As for the electric grid going nuclear, I think that’s a terrible idea. Fusion power simply doesn’t work yet, and fission produces toxic byproducts that remain dangerous for centuries.

The only realistic hopes that I have heard of in terms of alternative fuels are electric cars and hydrogen fuel cells. The problem with electric, however, is that we simply have too much of our electric grid using coal. What will result is that you will have more fossil fuels being emitted from coal, rather than oil. The way this could be remedied is by nuclear power. More solar and wind farms won’t cut it. It is too bad, though, that all the radical environmentalists, most of who know very little of economics, won’t let them get built.

Another problem with electric cars is that their batteries will eventually lose charge over time, meaning that each recharge gradually holds less and less power.

Now that we are down to hydrogen fuel cells, I do have to admit that it will require a considerable investment. However, it yields no pollution whatsoever. The fuel cell battery also does not require recharging. It is realistically the only sustainable, permanent fuel solution for America, unless of course the majority of the electric grid switches over to Nuclear.

And I totally agree about making oil obsolete. I think it is a shame that the Amtrak system in this nation has been let to go to crap, while airlines get bailout after bailout at taxpayer expense.

I would totally accept a surtax on gasoline just to subsidize mass transit.

I walk when I can, and I refuse to fly. However, the nearest Amtrak station to my home is 3 hours away.
I have not driven my vehicle for four days, I am doing all I can.

In the meantime, the consumers need a way to vent their anger…or soon the government will be setting price controls. Once that happens, there will be no turning back.

One of my fans has been involved with alternative fuels for about 20 years. Vic tells me that there is no way, politically, that we will switch to them in our lifetimes. The oil lobby is too powerful.

Be well,

Sponge

Maybe I’m missing something here, but your proposal doesn’t seem to make a bit of sense. If we want the crazy gas prices to stop, we’ll have to make oil obsolete.

Please read my “Boycott” essay here.

http://www.spongedaddy.com/SpongeOsophy/BOYCOTT.html

A month-long boycott of a single gas company might bite their profits enough to hurt, but I don’t think you’d ever get the participation rate high enough for it to work. People just aren’t inconvenienced enough (yet) to bother with that much effort.

Even if you could get a significant number of people on board for a single-company boycott, pulling it off isn’t as easy as it might seem. Not every gas station is operated by an oil company. Convenience stores like QuikTrip and 7-11 sell gasoline, but who do they buy it from? Do all their stores have the same supplier, or does it vary from franchise to franchise?

This is a complicated problem that needs a multi-faceted solution. I know people are pissed off and want to lash out at the oil industry, but a simple “stick it to ‘em” approach just won’t work.