[Trab]

The current administration has shown that while it will be happy to lure the US into a statist/fascist setup, it will still play favorites. Jack is correct that the elites and the corporates will continue to enjoy the fruits of a high-energy society. It's the lower classes (and in this case, lower is everyone below the top class) who will deal with the rationing and scarcity.

The idea that any large group will voluntarily submit to limits on precious resources without it being forced on them, is noble, but highly unlikely.

[chris-h]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('bruin', 'I')'ve been thinking that the future may involve an oil price cap being enforced on the world. Think about it, oil gets up too high, and the US or China says this is the max, no matter how little there is. Otherwise we will send in the troops or something insane like that.

Price caps are used on all kinds of products in the world. It is perfectly plausible that this could happen to oil. Price caps won't make more oil, but it will limit the cost of oil until it is gone.

Of course the cap will be relatively high in todays terms, maybe $200 or something.

Remember the assumption out there is that something else will power our cars eventually and it will be cheap, so we deserve to pay only so much for the energy of today.

[khebab]

A price cap is a bad idea because it will not slow down demand but artificially maintain an oil buble. A moderately high oil price for a few years is the best thing that could happen to us because it will make other energy alternatives more competitive and will start putting pressure on our way of life. Oil has been dirt cheap for too long now it's time to pay the real price.

[bruin]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('khebab', 'A') price cap is a bad idea because it will not slow down demand but artificially maintain an oil buble. A moderately high oil price for a few years is the best thing that could happen to us because it will make other energy alternatives more competitive and will start putting pressure on our way of life. Oil has been dirt cheap for too long now it's time to pay the real price.

[bruin]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Jack', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('bruin', 'T')hen that is were we are heading. A Fascist state. The world won't be a bunch of crazies running shooting each other. If the citizens go nuts to keep their SUVs, the US goverment will envoke emergency powers and burn their SUVs.

There will be rationing and price caps. There is no assumption here about it being a nice world.

[Jack]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('bruin', 'H')ow much did you have to make to afford missing those lines?

[bruin]

Our government in action:

"OPEC is going to look out for OPEC. The question is whether this administration is going to stand up for the American consumer," Wyden said in a Senate floor speech. "I don't think it's right to let OPEC run roughshod over the American consumer."



This is at only $55 a barrel. Of course we are going to strong arm a cap.