which is more important to you?

[Paul3eb]

if you had to choose, would you take saving anwr or increasing gas mileage regulations (mandating higher mpg)?

[dhoyne]

Neither?

ANWR drilling's not going to happen, they took it out of the energy bill. Read the news today.

MPG increase doesn't help me at all; I would have to buy a new car for that to happen. I can't afford a new car because of high gas prices sucking away my savings.

[Paul3eb]

ANWR drilling's not going to happen, they took it out of the energy bill. Read the news today.

careful: it was taken out of the house bill but even if the house bill passes without the anwr language drilling could still happen because of the leadership in the house might be all for it and that would push it through.

and neither isn't an option.. can't always get what we want.

[Horatio Felacio]

anwr will be sucked dry at some point, so i'm for better gas mileage.

[Crankmas]

there is a new generation of smaller cars in the works, its strange that GM has one of the best performers out there -Really I read it yesterday on the internet - Thanks big time Al Gore!!

[charlie]

The correct answer is ending government subsidies for the petroleum industry and taxing the hell out of it.***

If people pay 4$ a gallon every day the industry and consumers will fall in line. ANWR and government mandated fuel standards are red herrings.

***Excepting commercial trucks that keep goods rolling across the country.

[Crankmas]

this thread reminds me of that old song "what kind of fuel am I? "

[Paul3eb]

The correct answer is ending government subsidies for the petroleum industry and taxing the hell out of it.***

If people pay 4$ a gallon every day the industry and consumers will fall in line. ANWR and government mandated fuel standards are red herrings.

***Excepting commercial trucks that keep goods rolling across the country.

maybe so.. but it ain't gonna happen. hence the question in front of us.

besides, why should we end government subsidies for an industry that is so incredibly vital to our economy? (note: i'm just curious.. i don't know one way or the other)

[charlie]

These are not farm subsidies, the petroleum industry is not in trouble and government price control (reverse price gouging?) is not helping the situation evolve naturally. Granted, the public will pay until the situation sorts itself out, but economies are strong like that.

Of course, neither are corn subsidies (ever hear of ethanol?) but the people that supposedly benefit are farmers (of course that's rigged now with coorporate farms but the original intent....).

[Paul3eb]

subsidies in general don't allow things to evolve along "naturally". personally, i don't think farm subsidies are any different. however, they serve a public good.. and to some extent i think petroleum subsidies do also..

regardless, the government isn't going to be dropping either subsidy any time soon.. actually, i take that back. the government is rolling back farm subsidies. let's see where that takes us..

farm subsidies: http://www.ewg.org/farm/region.php?fips ... code=total