Critique on gas prices

Response to the rise in gas prices:

I agree there has been a dramatic rise in gas prices over the past few years. Gas it a vital tool that the American society has become accustomed to in order to function and OPEC can use to their advantage. Because not only is gas used to get people to and from work, it is used to operate machines and generators to make electricity and transport goods from point A to point B.

As describes in blog post, the gas prices are affecting our economy as a whole because the average American family is spending more and more money on not only gas but other goods. Just because the gas prices rise does not mean that clothing or food prices remained static. American families are spending more and more of their paychecks on gas for their cars and food and clothes for their family. The food and clothing cost are rising as well as gas cost because it takes gas to produce clothing and food. For example, take a simple food element like corn. It takes diesel fuel to plant the corn in the field, and much more fuel for the upkeep of the corn. Then, more fuel is needed to harvest and transport the corn to its desired locations. If the good was something such as a cereal, there would be all these things plus the additional cost of running the machines to produce the cereal. Rising gas prices effects the average American family more than one thinks.

In the conclusion of this blog post, attention was brought to the fact that the gas price will continue to rise and a substitute will be needed. I don’t agree that a substitute will be needed, but rather a compromise between the American people and their consumption of gas. In essence, I’m saying that we can’t afford to live the grand lifestyle anymore. America isn’t a super power anymore. Cutting back consumption greatly would be helpful in the price of gas. I understand there’s only so much you can cut back because you might have to take your car to work or school every day. But, it’s time America thought of a public transportation system. Not just on a small scale like in New York, Washington DC or San Francisco, but a large, nationwide transportation system. Until recently, I thought public transportation was probably the worst idea ever thought of, but after spending close to a month in Paris and relying on the bus, metro, RER’s and trains to get me almost everywhere, I began to realize that the more I used them, the better idea they were. Overall, the Parisian government encouraged use of the public transportation system by connecting it to many important places, airports, and Euro train stations across France. Not only did it reduce gas consumption, the environmentalist went crazy for it because it also reduced carbon footprints significantly. If the Americans had the resources and finances for the investment of a similar mass transport system such as a Euro train and an intricate metro system, the need for gas would decrease and there would be no need for a substitute. (Because, let’s face it, gas will be almost impossible to substitute for.)