Right now we have no other option but to use oil to transport ourselves and our products, right? Are we being forced to use oil? Indirectly, we have no other choice, our paycheck doesn’t allow it. If this is the case, I think it would be fair to force oil prices to go up so that the other energy prices can go down and can finally become affordable for the average Joe.

Read my post above.

And check out: http://www.betterplace.com/

You are totally right: the price on average of every product we buy would rise as well because of its need to be transported to the consumer.

I also believe you are right by saying ‘the cost of living will rise, negating any benefits’ ONLY IF you ASSUME that NOBODY would do anything about creating solutions to the crisis. Doubtful.

This is when experts in each nation (define ‘nation’ as you wish) would need to figure out HOW in the world they can become independent of products that travel thousands of miles for us to enjoy.

Raising the taxes on oil is a short term solution to help the education system, unfortunately (or fortunately) it will also harm our spending habits. A tax on oil is a long term solution to helping nations (define ‘nation’ however you wish) become independent of cheap and dirty energy. This would increase the need for meaningful jobs around every city as each would be panicking on how to meet their needs. This would create an increase of urban farming, create partnerships amongst neighbors that have only exchanged more than a ‘hello, how are you?’, and other positive benefits.

Something very important to point out, though, is that as usual the MOST affected would be the families that have no other choice but to live paycheck to paycheck, having no choice of buying McDonalds over fresh produce, like some of us do. The hopes are that this negative effect would be temporary as it would be the struggling path to arrive at a better place where self-reliance would be ideal goal.

Short term fixes are not long term solutions.

I’m pretty sure the average Joe is going to care if gas prices raise higher than higher than $4.00 which is what would REALLY bring down the demand for oil because it’d become too expensive for the average joe to purchase. Your argument might hold water if we assume that we’re going off textbook “fair tactics” capitalism, which we are not.

Without systems put in place to move away from oil dependancy along with an affordable option to do so there is not much likelihood that the average joe will much care about that either. So how is this tax going to help that? It’s not. It’s just a quick fix for a bigger problem that isn’t being analyzed.

Imposing taxes is not capitalism, it’s outright theft. Capitalism is about respecting EVERYBODY’S property rights (also known as capital, hence, capitalism).

Also, it’s not just the price of oil that will rise. The price (on average) of every product you buy will rise, too, because it needs to be transported to you or you to it.

So, public school will live to see another quarter or two, but the cost of living will rise, negating any benefits.

TANSTAAFL – There Ain’t No Such Thing As A Free Lunch

I don’t think the average Joe cares too much about where the energy comes from as long as he or she can afford it. Maybe this is what is needed, a raise on oil tax, so that we move away from this dying fossilized from of energy and move towards the renewable energies + adding a little money for our underfunded education system.

My guess would be that putting a tax on oil would make oil prices go up, which then then would drive down the demand for oil, but would increase the demand for energy in general (let’s not get confused here), this would allow the small but existing alternative sources to flourish. Oh the beauty of capitalism..

Moving away from oil would help decrease cardiorespiratory diseases (less vehicle exhaust pollution), decrease in obesity (biking and walking as alternative transportation), increase personal conversation (commuting), increases the quality of life of the places around oil refineries, bring local craftspeopole back, increase self-reliance, create newer and better jobs for people in the renewable energy industries, etc etc.

I think this helps the average Joe and his family in the long run, don’t you?

As far as AB 656 being the only viable option, you are so wrong. For years the idea has been kicked around that California’s number one cash crop (Marijuana for those of you that don’t know) could easily fill the budget gaps if it was legalized. Only recently has it been seriously considered, and with the shifting political climate it very well could come about.

If your going to report news, at least do it while educating yourself a little more on what your reporting, else you sound like Fox News.