One thing that really irritates me is the Mainstream Media and even some nitwit phony conservatives speaking against a suspension of the Federal gas tax. Every little bit helps, and I am tired of listening to phony, completely conjectural “economic” explanations why a gas tax cut will supposedly cost us more. Less is more.
That being said, those with cars with sensitive engine light sensors may want to be careful getting cheap local gas; it can harm some of the sensors & cause a lot of aggravation and cost. (I have no connection with anyone or anything in the car or gasoline industry).

c f on May 8, 2008 at 4:26 pm

Sweet!
Anyone know where someone can buy 100% gasoline? Not the garbage with Ethanol blend, that sux!
CAFE is based on 100% gasoline.
’08 Honda Civic…sippin’ along.
WEEEEE!

Nuggler on May 8, 2008 at 4:33 pm

One more comment about the federal gas tax — I am really incensed about this. Granted the amount saved isn’t very much, but the crucially important thing about it is that it least is some kind of precedent for at least suspending a federal tax — makes it easier to suspend or roll back the next one & to avoid passing new ones. All taxation is getting worse and worse, and any chipping away at this tax structure is positive, not only for the itrinsic value of the tax cut, but for what it might set in motion. Those who have the nerve to call themselves conservative & who oppose this should just admit they are really elitists who are completely apart from the life that most of us face.

c f on May 8, 2008 at 5:48 pm

Solving this problem is bloody simple:
1. Drill in ANWR — we are currently ignoring a deposit of oil that could run the US for years if every other source of oil dried up, on the off-chance that .005% of Alaska MIGHT be affected negatively
2. Drill off Florida, California & anyplace else there’s oil; trust me, the tourists will get used to it
3. Focus on making coal-into-diesel economically practical. The Germans invented this before WW II; as far as supplies go, the US is the Saudi Arabia of coal. Eliminateing highway diesel alone from the mix would cut demand by @4000 barrels per day.
4. Build more refineries, and elimnate the sill seasonal/regional mixes.
5. Research making shale oil and other tough sources more practical.
6. Expand nuclear for power. The effect directly on oil won’t be much, but all the other positive effects will be tremendous.
7. IN ADDITION TO all this, explore alternative-energy (hybrids, etc.)
I said simple, I didn’t say easy. We’d rather pay $4/gallon & whine.

DocLiberty on May 8, 2008 at 5:55 pm

I think we should start using hybrid cars like the Prius anyway… every little bit would help save the environment.

PrincessKaren on May 8, 2008 at 7:17 pm

DocLiberty, good ideas. As noted, Bush has had 7.5 years to do something, but the DOE has been around for about 30 years. Created specifically to accomplish energy independence. I think their budget is about 25 billion this year, yet it seems we import more oil every year, not less. Anyone know if those those tax dollars have accomplished anything yet?

Nikita on May 8, 2008 at 7:34 pm

All good points Doc,
I live in North Dakota where we are the premire industry in coal, and the national geological institute has just released their updated analysis concerning our oil reserves. We have over 400 million barrels of oil just in the Williston basin alone. We have our own refineries, yet we don’t drill it. We have three times as much oil in North Dakota then there is in Alaska and its easier to get too. Why we don’t drill it you ask, because the land owners own the mineral rights to the coal and oil underneath their property. The government would have to pay individuals for the oil and coal, and the big oil companies wouldn’t keep all the profits, they would have to pay individuals for those rights. Now it makes sense why both of our Democrat senators are kissing Obama’s ass. They want Obama to take those mineral rights away from the land owners so the government can come in and start drilling.(of course under the notion that its good for America.) Obama and our Senators want to screw the farmers and families that have owned those rights for 100’s of years.

wolf2012 on May 9, 2008 at 1:17 pm

Debbie, start the grass roots movement:
Subject: DO NOT PUMP GAS ON MAY 15, 2008
In April 1997, there was a “gas out” conducted nationwide in protest of
gas
prices. Gasoline prices dropped 30 cents a gallon overnight.
On May 15th 2007, all internet users are to not go to a gas station in
protest of high gas prices. Gas is now over $3.00 a gallon in most
places.
There are 73,000,000+ American members currently on the internet
network,
and the average car takes about 30 to 50 dollars to fill up.
If all users did not go to the pump on the 15th, it would take
$2,292,000,000.00 (that’s almost 3 BILLION) out of the oil companies
pockets for just one day, so please do not go to the gas station on May
15th and lets try to put a dent in the Middle Eastern oil industry for
at
least one day.
If you agree (which I cant see why you wouldn’t) resend this to all your
contact list. With it saying, ”Don’t pump gas on May 15th”

PJ on May 9, 2008 at 10:58 pm

The best “fuel economy” of all is to stop using our damn cars so much. I’m not interested in any “tips” for saving on gas that don’t include that one close to the top. Get off your butts and walk if and when you can. Your grandparents did it, your parents did it, and you can, too. Your bodies will be leaner and healthier, your kids will be fitter, the air will be cleaner, and the Saudis will go back to camel-herding and tent-dwelling as they so deserve. What’s not to like?

angloirishslav on May 11, 2008 at 1:37 am

Stay out of ANWR, let’s save our oil and use their’s. And the cost is irrelevant, it is what it is. We’re running out. The question is, how do we live after the Energy Crash, which will be bigger than anything in human history, including the Industrial Revolution. There are 2 types of fuel use: motors and electricity. And 4 types of fuel: coal, oil, gas, and Uranium. That’s the whole shooting match. Solar energy and energy productivity may eventually account for a significant amount of energy, but they don’t now, and they certainly aren’t going to offset falling oil reserves and sustain our economic system. The fact that we’re throwing up LED billboards everywhere and not heating our water passively says it all. How dumb is it to not have our water heaters in our roofs? People are going to be in total shock when the Energy Crash comes. High prices are nothing.

John Harper on May 11, 2008 at 9:41 pm

The good news in all this. My husband’s company used to pressure clean a lot of gas stations. A lot of these stations are owned by immigrants who are of the M variety.
My hubby tells me that they said they made their real money from the sodas and other things you buy in their stores, not the gas. They pretty much break even on the gas, it is used to get you there so you will spend money in the store.
Well, if you spend all the money you have on the tank, you are not spending in the store.
I guess we’ll see a lot of them closing??
Stick to the gas. And stick it to the owners.

Aunt Bea on May 12, 2008 at 9:51 am