Very worried about gas prices...

[DRDS]

I noticed that Diesel is right at $4.00 and regular is in the $3.80 range where I'm at. What's going to happen if people can't afford to drive back and forth to work and to get food? Also with food prices going up (and are expected to keep going up) what will be done (whether it be by the government or by groups of frustrated townspeople) to keep people from starving to death? If oil keeps going up will we have no choice but to keep using it or will we soon start seeing new forms of transportation like natural gas, ethanol, or electric powered cars? I got a feeling if nothing is done soon we all could be staring death right in the face very soon.

[Canuckster1127]

Here's a chart that shows the price of gas when adjusted for inflation.

http://www.fintrend.com/inflation/image ... _chart.htm

We're at a high spike right now but not higher than it's been in the past. Relative to other nations, gas in the US is cheaper by a pretty significant amount.

http://money.cnn.com/pf/features/lists/ ... gasprices/

That doesn't make it any more pleasant when rising gas prices impact us. Plus, when gas prices go up, the price of everything else pretty much goes up as well like food and consumable goods.

When gas prices go up, then, as you note, alternative fuel sources become more interesting. If Gas prices aren't high, then there's not as much point in making the effort because people won't invest in the research and consumers won't buy the new technology.

I don't think this issue is going to lead to facing death. It's been with us all my life that I can remember anyway. It was worse in the late 70s. Gas lines and rationing we're in place then. The bigger economic issue is what the government is going to do about the debt ceiling and spending in the days ahead. We're reaching a point where we can no longer afford to serve as the world's policeman and where many programs that are in the bedrock of our economy for people who rely upon Social Security, Medicare and other forms of assistance are going to have to be reduced and modified. The retirement age is almost certainly going to be raised. This year the first Baby Boomers enter as Social Security recipients and it's going to be become more clear that past congresses have raided that fund to spend on other things and people who paid into the system all their lives are going to be told that the deal they thought they had when they were paying is not the one they're going to get when they're receiving. Heads are figuratively going to roll.

Gas prices in the US are emotionally symbolic. Our lifestyle relies upon large communities, spread out and we've always resisted mass transit as it goes against the independent spirit of Americans. Behavior like that only changes when economics force people to change it. For instance, I live in a suburb of Washington DC. It takes me 3 hours or more of commuting each day when I have to go into DC for my project. If I drive into DC it takes a little longer and I have to pay gas, wear and tear on my car, and parking of $15 - $20 per day. If I take the commuter bus and metro it costs me about $13 a day and I'm in a vehicle that can use express lanes in the area and I can read or relax. It's taken a while but I'm used to it now and the savings have led me to change my behavior.

The rest of the world isn't as reliant on the car over all. Plus Countries that in the past were net Oil and Gas exporters are now undergoing their own rising of their middle classes and they've changed to net importers and are competing with us now to buy oil. China and India in particular are in this position and between the 2 of them you have almost 1/2 the world's population right there.

Things are going to change. This is more than just how we handle our policy although that's important. We can do everything "right" and it still won't change what's happening in the rest of the world. We're heading into new territory ahead for sure.

[DRDS]

In other words, me and my family are going to starve soon, (since unlike other people) we don't make six figures a year and have relational ties to opec, the government and so forth.

[Canuckster1127]

Not making light of your situation at all DRDS. I've been there. Looking at it from the overall economic perspective it's been worse than this and it's worse in many other countries. The difference in this situation is that for the last 20 years or so, the middle class in the US has been shrinking and more people are in the poverty levels and more people, relatively speaking are in the higher income slots. So these elements hit the poor people much more intensely than the richer among us. Hope things get better for you. I suspect gas will go over $4 on average this summer.

[DRDS]

By, by any chance do you know of any good alternative fuels that show real promise or all they all lies and gimmicks just to make people feel clam and to not panic? The ones that look good to me currently (apart from drilling here that is if there is really any more oil here) are natural gas, electric, and something along the line of (ethanol, fuel from biomas, and algae). If none of these work, mark my words, there will be no future for any of us. It will be guaranteed starvation or murder by someone wanting to eat me and steal whatever I have left.

[Canuckster1127]

Frankly DRDS, I'm really trying to understand why this issue is driving you to these depths. I'm not an expert this arena. I believe there are sufficient resources on this earth to provide for the people here. Economics dictate that when something that was plentiful becomes scarce and is in high demand that prices go up. When prices go up, it become economically feasible to research and go to alternate forms. As long as prices are low, there's no need for that unless someone forsees the need and prepared in advance in hopes of taking advantage in the future for the potential rewards.

Energy and life existed well before Oil and Gas were utilized as primary fuels and life will continue after I suspect although things will change and other things will be used when it's economically feasible to use them.

In the meantime, don't be so fearful and afraid of the future. Things are usually much better than we fear and in any event as believers our hope is in Christ, not our circumstances.

[DRDS]

Yes indeed, it's very true that we should place our hope in God. But at times like these, I find it way more difficult to trust God. I've been studying apologetics for sometime and for the most part, I have most of my intellectual doubts taken care of. The only problem is, I have a lot of emotional doubts about God's existence and about His faithfulness for me and my family specifically. I keep asking God to guide me and give me advice as well as for strength and the ability to endure hard times, the problem is God never seems to talk back to me. This is especially bad since I know some people who do claim that God directly speaks to them on a average basis. I guess you know what its like to have emotional doubts as well? It's a very very hurtful experience to say the least.

[Canuckster1127]

Yes I understand some of what you're speaking about.

I'll be honest with you, I'm at a point in my life and career now where I have less to worry about than I have earlier in life. But I understand what it's like to live in want. I was in ministry for many years and barely got by. I had cancer as a young man and my insurance company when bankrupt and I was left stuck with the bills. My wife and I have 5 kids. There's many times I worked two jobs (or more) and we paid our bills and we fed ourselves and our kids on what was left over by visiting thrift shops, day old bakery shelves and food banks.

Yes I understand the emotional doubts as well. For a lot of my life I've lived in guilt for not feeling more faithful and trusting of God through many of these trials. God's never spoken to me in the manner that I've heard others claim.

A lot of what has changed for me in the past few years has been the realization that God is not like I've imagined Him to be in many ways. I've dared in the past few years to really believe that the gospel is good news and that God Loves me and is not just stringing me along until He can hit me with the next crisis for His entertainment to see what I'll do. God's not waiting to pounce on me the moment I mess up so that He can punish me. I have no guarantees of prosperity or only pleasant things happening in my life, but I do have the guarantee that I'll never walk through it alone and many times, I find my fears are worse than the actual walking and so why not just allow God to take them and look at life as an adventure with Christ walking with me all the way through?

Easy to say. Hard to do. But that's part of walking and growing. I'm a often a slow learner, but thank God, I can learn and things have gotten better for me even when circumstances aren't always great.

[jlay]

Gas prices are more perception than reality. There is no fuel shortage. The prices we are seeing are gouging due to the unrest in the Middle East. Stats show that fuel consumption is going down in light of increasing prices. The best thing we can do is buy less fuel, which is exactly what's happening. Just the other day, I was prepared to make a trip across town, but decided not to due it, because it wasn't necessary, and I could do it later while combining some other errands. I probably saved 2 gallons of gas in just one trip. People are doing this by the millions. It is only a matter of time before prices begin to adjust. Anytime suppliers see an opening to jack up prices, they do it. That is until they realize that people actually start to wring their hands about 'alternative fuels.' Then the suppliers realize, 'they are serious.' And then the prices come down. These prices are not becuase of supply and demand. They are a false crisis of sorts. Sadly we have a US president who is more than happy with high fuel prices.

Any viable alternative fuel is decades away. But these type of things usually help push it along.

[The Protector]

Malthusian predictions have always failed to come to pass. I agree that it is painful right now, but in the long term I don't think this will spell doom for the human race. Prices always change behavior; they always have. The move from urban centers to the suburbs was prompted by cheaper oil and automobiles; more expensive oil will prompt moves closer to work, increased use of mass transit, less unnecessary driving, and-- if prices are high enough for long enough-- a transition to alternate fuel sources as they become economically preferable to oil. Again, it will be painful for some, but a dynamic economy will always cause pain for some. As Christians, we must keep this in mind and help those in need if we are in a position to do so.