Is it time for gas rationing, yet, like WW2?

[Hobarticus]

Bush has grown quite fond of comparing his Mess O'Potamia to WW2.

We rationed gas, food, and natural resources HEAVILY in WW2, to save them for stockpiling and the war effort.

Is it time for such a sacrifice? One thing I keep hearing that the troops have said is, 'we're the ones doing the sacrificing'. Well, maybe it's time for all the yellow-ribbon magnet bearers to put up or shut up.

With gas bound to go up, and the rest of our cost of living to follow, perhaps this isn't so wacky. Gas and food rationing may not be too far away.

[Hobarticus]

1. Anyone? n/t

[RPM]

2. yes

if this war is the conflict ** says it is.

even if it isnt, we should to salvage our trade deficite wracked currency, conserve whats left of the worlds oil, andgive ourselvees a reality check.

[indepat]

3. And the highest marginal tax rates were raised in WWII, not lowered

obscenely.

[Not Me]

4. IF we ration gas, and drop consumption by say 20%

that should be enough to reverse price increases.

[lonestarnot]

5. Already doing! Looking into some camel purchases, burros and

horses!

[hwmnbn]

6. Agreed, but that won't go over well with......

Billy Joe Bob and the security/soccer moms. They are addicted to their SUVs and it's a bitch to kick that lifestyle jones.

I now expect that gwb* will be eaten by his own kind. Let's set the table real nice.

[FSogol]

7. Be careful

Dick Cheney is not going to like this... ;)

[HereSince1628]

8. The "Invisible Hand" has already invoked rationing for some

of course they are those lazy folks who didn't make enough of themselves to be above the impact of the doubling in the price of an essential commodity.

The economic cousin to "Cousin It" isn't particularly fair.

[CrispyQ]

9. I'm all for it.

First, I can't believe that the citizenship isn't being asked to sacrifice anything during this war. Shameful! And since this war is about oil, yes, your suggestion seems reasonable to me. It angers me to no end that conservation isn't encouraged in this country.

[BiggJawn]

10. What good will THAT do?

Sure, might jerk a knot in all the Bubbas jumping into their Sivlerados to drag their gas toys someplace to play with them all weekend, but what's that gonna do for me, who gets brushed by them on his bicycle while I pedal to the store?

With Gas over $3 a gallon now, I'm ALREADY practicing de facto "rationing". Can't buy more than there's budget for, and if there's not enough to get back and forth to the job, well, fuck ME, I guess...

[Hobarticus]

11. Well, last time I checked, food got to that store by truck...

Your grocery bill is going to go up.

It took fuel to mine the raw materials of your bike, to manufacture it, and get it to the store where you bought it.

Unless you plan to bike naked, you'll need clothing. That took fuel to produce.

The list goes on. Your life revolves around fuel, even on a bike.

Not busting your chops, but this goes way beyond all the bubbas in their SUVs. This is us, collectively.

[BiggJawn]

12. You don't get it at all.

Or are you saying that the trucking companies that haul everything we use in this country WASTE fuel?
I don't think so.

I'm directing my anger at the people responsible, and those, IMO, are the Bubbas in their SUVs, Motorcycles (the ones that don't get ridden to the office) boats, ATVs, airplanes, etc.

The WASTE! The 5 MPG penis augnmenter, the 800-cubic-inch Ski boat motor, the 24 gallon-per-hour light plane, all the kid's gasoline toys...

NOT industry, who already practices as much economy as they can because it's good for that Holy Bottom Line...

[Hobarticus]

17. It's not just the penis augmenters...

The whole point of rationing was to cut down on consumption OVERALL, not just among wasteful consumers.

Don't think I said anything about trucking companies wasting fuel.

[BiggJawn]

18. OK, let me TRY to explain this to you.

I'll use short sentences, too.

Trucking company "A" uses 2500 gallons of fuel a week to deliver everything they're contracted to.

They are STILL going to need 2500 to deliver the goods, whether they're being cut back or not.

If some government bureaucrat decides that they'll have to make do with only 2000 gallons, well,wonder which grocery store is not going to get a delivery?

I, husbanding my 15 gallons (or 5 or 10 or 2 pints, whatEVAH)get to the store and find out there's no FOOD, because the truck didn't get enough fuel to deliver it.


In the meantime, Bubba McBushbot, accustomed to burning through 150 gallons a week, 25 to drive his F-350 Supercab to work, and the rest for his 22' bass boat, Ski boat, the Suburban to pull them, and the ATV and Harley to play around on when he gets tired of playing with his boats, gets cut back to 15 gallons a week, too.

Now, who has a more legitimate gripe, me, who's going hungry, or Bubba, who's weekend fun just got a knot yanked hard in it?

In fact, I got a BETTER idea....Go rent "The Road Warrior", and tell me what you think of THAT kind of society?

[Hobarticus]

20. Why wouldn't Bubba go hungry too, then?

If everything's rationed, how'd he get more food than you?

Are you sure you understand what rationing is? That's everyone, not just you. Even Bubba doesn't get all the gas he wants. You and Bubba are back to a level playing field.

I never denied that you had a gripe. When it turns to whining, or being downright obnoxious and pissy, then it's just tiresome, though.

[RummyTheDummy]

15. The difference is when the bike is produced

It's use of fuel STOPS. Meanwhile, the cars keep using and using and using and using and using. Couldn't be more obvious.

[Hobarticus]

16. Does it, really?

Never needs new tires or parts? The rider doesn't need to eat, or clothe himself?

Everything's interwoven. The point is, consumption overall gets reduced by rationing, which may not be a bad thing in the months to come, and beyond. Couldn't be more obvious.

[BiggJawn]

19. The rider needs to eat, whether he's travelling or not.

I call bullshit.

[Hobarticus]

21. If rider doesn't eat, can he ride said bike?

Or does a bike travel by itself? What's Sagan say?

[TahitiNut]

13. People with ration coupons will probably be able to sell them.

Whether legal or prohibited, rationing creates an 'underground' economy. Even if prohibited and tied to license plate number, siphoning works.

The impact of rationing is to change the allocation from "highest bidder" to "trickle up" economics. The "upper 5%" rarely feel more than an abstract impact of shortages. Rationing is like voting - it reduces the plutocratic inequities.

[Imagevision]

14. Right, just enough to go to work and return home.

[Redstone]

22. Well, how about if we ration ourselves? Drive 10% fewer miles each week?

If everyone would do that, and park the goddamn boats and ATVs for a while, it would make a difference.

Redstone