Fuel/Gas Prices... Let the Protests Begin!

[80cobra]

we dont need the slap in the face, our own government is the ones that need it, they all live in fairytail land D.C. and make big bucks with alot of perks at the taxpayers expense. They drive government cars pay for gas with government gas cards, go on government trips paid for by taxpayers. The truckers need to strike in big numbers around D.C. and shut everything down.That is the kind of slap in the face that they need, a wake up call.

[banksy]

we dont need the slap in the face, our own government is the ones that need it, they all live in fairytail land D.C. and make big bucks with alot of perks at the taxpayers expense. They drive government cars pay for gas with government gas cards, go on government trips paid for by taxpayers. The truckers need to strike in big numbers around D.C. and shut everything down.That is the kind of slap in the face that they need, a wake up call.

You assume Congressman spend a lot of time in DC. I think most of them aren't even there half the time.

[80cobra]

You're right how stupid of me to think they would really be there working.

[My2Cents]

we dont need the slap in the face, our own government is the ones that need it, they all live in fairytail land D.C. and make big bucks with alot of perks at the taxpayers expense. They drive government cars pay for gas with government gas cards, go on government trips paid for by taxpayers. The truckers need to strike in big numbers around D.C. and shut everything down.That is the kind of slap in the face that they need, a wake up call.

A ring-around-the-beltway probably wouldn't work .... but, it would get someone's attention.

[RedhairNFreckles]

Update on so-called trucker strike in NC:

Results.....absolutely nothing. Trucks on the roads, all over the state. Seems most of them wouldn't participate in their own strike!

[snyd2001]

Truckers who own thier truck can do the strike but any trucker that drives company trucks cannot participate in any of these strikes or they will be fired. Most truckers have to make the choice of striking or providing for thier families. If they get fired for trying to strike the chances of getting another trucking job would be highly unlikely. I think many if not all of us would be making the same decision not to strike given the consequences.

[80cobra]

point taken, in any event I suport you.

[Leep]

The large trucking companies would welcome the demise of the independent trucker...

Like the huge conglomerations that now make up most of the farming across this nation, trucking companies would welcome the chance to do the same thing in this industry.
Leep:

[My2Cents]

The large trucking companies would welcome the demise of the independent trucker...

Like the huge conglomerations that now make up most of the farming across this nation, trucking companies would welcome the chance to do the same thing in this industry.
Leep:

I was wondering about that. Thanks Leep.

[anne onimous1]

Update on so-called trucker strike in NC:

Results.....absolutely nothing. Trucks on the roads, all over the state. Seems most of them wouldn't participate in their own strike!

Results.......fuel surcharges on everything that you consume.........Results.........Pain in the pocketbook.........They weren't striking to enact a fuel surcharge, they were striking to prevent it.......

[banksy]

I keep ridiculous tabs on every cent that goes out our family door down to the penny. It took a few years to come up with a system that works, but I now have it down and can tell from month to month, year to year what we spend and what we spend it on. I figured I would share our experiences on gas prices:

Auto Fuel
2007 Total Spent - $ 2,000
2007 Jan-Mar: $538
2008 Jan-Mar: $956

Gas and Electric
2007 Total Spent - $3,331
2007 Jan-Mar: $1,113
2008 Jan-Mar: $1,136

Unfortunately I track Gas and Electric together as one item, so I can not separate them out. Well, I could but I would have to do the math myself instead of running a report and I'm not sure that's the main thing we've discussed here. I honestly did not expect to see the higher amount of auto fuel for the same 3-month period between 2007-2008, but after running the numbers I realized that our driving situation has changed and the numbers are not a good comparison. I had a company car last year which my wife used to commute to work (50 miles round trip) and that fuel was paid for by my company (don't worry, it was allowed to be shared with my spouse.) That being said, we are paying for our auto fuel for her to get to work now as I no longer have a company car which is most likely the main reason for the price differences. So, what I thought would be a good measuring tool has turned out to be really worthless for auto fuel. Home heating and electric however has stayed about the same (without taking into affect the weather differences between the two years.)

Now, what I can say is that our personal spending has went from $6,000 in Jan-Mar of 2007 to $2,000 in 2008 for the same period. Now, that clearly reflects a major change and a clear indication that at least our family is contributing to the recession with decreased spending and being much more cost conscious. Again, our situation is a little different too in that we have decided to have my wife stop working and stay home to be a full time Mommy as we are expecting our second child around June 1st. She's still working now, but her last day is around May 15th. We decided in Jan though to live on my salary and see how hard it would be if she quit. It has definitely been noticeable in that we are much less frivolous in spending, but overall we think the benefits of her staying home will ultimately far outweigh the money.

[anne onimous1]

Congratulations on your joint decision for your wife to be a stay at home Mommy. No matter how much money she would be bringing home, it always seems to go to childcare. I know 20 years ago we paid $150 a week for about two years and decided that It was more important to have me stay at home. Mind you, I only worked approx. 4 hours a day then. You will find a way to make things work if that is what you truly want. These are very difficult times for all. We are spending $160 more/month for food than five or six months ago. We eat healthy which does cost more. That, we're not giving up. Gas is costing an additional $70/month with the recent per gallon increase. We drive only when necessary, to work daily and combined errands 1-2 times a week, nothing extravagant going on in this household. Things are adding up and it's taking a toll. I've got 1 in college and another heading that way in a couple of years and I don't want to compromise any of that while still maintaining a nest egg. The "experts"are predicting that gas will go up to 3.60-4.00 per gallon. I'm guessing it will top out at 4.15 by July. Anyone else have any predictions?

[150thBucktailCo.I]

I just heard today on CNBC Squawk Box that American refineries are now selling the gas they make to other countries since the demand in the US has fallen due to the increase in prices.

How about that one!?!?

So, for example, we are buying our oil from Nigeria and Mexico, shipping it to the US where it is refined into gasoline, and then shipping it back.

Apparently, the arguement that we don't have enough refinery capacity is now moot.

I just love how the oil industries shift excuses daily on why the prices continue to soar.

Meanwhile, you know what else is soaring... their profit margins, while our personal profit margins cease to exist.

And you know who is really loving watching the strain this is putting on the economy.... Iran and Venezuela. They are calling for oil prices to climb even higher. Because Capitalism and the United States will eventually be brought down from the inside. And in my opinion, Big Oil, the Lending Institutions, and the Auto Industry are doing a great job at getting us closer to that.

[anne onimous1]

Yes, it's completely absurd what we are doing as a country. With recent attacks in Nigeria the fuel prices are increasing once again. We are so busy saving the world that we can't even save ourselves and what so many fought and died for. I actually had to make sure that the flag I was buying was made in AMERICA. What a shame. :flag:

[banksy]

[quote="150thBucktailCo.I" Because Capitalism and the United States will eventually be brought down from the inside. And in my opinion, Big Oil, the Lending Institutions, and the Auto Industry are doing a great job at getting us closer to that.[/quote]

I can't see how anyone can argue with you on that. We probably never thought we would see the USSR fall in our lifetime and out of nowhere it just fell apart.