To Make You Think

The economy and the election are the only things you hear about in the news. And its funny how the one thing that's doing the most to adversely affect the economy is seldom mentioned; Gas Prices. I don't see any candidate saying that they are going to help get the rising gas prices under control.

Rashbre said in the UK the prices are roughly $1.17 a liter. Think of that 2 liter bottle of Coke or Pepsi that we guzzle costing $9 instead of $1. And then think how fast we guzzle it. It's sobering. We use our cars that way. (Edited because I can't read my comments correctly)

This country has lost sight of mass transit. People don't commute via train. We go buy car or plane, both which use great quantities of fuel and we don't even think about it. And yes, trains use fuel too, but we have the rails in place and we're wasting them in so many areas.

Again I say a lot of this is our own fault. I'm part of the working poor. I make less than $20,000 a year. But before you tell me to go to the city or find a better job, I'm going to tell you that the median income for my home town is only $24,000 and for the City of Pittsburgh it's $28,000 with more than 20% living under the poverty level. So, before you say anything, there's not much better where I am. M'kay? Then do the math on a job commute versus having an additional $1 to my hourly rate or even $2. It doesn't make good sense. I'd kill a car. Pay more for fuel and end up making less.

Long commutes just take our disposable income down.

But in this country that doesn't seem to matter. Again we buy big vehicles. Every child must have a car at 16. (I was an odd ball, I didn't learn how to drive until I was 18) Every child has a cell phone attached to their bodies as soon as they can walk out the door. Oye! (Another reason not to have children in my book)

And we bitch when the price of other goods and services go up too. Well it seems to me if it costs more to ship it...the companies are going to pass that expense on to us. And they do. Even the post office. The price of a stamp will be going up again in a few short months.

And we still want everything. We want our vacations to Disney or the shore.

As I sit on my ass staring at the computer, because it's the only thing I can afford to do, right now, I ask all three candidates, how they are going to help with the cost of gasoline. Because Mr. McCain, Mrs. Clinton or Ms. Clinton, and Mr. (Anti-Christ) erm.. Mr. Obama. It's the cost of fuel that's causing the economy to slow down. DO SOMETHING! Oh and Mr. President, though I'm happy to accept that $300 you will be sending me but is it really going fix things?