Quote:
Originally Posted by aggie99
Honestly it is a reduction in oil prices rather than offshore drilling that scares me more.
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Spoken like a person who sees high fuel costs as an inconvenience rather than a crisis. Tell that to the single mother who could barely pay the rent, feed the kids, and buy them clothes from the thrift store *before* everything skyrocketed in price. Or the elderly couple on a fixed income or really anyone making under $30k per year.
High oil prices don't just affect the price of gas at the pump, it permeates every corner of our society. People are just being slammed with another $100 per month for gasoline. They're getting hit with electricity, groceries, household products, and everything else as every business tries to "pass along" it's increased expenses to the consumer.
Every segment of our market outside the oil industry, from banking to housing to manufacturing to airlines, is taking it sharply on the chin and in many cases are on the verge of collapse. While I agree that high energy costs are instrumental in forcing people to change and conserve, our society is not structured for such rapid change. The cure is going to kill the patient.