUers think.

[shesemsmom]

22. Extending the dates to

Every Wednesday and Thursday for ever would be fine by me. Make the gas staions a Ghost Town. I purposed in my email that they buy NOTHING those 2 days at any gas sation. Not even a lottery ticket or soft drink!!!

[tecelote]

20. It's a tough one.

Rather than trying to get enough people involved to financially effect gas sales, a letter writing campaign would be more effective.

Exxon, with record profits, will care little about your efforts since odds are that it will not significantly affect sales. Yes, in theory, it can be done. But, you won't do it. 'hasn't been done yet.

Write your Senators and Congressman and copy the oil companies. 1,000 people not buying gas will be virtually unnoticed (it's also very hard to do). 1,000 letters to Congressman and Senators will have impact. Especially if you send copies to the media and can get some of their support. It's not hard to do.

Write a letter.
Send it to your Congressman and Senators.
Send copies to the media.
Copy the oil companies and include who you have contacted.

1,000 people do this and you may have created a movement.

[shesemsmom]

23. Okay

If everyone is with me, write letters. I am getting on mine now

[benny05]

21. This reminds me of the 70's

It's better to volunteer to do these things than being mandated.

I'm about to have to fill my car. I have driven 400 miles on a single tank, so it's getting close to needing gas.

[shesemsmom]

25. I just filled up my car. I was almost on 1/4 a tank It was almost

$20.00 bucks. I think the thing has a 12 gallon tank and have been putting in the lowest grade. Hubby doesn't like that but to bad, The book doesn't call for anything higher so that what she gets lol

[obxhead]

31. honda or yota?

[benny05]

35. Yota Prius 2004 -5 n/t

[obxhead]

40. congrats

Been a Honda head for 15 years. Lovin the 40 mpg I get out of my Civic's (340K for the first, 240K for my second that still goes vroom)

[rateyes]

24. On top of picking days not to drive...

how about also boycotting one oil company until prices come down to a reasonable level. As a protest, use as little gas as possible, and NEVER, EVER buy from, say, EXXON/MOBIL--Don't forget Exxon Valdez.

Can't put the squeeze on the whole industry, but maybe if we put it on one oil company, that company might put the squeeze on others.

Just a thought.

Edit: Of course, we would have to make it a national campaign. Not just among DU'ers. If folks think they could do something themselves to bring down prices, they might just do it.

I'm probably having a pipe-dream, though.

[shesemsmom]

26. Good idea

lets just pass that around. No Exxon.....No Mobile. That might help. I am all for what ever helps.

[LastKnight]

28. so... who has a list of blogs we can contact...

no reason we have to work alone on this... we can make it a vast left wing conspiricy!

-LK

[rateyes]

32. Just came back and read the two replies to my suggestion..

I'm new at this kind of stuff, so help me figure out how to make it happen.

Edit: Is this idea worth starting a new thread over? yes or no?

[LastKnight]

33. first step is to never work alone on this type of thing.

and as alone i mean as in DU, we are gonna need alot more support and publicity than we get here.

first of all i would get a formal idea running in one of The GD forums... asking for support, tactics, ect. then we go to the links page of DU, find the bigwig at each of those sites, email to em... ask for their help in plugging the idea on their sites... and then going to links on THEIR websites. so on and so fourth... exposure is the name of the game here.

there is also the letter writing thing i see alot of people mentioning, this may be a very good way to go. will take less people, more commitment for those that do enroll to it... but all in all is more likley to succeed. whatever that means, because we know that there is no real success in this area, sooner or later, we will all have to gas up our vechiles.

[rateyes]

36. I'm printing this post..

Going to give it some thought, and then see what happens.

Let's do something.

[LastKnight]

37. its worth a shot.

afterall... worst we could do is fail... and if we know that we are likley to do so going in, who the hell cares? we can still say we tried.

pm me sometime and we can run some ideas past each other.

[rateyes]

38. Will do..

I want to draw up a detailed plan before I post. And, two heads are better than one. And, you're right---you can't hit a home-run if you're not willing to stand in the batter's box and risk striking out.

[shesemsmom]

41. You guys go!!!

You Rock too
I want in on this. I'll do what ever it takes to a the very least slow down this machine:yourock:

[tecelote]

27. Want to create change?

Think like a Marketer.

Get 1,000 people signed up promising to follow these steps and willing to spend about $100.

1. Write a personal letter. Emphasis to everyone involved the need to make every letter unique and personal.

2. Develop a list of Politicians you believe should read your letter. Include state and national Senators and Congressman. Ask everyone to commit to a minimum of 10 people in this list.

3. Add a minimum of 10 media outlets to the list. Include your local press and the press in your state's capital.

4. Add a minimum of 10 oil companies.

5. Mail your letter to the Politicians and the media. Add the list of Politicians and media contacts you mailed to at the bottom of the letter and send this copy to the 10 oil companies.

6. Send a follow up letter using the same procedure.

7. Follow this up with phone calls asking what can be done about gas prices. Be sincere and personal.

8. Develop this experience in to a newsworthy article and send it out as a local press release.

9. Answer all calls.

10. Send out a national group press release.

11. Call everyone back.

12. Evaluate and decide if this approach is worth continuing.


If you can get 1,000 people to put this kind of effort in you can move mountains.

For a mailing to 30 people it will cost about $15. Send two letters and it's $30. A`press release can be sent to local media for under $25. Add phone calls...

This does not cost much and it will have an impact.

[chaska]

34. Are you guys up on peak oil? Soon, and I do mean soon...,

we will look back longingly to $3 a gallon. Conserve everyday, that means electricity as well as gas, plant a garden, etc. All of these and more are tied to oil.

Gulf Wars I and II are just the beginning of the oil wars. There will be many more.

The most important thing you can do while you're sitting home on those days is to read about peak oil.

[rateyes]

39. Yes,

I've read about it. That's why we need to press for every vehicle in the country (we have the technology--even for the SVU's) to get at least 34 miles to the gallon, and explore alternative energy. I don't know if he's right but, Clyde Prestowitz (not a liberal by any means--some kind of trade negotiator, I think, for Reagan administration) in his book, Rogue Nation says that if we pass such a law, we will never be dependent on foreign oil again. It's a good book. He, too, talks about the illegality of this damned war.

[tarkus]

42. We should fight for independence from oil altogether.

Kucinich had a good plan to give grants to public transit companies to lower prices during gas price spikes. Massive use of public transit where it exists and creation of it where it does not seems like the best way to fight oil companies and pollution.

[democracyindanger]

43. 3 bucks already came and went

here in California.

My problem with this kind of protest (it's come up before) is that it's utterly pointless. It doesn't matter that you don't buy gas on those days, because you're going to buy it another day. That's a fact.

You really want to hurt the oil companies? Organize large-scale car pooling. A massive movement to mass transit. Not buying gas on certain days? Sorry, no big deal. That's the attitude of the oil bastards.

[shesemsmom]

44. Okay then it is agrred that we must have an all out campaign

where we boycot one or two companies til we drive them back. Last Knight is taking charge of this. Lets see how it goes