Dodge has created a program to “Refuel America” for individuals who buy Dodge cars or trucks.  Whether it will make much of a dent in the fuel crisis remains to be seen, but it is a positive start and it will help new Dodge owners.  It will be interested to see whether any of the other automakers follow suit.

The way that the program works is actually like a rebate, only you get it against the price of gas a little at a time.  Basically, you have to have a credit card that you designate for this rebate.  Every time you pay for gas at the pump, you will be charged the regular price and you will be rebated the difference.  You will also have a membership I.D. card, complete with pin number, which will show all your purchases and adjustments, including the adjusted cost of the fuel at $2.99.

This is an interesting concept.  It is actually a rebate where no actual money changes hands, except on paper.  The plan is also unique in that this is a way for the Chrysler Corporation to pay rebates a dollar or two at a time as opposed to thousands of dollars immediately upon the purchase and financing of a vehicle.
This is a good thing for the Chrysler Corporation, in that, they are able to use the lump sum money they save to create more profit for themselves.  These huge sums can stay in their coffers earning interest while they dole out a dollar or two at a time to consumers to offset the price of gasoline. 

This is a creative concept.  They have actually invented a system of financing their own rebates over a three year period from the time that someone buys a vehicle.  This is definitely a win-win situation.  With fuel prices topping $4.00 most places, paying $2.99 per gallon is a relief to those of us with tight budgets. And, of course, the automotive manufacturer’s do not lose money on the deal, so this should not drive up costs or create losses for them in any way.

If you are in the market for a new car, check to see if a Dodge will fit your needs and if their “Refuel America” will work for you.  If it doesn’t work in your situation, nothing lost.  Hopefully, it will work for you, and hopefully other companies will begin looking at – and offering – similar or new incentives to help protect us against inflation.

This is a complex question with an even more complicated answer.  The answer is yes they can, maybe they well, not sure how or when they will finally do it.

Congress has the power to control certain areas of this crunch.  It has worked on bills to eliminate gouging by gas stations around the country.  At the same time, though, it has passed bills agreeing to price hikes and higher gas taxes.  In the same breath!

On the other hand, Congress – or, should I say, the Bush Administration – is looking at solutions like drilling in protected Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

There are some smart solutions on the table – or about to be on the table – that deal with fuel mixing, ethanol, and stricter conservation guidelines (especially for big companies and corporations).

One thing the public needs most is information, which is not easily available.  There are conflicting news reports every day all over the place, however, there is no real information coming straight out of Congress to the American people.

There is also no information about conservation for the average American.  There are few – if any – commercials citing conservation as part of the solution.  It is interesting that during a time when both political parties are spending massive amounts on advertising for all these presidential election commercials, nobody from the government side of things has thought to run ads to try to help people begin thinking about ways to conserve fuel.  It has been said that if every American driver would simply curtail 3% of their driving, it would result in more fuel than we could even use.  However, that message is not being splattered all over the T.V.

Especially during this pre-election frenzy of commercials, this would be the perfect time for the Department of Energy and other departments of government to create an ad that runs every time a candidate’s ad runs.  This would be an effective use of advertising time.

So, the answer remains: yes and no.  Congress is working on fixing some things and helping the country with the fuel crisis.  This administration has not been particularly involved or helpful during the past several years, but now, at the end of it’s second term, it is jumping into the ring.  The issue is that we are now seeing the results that we have been warned about for many years, and Congress is working to find solutions to the problem.

Time will tell what Congress can do, how fast they can do it, and how well it would work.