The Gasoline Imperative

By Frank Worley (franktopia.wordpress.com) When I was a kid I watched people park in line for hours waiting for gas.  An embargo imposed by the middle east on oil caused the crisis – in the wake of a Mideast war between Israel and its adversaries. But this is not about Israel or Mideast peace. Its about a national imperative to free ourselves from oil and gas enslavement. Back then all the politicians said, “we have to get off of oil”.  And then, nothing. While the exact situation did not immediately repeat itself the situation did.  Rising gas prices, natural disasters like Katrina or senseless speculation by wall street gas prices have shot up to as high as 4 dollars a gallon only to drop suddenly when American’s got tired of it. In the last week – gas prices have shot up more than .50 cents a gallon in my community.  Probably in yours as well.  And we are heading for 4.50 a gallon or 5$  a gallon gas within the next few months.  It will keep going up until it hurts, or until it breaks us. Now is the time to stop.  Perhaps we are even a bit late.  Since no one else is offering any proposals – I’ll offer mine.  It ain’t perfect, but it might work. A single page of legislation, maybe two tops.  It would be worded something like this: The sale of new automobiles powered primarily by gasoline or standard diesel for private use will be prohibited in the United States of America for the next 10 years.  Automobiles and trucks powered by these fuels to be sold for commercial purposes, (engaging in lawful business) may continue to be sold. Used automobiles powered by these fuels may continue to be sold. All previous legislation and or regulations prohibiting the use of other fuels to power motor vehicles are repealed.  This law supersedes any state or federal law or regulation prohibiting the same. Simple, direct and purposeful.  The idea is that new cars powered by gas and diesel would not be sold for 10 years if those cars are to be used for private purposes.  Businesses can still buy them.  This forces the automobile industry to start making cars that run on something else.  It doesn’t stop hybrids, nor would it prohibit bio-diesel or hydrogen fuel cells.  It allows market forces to decide which version succeeds in the future without destroying the economy or the current gas and oil infrastructure – but provides business planning period to create the new infrastructure needed to fulfill the needs of the new vehicles. Notice I said nothing about emissions, I did not direct HOW business would fix it I simply said we will prohibit the thing that is hurting us and leave the door open for business to find a better way without destroying the environment, without destroying business. This is something even our friends in Congress on both sides of the isle can agree on.