Do you think this will work???

88vert · 05-01-2007, 03:06 PM

Subject: Don't pump gas on may 15th

NO GAS...On May 15th 2007
Don't pump gas on may 15th
..in April 1997, there was a "gas out" conducted nationwide in protest of gas prices. Gasoline prices dropped 30 cents a gallon overnight.

On May 15th 2007, all internet users are to not go to a gas station in protest of high gas prices. Gas is now over $3.00 a gallon in most places.

There are 73,000,000+ American members currently on the internet network, and the average car takes about 30 to 50 dollars to fill up.

If all users did not go to the pump on the 15th, it would take
$2,292,000,000.00 (that's almost 3 BILLION) out of the oil companys pockets for just one day, so please do not go to the gas station on May 15th and lets try to put a dent in the Middle Eastern oil industry for at least one day.

If you agree (which I cant see why you wouldnt) resend this to all your contact list. With it saying, ''Don't pump gas on May 15th"

I don't know if this will work but why not give it a try? We have nothing to loose and everything to gain!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**Rich Z** · 05-01-2007, 03:19 PM

Heck, that will be easy for me to do. I don't drive much as it is, so it is highly unlikely I would be getting gasoline that day.

But really, will this really matter all that much? If someone puts off a trip to the grocery store and gets gasoline on Wednesday instead of Tuesday, what impact will that have? It's not the BUYING of gasoline that needs to be impacted, it's the USING of it.

Want to make a REAL impact? Cancel all vacation trips and anything not absolutely necessary. Cut your driving down by a third or better. When you buy gasoline, ALWAYS choose the guy who is the cheapest, not the one who is most CONVENIENT.

If tourism started taking a major hit because travel just STOPPED, Florida, at least would sit up and take notice.

Nytro · 05-01-2007, 03:56 PM

My sister in law sent me the same email. No I don't think it will do any good, people just don't care enough to do anything about anything. We have been getting screwed by big business for decades. Back in the 50's and 60's big business would listen to the public and we had the upper hand. But as time went along and we consumed more goods, we became fat, lazy and complacent and big business gained the upper hand and now could care less what it's customers think because they set the rules and our government has allowed this to happen. Hell the business lobby is so corrupt and strong that even the mention by Congress or the House of a windfall tax on oil and the oil lobby comes out of their dormant mode and dictates the consequences of what will happen to the American economy if a windfall tax is even debated let alone be passed. How stupid and ignorant are we when Shell, BP and Exxon Mobil report record profits with each passing quarter and we just sit back and do absolutely nothing except take it up the ass. ExxonMobil, the world’s largest publicly traded company, raked in $39.5 billon last year—the largest annual profit recorded in US corporate history. The oil giant generated a staggering average of $108 million in profits a day, or $4.5 million an hour. The company's profit amounts to a cool $1,318 a second 24/7.

"Our revenues are large and they need to be large to support the huge investments we make to produce the energy our country and the world needs,” company spokesman Kevin Cohen said defending ExxonMobil’s profits Thursday.

In reality, however, in 2006 Exxon spent considerably more of its profits to buy back its own shares on the stock market than it did on new capital investments.

The company laid out fully $25 billion on repurchasing its own shares in a scheme to drive up stock prices. During the same year, it spent $19.9 billion for capital investment. Exxon shares rose by approximately 20 percent in 2006, posting another dollar increase on annual profit news Thursday to reach $75.08 on Wall Street.

CHEW ON THIS

ExxonMobil’s Chairman and CEO Rex Tillerson took home a total compensation package of at least $18.5 million in 2006—making considerably more in one hour than someone working for the federal minimum wage earns in an entire year. This massive sum is by no means exorbitant by the standards of the oil industry, and pales by comparison to the $400 million retirement deal awarded to his predecessor, Lee Raymond.

I better quit this rant now.

88vert · 05-01-2007, 04:01 PM

Rich you are probably right, it won't work. But as you said I don't drive much so it is easy for me. Also if everyone would cut back on thier driving by 10-20% look how much money we would save. It is easy for most people to cut back if they will just combine thier trips don't run to the store everytime you need an item, things like that would do it.Anyhoo I am not buying gas the on15th.

Rebekah7155 · 05-01-2007, 05:16 PM

no it won't work
But I have boycotted Citgo and I think all Americans should not buy gas there!!!! You can still shop at the food mart but do not under any circumstances buy their Venezuelan GAS!

**Rich Z** · 05-01-2007, 05:58 PM

Actually if EVERYONE would pick ONE brand of gas and boycott it as a demonstration, THAT would likely get their attention. And that would be relatively easy to do as well as being completely painless to US. And not for one day. For good. Just pick one, and boycott them as an example. The goal would be to drive them out of business and then pick the next one until prices get down somewhat. Start with the one brand that is the highest in price and work our way down until the message is crystal clear. LOWER YOUR PRICES OR BE GONE! That would likely start a price war, which would drive prices down as they all scrambled to NOT be the next on the boycott list.

Now THIS, I think, would be feasible to do.

Shadow · 05-01-2007, 07:43 PM

Simply put...no.

zzzona · 05-01-2007, 07:47 PM

It just wouldn't work.......

Mark Dalton · 05-02-2007, 01:39 PM

I doubt it would work. Just 1 day wouldn't have any impact on the oil companies. Like many of you, my driving is at a minimum now. I put maybe 8 miles a day on my Chevy Aveo and can easily go 3 weeks between fill ups. The 'vette is a weekend driver now, if the weathers nice, so I'm not using much gas in it either. I think this type of driving will have as much impact on the companies as anything.

88vert · 05-03-2007, 04:17 PM

I do not think it will work, but I am not going to buy any gas on the 15th just so I can say I participated!