tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17501440.post113164096606041465..comments2023-08-20T07:26:25.416-04:00Comments on Walker Economics Blog: Let the market do the workMichael Arjonahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06189327401592258439noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17501440.post-1131936828722264712005-11-13T21:53:00.000-05:002005-11-13T21:53:00.000-05:00I think we should put less emphasis on preserving ...I think we should put less emphasis on preserving our current oil supply and managing gasoline prices and focus more on developing alternative energy sources. Let economics control the gas market so the government can go about finding a substitute for gasoline. The search for new oil sources, price controls on gasoline, and conflicts about controlling oil supplies are all just ways of avoiding the real energy problem. We will run out of oil someday, and instead of waiting until that time and panicking we should try to get a solution before the problem gets too serious.<BR/><BR/>RichardAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17501440.post-1131906520742093852005-11-13T13:28:00.000-05:002005-11-13T13:28:00.000-05:00I believe high gsaoline costs will have developed ...I believe high gsaoline costs will have developed countries operating on alternate enrgy sources completely within the next 30 years. But what would the marginal benefit of lowering gasoline prices as much as possible be? I see it this way: if we lower gas prices to ridiculously low levels, we'll run out of crude oil in 50 years or less (well within my lifetime, knock on wood). So, as I fill my tank with purified vegetable oil, I can look down at the rest of society and say, "Ha! Look what you've all done. You have run the supply down to zero." So, in conclusion, marginal benefit = 65-year-old Carl's personal satisfaction for about a couple of hours; marginal cost = the possible decline of civilizaion itself. Stick with high-prices.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17501440.post-1131813315072723982005-11-12T11:35:00.000-05:002005-11-12T11:35:00.000-05:00An example of how increasing prices has increased ...An example of how increasing prices has increased research and interest in other energy sources is BP. As gas prices have increased, BP has become increasingly interested in portraying themselves as environmentalist. Their commercials talk about their R&D, and their website discusses how to reduce your carbon emissions. Whether BP is actually intensively researching alternative methods or just using environmentalism as a means of non-price competition, their advertising campaign reflects consumers' interest in other energy sources.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17501440.post-1131718616943359912005-11-11T09:16:00.000-05:002005-11-11T09:16:00.000-05:00I agree that as the gas prices increase research i...I agree that as the gas prices increase research into alternative energy will increase. As the prices go higher and higher people will be less willing to pay the gas prices and press harder for new energy sources. If there is one thing americans respond to it is money. If the price of gas stays low most people are not going to care enough to take the time to express the want for alternative energy. Thus companies will not take the time to devote to research for alternative energy. If people don't demand it companies are not going to make it. In this way the gas prices can be seen as good in the long run even if they are making poeple grumpy in the short run.<BR/>erin clayAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com