Re: [Chevelle-list] Gasoline Boycott Day

[Bill Lessenberry]

Received this today--whatdaya think??


One of my friend's husband sent this to me about two months ago.  I have a very huge opinion of this and I don't mind you sending my opinion to all of these people that are jumping on this hopeless bandwagon.

Here's what I think:
 
I think it is something that pea-brained, stupid individuals have dreamed up in a WE'RE GONNA SHOW THE OIL COMPANIES campaign.  The truth of the matter is it won't effect the gas companies one bit. 


Let's remember that oil and gas companies are businesses.  Businesses will close if they don't make profits.  These businesses are constantly being ordered by the federal government to spend billions of dollars on equipment that is supposed to help the environment.  They must make profits to cover these expenses.  They are also mandated to hire certain people who we all know probably wouldn't be employed there without these mandates.  On their own they support the communities they are located in.  They pay high taxes, they contribute to education, the arts and the community through hundreds of charities.  Will these same people be happier if they moved their companies to another country like so many other American companies have?  Most oil and gas companies produce more than just gasoline also.  Therefore, a day's hit on gasoline can hardly hurt the daily production of diesel fuel sold to truckers, airlines, bus companies, etc.  How about the heating oil that is used up north?  How about kerosene, lighter fluid?  Are they going to not buy those items too?  Also, are they aware that some of the products that come from the refining of crude oil such as ethylene are used by chemical companies that manufacture needed items such as disposable diapers, plastic containers, etc. are fed from these oil and gas companies and they couldn't produce their products without the products they purchase from the oil and gas companies?  Etcetera, etcetera, etcetera.


I know small-minded people think these companies are just big money and easy targets, but there is not one person in the Baton Rouge area that doesn't benefit from the fact the ExxonMobil has so much invested here - a refinery, a plastics plant, a chemical plant, and a marketing division.  They employ thousands of people - their own employees and hundreds of thousands of contract employees.  None of these people would have a job if Exxon weren't in Baton Rouge.  The same can be said for Billings MT, Baytown TX, Bayonne NJ for Exxon and how many other cities in this country that have Mobile, Texaco/Shell, BP, and other refineries in their cities.  No job, no insurance, no money to buy goods, putting other businesses out of business due to no demand, no excellent health care because the community is poor and cannot support excellence in medical facilities and doctors, no museums, no donations to public schools, LSU, Southern, BRCC,etc. No pipe companies would exist (Shaw), no support personnel companies would exists (Harmony, Turner). 


The price of gas has been high in Europe for years.  We have kept the prices down here strictly because we use more gasoline in this country than any other country in the world.  However, fossil fuels are not limitless.  One day there will be no more!  The Arabs are just using supply and demand to their advantage.  We have to pay what they demand if we want the supply.  In this country, we scream loudly to prohibit offshore drilling in pristine Alaska, etc. so the only thing we can do is purchase crude from other countries.  On top of their prices, the companies need to add their profit.  The profit that pays my husband's salary, retirement, insurance benefits, dividends on our stock, etc. 


People need to think before they act.  The people who are starting this are only thinking on one level.  Without the benefits that the oil companies provide their communities, you couldn't buy groceries, much less worry about the price going up. 


Now, if they really want to start eating into the profits of oil and gas companies, they should spend more on a vehicle and buy an alternative fuel vehicle.  How much gas would be bought if everyone had a vehicle that was battery, electrically, or solar powered?  HMMMMM???  The vehicles are really expensive to buy, but they are cheap to run.  This will be the mode of travel in the future because all of the crude that is in the Earth will have been depleted.


Like I said, people are stupid and don't think.  Just a knee jerk reaction to what is really a small problem.  I now pay over $80.00 to fill up my Burb.  It hasn't made me want to join this stupid band wagon and I am NOT selling my burb to get a little death trap!  There was a comparison done not too long ago that was in the paper.  It showed the cost of several different goods and how the costs had increased over the years.  Bread, milk and sugar prices had increased at more than double the increase in the cost of a gallon of gas.  Here again - no one is thinking!


You're probably sorry you asked, but you did - so you got my complete and honest answer!


Love ya,