House passes bill to sue OPEC over oil prices

Executioner · Post by **Executioner** » Tue May 20, 2008 3:02 pm

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080520/pl_ ... ss_opec_dc

"This bill guarantees that oil prices will reflect supply and demand economic rules, instead of wildly speculative and perhaps illegal activities," said Democratic Rep. Steve Kagen of Wisconsin, who sponsored the legislation.

This will be nice, but will it really work - I don't think so. Why can't this country devote time and effort to get us off of oil? It should be like the 60's when President Kennedy said we needed to land a man on the moon before the end of the decade. I don't understand why the current President can't make some type of commitment on energy? Oh wait - he's an oil man.

Err · Post by **Err** » Tue May 20, 2008 3:23 pm

This is meaningless legislation. If the government really wanted to ease the burden they would suspend the tax on Diesel (not gasoline) and allow another refinery or two to be built. I also wouldn't rely on the US government, no matter who is in the White House or which party controls Congress, to do anything but make problems worse and waste taxpayer money.

I wish the idiots in the government would come forward and explain why diesel rose $0.50 cents overnight and why gas is getting expensive. In case you didn't hear, diesel must now be Ultra-Ultra Low Sulfer which is more expensive to make. This cost was passed on to us. One of the reasons gas is getting expensive is the weak dollar. We are suffering against the Euro right now. Gas is also expensive due to China and India starting to become more industrialized and consumming more resources. Its not just one thing causing gas to skyrocket. Just blaming OPEC shows just how ignorant our representatives have become.

Executioner · Post by **Executioner** » Tue May 20, 2008 3:35 pm

I agree on the legislation and the other issues of high gas prices, but it would be nice to have a President that can set a goal for us to get off of oil. Hard to believe we put a man on the moon in 1969, but can solve our energy problems.

Err · Post by **Err** » Tue May 20, 2008 3:57 pm

Executioner wrote:I agree on the legislation and the other issues of high gas prices, but it would be nice to have a President that can set a goal for us to get off of oil. Hard to believe we put a man on the moon in 1969, but can solve our energy problems.

I don't think we're going to get a President like that for several years to come. No one seems to want to stand up and say, "We are going to become energy independent before the next decade is out." We'll still need oil for a while to come but I agree with you that we need to commit to something. Anything would be better than the current state of things.

Post by **FlyingPenguin** » Tue May 20, 2008 7:05 pm

Totally meaningless legislation. Bottom line is supply and demand. Right now demand is very high. ALSO we are no longer the biggest oil buyer: China and India combined is beating us and thus THEY have more clout than we do now. The Saudis used to kiss our arses before because we were their biggest buyer, but no more.

The other problem is that production is pretty much maxed out. OPEC really couldn't produce much more than they are now. It peaked a couple of years ago. Refineries are also at peak and often there's oil waiting to be refined over here but they just can't handle it.

It's far more complicated than the imbeciles in Washington make it out to be.

The total lack of enforcing any serious improvements in fuel efficiency the past decade is mostly what got us in this mess.

In Europe they've been paying double what we pay for years. It's $6 a gallon for gas over there now. You don't see anyone but the wealthy driving gas guzzling SUVs over there.

EvilHorace · Post by **EvilHorace** » Tue May 20, 2008 8:29 pm

but it would be nice to have a President that can set a goal for us to get off of oil.

I doubt that'll ever happen within many future generations BECAUSE there's simply way too much $$$ in oil and their all deeply in bed with our government.

I do believe that our country could develope more US oil so that we wouldn't need to rely of importing it although I doubt it'd cost us less, they'ld still gouge us.

MK888 · Post by **MK888** » Fri May 23, 2008 1:25 pm

This dumb legislation will do nothing to fix the real issue.... The value of the Dollar!!!!! Stats show that the price of oil is up 236pct since the beginning of the iraq war.... If you count it in dollars..... Counted in euros, the price is up only 73pct. Still not great, but a hell of a lot better...

Pugsley · Post by **Pugsley** » Fri May 23, 2008 4:33 pm

how the hell do you sue somthing that isnt in your own country? Can sombody please explain this? Its like saying somthing is ilegal here and were gonna arrest you for doing it in a country that it is legal to do in.

dadx2mj · Post by **dadx2mj** » Fri May 23, 2008 10:39 pm

Screw the legislation like they will abide by a law we make anyway,,,I say nuke their ass and take their gas!!!!

Seriously we need to get off our ass and develop a new energy source. Not like we dont have the technology already we just need to get the oil companies out of the way and build the infrastructure.

Pugsley · Post by **Pugsley** » Sat May 24, 2008 9:35 am

just change patent law so that all the good patents that the oil companys own are released (100 mile carb, batteries.. ect) so that other companys can build things with that tech.