Is Gas Rationing Next?
September 18th, 2008We’ve been skirting around the issue since the current fuel crisis started getting serious. Then came the hurricane season – especially the last two in the past two weeks.
Availability of fuel was getting pretty tight before all that, and the prices, well…forgetaboutit. Many of us remember the late 70’s and the 80’s when fuel prices went up, supplies went down, and most of us waited in long lines for our turn to buy gas. Even days then odd days, and every time we went to the pump, we seemed to have to go earlier and earlier to get gas before it ran out. In fact, in our community, many of us parked our cars in line late at night or at 2 a.m. and came back in the morning before the station opened so that we could purchase what we needed.
With the closing of some of the oil sources in the Gulf of Mexico due to the recent hurricanes, some experts are recommending possible rationing again. Here we are 30 years later and we haven’t moved 30 years forward. It’s not as if this is a new idea. We have known for at least 30 years that we should be gradually reducing dependence on fossil fuels and replacing them with alternative sustainable sources of energy.
Now that the fuel crisis has caught up with us again touching off other types of crisis, food issues, mortgage problems, unemployment and more, the idea of rationing is back. Former Shell Oil Company President, John Hofmeister, told the Washington Times that ‘we need a president and Congress who is willing to make some courageous decisions regarding oil supply.”
Hofmeister, who is chairman of the National Urban League, also made the comment that the fuel crisis and the economy is disproportionately hurting middle and lower income families. He blames the politicians, pointing to the fact that president Bush purposely waited 7 and ½ years to deal with the gas crisis that was spinning out of control and not until it has become an economic catastrophe has he even begun addressing lifting the moratorium on offshore drilling. He added that Congress has only made feeble attempts and “token gestures” to solve an energy crisis that requires significant action.
Hofmeister feels that just as corporations have short, medium and long term strategies, so does the U.S. regarding the energy and economic crisis. For now, he feels that in light of hurricanes that affect the availability of fuel in certain areas, there should be a limited – possibly six week – period of rationing fuel.
These ideas will be explored further, as will many others, while lawmakers and oil companies look for solutions. In the meantime, anyone who has a car should be forewarned and forearmed that rationing is a real possibility. It could happen here again.
Tags: fuel crisis, fuel shortage, gas rationing, hurricanes