perhaps a way to fight gas prices

[MsFlorida]

Perhaps I'm having a brunette moment, because this does somewhat make sense to me. Cant hurt and might help.

Received the following in my email, suggestion is to send it on to 10 people etc., etc.

__________________________

I hear we are going to hit close to $3.00 a gallon by the end of summer. Want gasoline prices to come down? We need to take some intelligent, united action. Phillip Hollsworth, offered this good
idea: This makes MUCH MORE SENSE than the "don't buy gas on a certain day" campaign that was going around last April or May! The oil companies just laughed at that because they knew we wouldn't continue to "hurt" ourselves by refusing to buy gas. It was more of an inconvenience to us than it was a problem for them. BUT, whoever thought of this idea has come up with a plan that can really work. Please read it and join with us!

By now you're probably thinking gasoline priced at about $1.50 is super cheap. Me too! It is currently $2.75 for regular unleaded in my town. Now that the oil companies and the OPEC nations have conditioned us to think that the cost of a gallon of gas is CHEAP at $1.50-$1.75, we need to take aggressive action to teach them that BUYERS control the marketplace.... not sellers. With the price of gasoline going up more each day, we consumers need to take action. The only way we are going to see the price of gas come down is if we hit someone in the pocketbook by not purchasing their gas! And we can do that WITHOUT hurting ourselves. How? Since we all rely on our cars, we can't just stop buying gas. But we CAN have an impact on gas prices if we all act together to force a price war. Here's the idea: For the rest of this year, DON"T purchase ANY gasoline from the two biggest companies (which now are one), EXXON and MOBIL. If they are not selling any gas, they will be inclined to reduce their prices. If they reduce their prices, the other companies will have to follow suit. But to have an impact, we need to reach literally millions of Exxon and Mobil gas buyers.

[Chewy_dKos]

1. this will not work....

click here to see why....

http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/petition/gasout.htm

[MsFlorida]

5. ahh well....it seemed plausible

[ClassWarrior]

13. Not in terms of gas, but what about retail sales?

If the two biggies are hurting for retail, and Citgo's really pulling it down, won't that still have a significant effect?

NGU.

[DrJackson]

2. I buy from CITGO and HESS

I've convinced my family and many aquaintances to do the same. Small steps...

[unhappycamper]

3. Urban legend alert!

http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/petition/gasout.htm

It's usually worth your while to check out email like this.

[ClassWarrior]

14. Thinking it through alert!

It's usually worth your while to think it through. See post #13.

NGU.

[Tyler Durden]

4. Did a u-turn across a four lane road to hit a CITCO today...

...and it was the least expensive, too. If you can call $2.69/gallon the least ANYTHING.

[MsFlorida]

6. 2.69 is cheap....

my stupid little mustang only likes the 2.79+ stuff these days. Still I refuse to trade it in I'm reaching for the day when I dont have a car payment anymore

[Tyler Durden]

7. The Sienna gets about 21 mpg.

Wasn't my choice: the wife bought it in 1999 just before we met (it had a high crash rating, and she is a little paranoid).

When I showed her the high "rollover" stats on the Sienna, she laid claim to my Saturn SL2 which gets OVER 33 mpg. Thanks, Dear.

[lostinacause]

8. If anything that action would raise the cost of gasoline by adding

additional risk.

[Chicago1]

9. My Brother In Law just emailed and...

he said that my sister told him that CITGO doesn't get their oil from the Middle East. SSSOOOOOOO that could be an option for people is just go to Citgo and FORGET Exon and Mobil.

[eallen]

10. More evidence they need to teach economics in HS. Here's what you CAN do.

The one best thing everyone can do to affect the price of gasoline, and also for their own pocket book, and for their own health, is to use less gasoline. Instead of driving to the store, walk. Investigate public transportation. Carpool once or twice a week. Better yet, bicycle. Work from home once or twice a week. Sell one of the family cars, and then you save not only on fuel, but also on maintenance, insurance, registration, and depreciation. (An automobile costs at least a couple of thousand a year just to own and maintain, so this is significant money back into your pocket book.) Cool and heat as little of the house as possible. Only run the AC at night. Turn down the temp on your hot-water heater. Buy low-current light bulbs. In short, think like a cheapskate.

Of course, there's no way to predict future energy supply and demand. Even if the US cuts its use of energy by 5%, increased demand from China, or decreased supply, might keep prices high. Or drive them higher. That increment of decreased demand will only push prices lower than they otherwise would have been. But there's nothing like learning that you can control how much this affects your personal budget.

I don't care if you boycott Exxon-Mobil. I don't own their stock, and there are other reasons for boycotting that company. So do it, if you want. But it won't help energy prices, and it won't help your personal situation. What I recommend above might do a bit of both.

[MsFlorida]

15. only own one car, moved to a small apartment on the beach,

and yes, walking is not optional and is quite good for you. traded in the big boat for a sailboat....and added solar panels to regenerate the battery for that one....All are doing their part. Still I would like to see a gas company go bankrupt....

[eallen]

16. Good for you! What kind of sailboat?

[Roon]

11. I got a spam message in chat today

telling everyone to take their license plates off and do a "driveoff" at a gas station to protest. I wonder how many people will now actually do that?

[CanOfWhoopAss]

12. Common Dreams- Citgo buycott

http://www.commondreams.org/views05/0516-25.htm

Use less gas by any possible means. When you have to buy it use Citgo if it is available. May not lower prices but it'll certainly piss some people off.