Our energy policy (do we have one?) is bringing greater profits to the oil companies at the expense of the consumer – and Washington is doing nothing. Do we (consumers) really need to keep putting profits into the hands of companies where there are NO alternatives to the service/supply?
Originally posted 2009-08-29 19:29:15.
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Yes, after the miserable, sleazy mess that the republicans have made out of energy – yes – nationalize the lot and then forget to pay off the former owners.
But America would never do anything that sensible – we’re all dedicated to being screwed by Li’l Bush, et. al.
We love right wing lies!
First of all, let me just say I am unhappy with how the oil and other companies are today. Especially Oil companies. Gas Prices are high and they are making very high profits. However..the answer I give to your question is against nationalization. So..here is my answer and why I feel this way:
No. Nationalizing businesses is a governmental action that doesn’t work. How would the government run the oil business any better than how those companies are now? When governments control prices and businesses- as they do in some other countries, mostly socialist ones- Prices are high and economic growth is limited (gas Prices are already high now, they’ll stay high with a government running the businesses). Plus, how can we be sure that the government would do a good job running a business?
An effective economic system involves a mixed system, not one with governmental control over all businesses and certainly not one where businesses have no regulation whatsoever (nor one where government does nothing for econ).
But back to the prices. The reason why prices would be so high under government business nationalization/government control over them is because there is a lack of competition. Sure, there aren’t that many oil companies, but there are still some right now and they still compete for businesses. That helps prices be lower (yet still high today). yet, if the government took over the industries, there would be no competition and prices could be even higher (due to no competiton, gas prices could shoot up even higher).
I’m not sure what we can do about utility companies. But I know what we can do about gas-oil companies (well some solutions).
A Long term solution would be to invest more in alternate energy. Cleaner fuel sources and renewable energy sources. This takes time.
Shorter term solution would be for the government to take action (but short of nationalization). We can take out the tax breaks given to oil companies. We can also DECLINE to take out the federal gas tax. Removing such a tax only benefits oil companies and doesn’t save much money (25-30 bucks over 3 months). We can strengthen emission standards and use a cap and trade system. We can set higher mileage for gallon standards (and give incentives to companies which make cars more fuel-efficent). We can work with businesses to help create such fuel-effiency standards (and incetives) to help both consumers and businesses find a good solution.
hope this helps ^^
That would be a turn up for the books, a prime minister in Iran wanted to do that and got overthrown with by the CIA and of course a lad in Venezula done it and is seen as a nutter by lots of Americans
There is an alternative that most people don’t thing of. You have a choice when you buy a car. Why buy a gas guzzler? Why do you have to get something that gets 15 MPG?
If you want to live in a socialist, or communist country I guess it would be OK.
NO.That won’t wok either.
No. it would be better to demand high mpg cars..stop using gas lawn mowers..demand oil drilling in Alaska and other U.S coastal areas..let kids walk to school like I always had to…distroy lost Vegas and all that waisted energy…stop 6000 airplane flights in the air every day..