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Governments love to fret about gas prices. The higher they go, the more they contribute to inflation, the higher inflation goes, the less chance thegovernment has of getting re-elected. As long as they can give the illusion of intervening without actually doing anything, everyone stays happy.
Gas prices are soaring, most of the developed world pays far more for its gas than the States. Places like Britain extract hefty taxes on every drop of fuel purchased, and yet still the motoring public open their wallets with a mixture of resignation and gratitude.
Let's be honest, most of us will at some stage have to change our present habits to accomodate the rocketing price of fuel. Since there appears to be a sellers' market, with no sign of a fall in consumption, the price can only go up. The days of the 30 minute commute to work will end, and public transport will have a resurgence in popularity. The value of your nice little country cottage will decline as future generations struggle to find the money to travel long distances to work every day.Air travel has passed the point of lowest cost in real terms, and is starting to get more expensive.
No amount of giovernment meddling can alter this, the only way forward is to develop alternative fuel technologies and modify our autromobile-centred lifestyles.By tinkering on the fringes, governments the world over are simply scraping the bottom of the barrel with a view to passing the problem on to the next generation. The first country to successfully divorce itself from oil consumption will be the next great superpower.
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