Comments on: Let’s Not Become Gasoline “Victims”

By: James Harnden

James Harnden — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 16:32:40 +0000

Oil needs to be replaced as our main source of energy.
Hemp is a good option. it came be grown in marginal land requires no pesticides or herbicides, increases soil health, and has the highest cellulose content.

By: Don R. Gugliuzza

Don R. Gugliuzza — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 15:13:27 +0000

I agree with you both. A few other things to be considered as part of the problem. We have spent ourselves into a deep deficit hole. That has reduced the power of the dollar thus making everything not produced in this country more expensive. Our federal government can bring the dollar back up by being fiscally conservative. As we pay down the debt, the dollar will increase. We can also start to bring back our manufacturing jobs. Those products that used to be manufactured here are now produced elsewhere and imported for our use. The resulting huge trade deficit also contributes to the devaluation of the dollar.
My solution to the outsourcing of jobs? Make the corporations pay a fine equal to the difference in wages between this country and wherever they send the jobs, for every article imported. We could also create jobs by doing as other countries do, insist that everything shipped to this country be shipped on American owned and flagged ships. We need to have our merchant marine back again and this is the only way to do it.
There are those who would argue that unions and the high wages and benefits they have won are the cause for exporting jobs. How can that be when less than 14% of our work force is unionized? No, it’s caused by the greed of the large corporations and their lack of concern for the country and it’s people that made their very existance possible.
Want to save oil? Give a tax break to any company that ships their goods by rail. The over the road truckers that lose their jobs can be employed bringing the goods from the railhead to the consumer. This would save oil and our interstates.

By: Dan Campbell

Dan Campbell — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 02:49:29 +0000

I agree with your opinion regarding personal consumption of oil. I agree that we must look for alternatives to oil as well as conserve oil. One issue I believe your have failed to address is the inflationary pressures the price of oil has put on day to day items that your average American needs. The cost of food continues to rise because of increased costs of delivery. The cost to heat and light your home has went up as well. Personal incomes have not kept up with this inflation. With less disposiable income our economy will shrink which will result in a loss of jobs. A vicious cycle.