Middle America Worker's Story

[cleanspeed1]

Originally Posted by SentraSE-R

Adding to the point of my earlier post, any American driving a car that averages <46 mpg is living beyond his/her means. The USA has to import oil because of all the Mikes who keep us in debt to the likes of Hugo Chavez and OPEC.

We import oil and do other things that compromise our security because people here have brokered deals and have done things legislatively and politically to make it that way.

No one said that we HAD to buy OPEC or Chavez's oil.

We don't "have" to do anything. If it came down to just using our own resources, we would have a national fleet with an average that would eliminate the need for outside resources. That could have happened a long time ago, but greed has no bounds.

We can't blame China, India, or anyone else for what we're in. Blame people here that said "ok, let's make a deal". Nobody put a gun to anyone's head and said sign this agreement for these bonds, t bills, stocks or commodities.

Blame the OEMs that can do better, but don't.

But most importantly, blame the populace for their ignorance, arrogance, and apathy.

Bet a whole bunch of people said, "it could never happen here, that happens in other countries."

[Frank Lee]

Originally Posted by SentraSE-R

Adding to the point of my earlier post, any American driving a car that averages <46 mpg is living beyond his/her means.

How did you come up with that?

Am I living beyond my means? Hardly!

[Arragonis]

Originally Posted by jamesqf

No choice? But Lewis is small enough that most places should be within fairly easy biking distance of Stornoway. And I think pretty flat, too.

It is flat, but pretty consistently windy.

Biking as in pedal is not an alternative for everyone, but I take the point. Interestingly though that was not a suggested solution - just move, get another job. This ended up being the solution to everyone who called that program.

I did wonder why no representative of farming or transport or rural communities or even fuel companies or government - national or local.

Nope. Just this guy.

[SentraSE-R]

Originally Posted by Frank Lee

How did you come up with that?

Am I living beyond my means? Hardly!

Cleanspeed1 got it. If our nationwide fleet got a 46 mpg average, we would be self-reliant. Instead, because of all you slackers who are living beyond your means by driving FSPs, we have to import as much oil as we produce.

If your income is x dollars annually, you shouldn't spend 2x dollars annually. If we produce 5 million barrels of oil per day, we shouldn't use 10 million bbls/day. Yet, that's exactly what we're doing. Congresses of both parties, and the average American, have net negative bank balances. Our oil thirst is double our oil production.

So, are you living beyond your means? I say yes, as far as your oil consumption goes.

[Frank Lee]

I never expected such an ignorant reply from you.

Ha ha, I am the ANTITHESIS of living beyond my means!

Cuz MILES ACCRUED ANNUALLY is a critical component of this calculation! If I had a Hummer but put 20 miles on it/year your argument disintegrates.

Agreed about the rest of it though. Yes the FLEET needs to average that so to have
"an average" some will be below x amount of fe and some above; and some will be below x annual consumption and some above. Not everyone <46 is guilty of putting our country on the road to ruin.

[SentraSE-R]

I should have looked at your fuel logs . You aren't Joe Average by any measure, Frank. If we ever meet up, I'm buying dinner so you won't have to dumpster dive. I'll try to sneak a gallon of gas in your vehicle while you aren't looking, too .

[Frank Lee]

LOL! But... I LIKE dumpster diving!

Anyway, I think it is about the carbon footprint so a lot of stuff comes into play.

[user removed]

Don't get me going on the economic benefit of tossing 300 billion in oil import money into the US banking system where it would basically be a 3 trillion influx of capital every year.
Thats how you fix the economy. As Sentra posted, get everyones family average to 46 MPG, then minimize unnecessary travel. Let the govt raise taxes on fuel and use the money to balance the budget and pay down the debt.

regards
Mech

[Frank Lee]

Or get everyone's average to 23 and halve the annual miles driven... that seems eminently more doable to me cuz, well, 23 is easy to attain even with a stupid land barge. Judging by the sheer number of what appear to be ignorant single occupant joyrides, or actual legitimate runs but made with no consideration for multitasking the run, and ESPECIALLY the number of local runs that could be just as well accomplished on foot or bike, and perhaps dare to dream of people putting some consideration into arranging their lives around the notion of expensive energy rather than cheap as far as commutes and such, I would think it possible to halve the number of annual miles driven and if fuel cost more than lattes and bottled water perhaps there would be an incentive to move in that direction.

[Arragonis]

Its not just an oil problem.

In 2010 the us imported $337bn of oil (according to Mr Pickens).

At least some of that was used to generate economic activity which offsets this cost. Not all by any means and the efficiency of its use could (should) be improved - thats why we are here after all

At the same time though the US sent $273bn more to China to pay for stuff than income from stuff sold by the US there.