F**cking Gas Prices

[Matthew D]

I figured as much... but damn I see all the negative that comes with petro chemicals and it like, why can't we find a better way...

 

[CDB]

No, it's a red tape issue. We have a government which refuses to cut through red tape. Speaking of red, how many people are seeing red over what is perceived as President Bush's reluctance to assist with the rampant increases in fuel prices? It seems rather clear when the Saudis go against OPEC and produce more oil as if it is a favor to us... that it actually benefits them and oil prices here do not decrease.

It's the government's attempt to 'cut through red tape' that often adds to the price of oil. And usually the red tape is of their own making which has already added to the price.

That won't happen. America has become too pussified to protest much of anything. This country lets atrocities far more appalling than gas prices go unanswered. They'll just be a lot of bitching and moaning and for some, economy car purchases. Take New Jersey as an example. Has anyone ever actually protested the absurd levies on driving and living in that state? Has anyone looked at how much it costs just to have the ability to drive in New York? You're taxed on property you already own, as if you owe something to the government for you owning a piece of the "Land of the Free." In some states, you pay property taxes on your car every year. Kansas raised traffic violations fines to three times as much money as they were before. I don't see revolts in the streets on account of any of this. No, the gas companies, like the government, will continue to rape America and Americans will continue to bend over and take it. Now you tell me, is that pessimism or is that reality?

Most likely reality. The problem is most people don't realize that businesses, oil or otherwise, can't rape them unless the government enables it.

What is this silliness which assumes an oil shortage as the cause of the high prices? There is no such shortage. The shortage is not in supply of crude but in supply of refined oil. It's refineries which there is a shortage of. Find a way to build more and that oil company excuse will be null and void. This is what the President should be focusing on, if he had the ability to focus on anything but his own interests and what his advisors tell him to do. Since when has Bush cared about environmentalists?

As I stated later in my post, a lack of refineries is a problem. Look to NIMBY types who use the government to stop the building of such refineries rather than letting companies buy land at and build. As far as shortages, we're not there yet on a mass scale but there have been regional shortages here and there over the years, especially in areas were there are strict or very specific gas regulations which preclude the sale of gas from neighboring areas. With continued government action screwing around with the price of oil/gas, both in raising it through taxes but more importantly in screwing with the time structure of production, it's hard to say when a shortage would hit, but one is likely to hit.

In the Shakespearean play Julius Caesar, Brutus is an idealist. Led to believe through unrealistic ideas on how to restore Rome's former glory by Cassius the power-hungry cynic, he murders his friend and patriot Caesar. The problem is that the Rome of Brutus' dreams never truly existed. It was a concept; a pipe dream of what could be, or what should be. Similar is any comment on America greatly reducing its vehicle use. That is, shall I say, highly unlikely. Let us not speculate first on the most unlikely of probabilties, lest we come to find regret too late as did Brutus.

If gas keeps hopping up people will start to limit their driving. If the price of eggs keeps going up people eat less of them. It's simple economics. If the government screws with the market to stop the price from going up, then Americans won't have a choice as a shortage would probably follow.

 

[CDB]

Time to chime in and I'm sure it's going to irk some.

What are gas prices like compared to Europe? I'm pretty sure the US is DRASTICALLY lower. Perhaps I'm wrong.

The problem with the US is we don't want to be inconvenienced. We want to drive our gas-guzzling machines everywhere. We drive our trucks our big cars and then complain about gas prices. Why not get an economical car? Well, of course, we need a vehicle for our boat, we need to haul our kids, blah blah blah. Again, the convenience factor. I don't buy it.

Sp as the economy advances we should see a drop in conveniences, a drop in leisure time, etc? One of the signs of a healthy, thriving economy is falling prices because of the increases in the amount of goods and services, drops in costs to companies, and increased productivity on the part of labor. The reason gas prices are so high in Europe is taxes, which are used to fuel socialist and psuedosocialist governments which do their best to screw up European economies. I'd rather not buy that system.

What about public transportation? Well that inconvenient. I live in Minneapolis, a metro area and people heavily UNDER utilize public transportation. Why? Convenience. We want to be able to leave when we want. We don't want to add an extra 30 minutes to our commute. Time is money you know! Again, people don't want to be inconvenienced. Take the bus and schedule your meetings accordingly. Don't enroll your kids in 12 activities and force them to figure out their own things to do and use their mind. Or heaven forbid they go to the park and play instead of going to a scheduled activity.

And again, why should they be inconvenienced? a more pertinent question is why the government keeps wasting Christ knows how much money on public transportation when most people don't use it. It's the perfect example of the public use of money vs the private use of money. Public transportation essentially fails because few people want to use it, so it gets more money and still fails. In the private sector such a business would have been scrapped and liquidated, or changed and remade to the point where it did appeal to people by giving what they wanted, whatever that may be.

Do you really NEED a truck, a car, a van? Probably not, but we want the convenience. How are going to tow our boat or live without? Well, that's what you pay for... you live in the most convenienced country in the world... you can do anything you want with more luxuries than anywhere else... so a few extra dollars for gas should hardly kill you.

The reason we live in one of the most convenienced countries on the plant is because we've been one of the most productive societies in the history of the planet. And for my productivity I have the right to demand more convenience, which means I come and go as I please and don't wait for some stinky ass bus full of BO smelling degenerates.

Sry, but the gas complaint is one that I don't see eye-to-eye with many on. We're so spoiled with the gas prices we have compared to others that I think we need to open our eyes and see how spoiled we really are and we truly have over here.

This is one of the weirder opinions I've heard on the subject, and I've heard it alot from people. What's the substance of it, be happy our government here in the US is fucking us slightly less than the governments abroad? As if not getting ass raped by the government is some sort of guilty pleasure we enjoy here in America, and not something we should expect and demand. The idea that the true and proper mode of existence is to have the government leaning over your shoulder and charging 300% taxes on everything, and that we should be thankful for every situation where they aren't doing that is ridiculous.

Ok, sry, I'm done with my soapbox... and I'm sorry to criticize, but it comes back to the laziness factor so often and that really irks me with the US. We're fat and lazy and this is just another example of how we want every convenience all the time.

Perhaps you could explain why life must be inconvenient when it does't have to be?

 

[CDB]

This is a total fallacy. The tar pits in Canada contain an estimated 260 billion barrels of oil just waiting to be tapped. That is more than all of the Middle East. If the planet continues to use oil at its current rate, that resource alone will keep going for at least 100 years, and that is just one source of oil. Granted oil use will go up, but this whole thing about oil becoming scarce are nothing more than scare tactics by misguided and misinformed "experts".

On top of that North America contains an estimated 730million year coal reserve.

Not to mention abiotic oil theories, which are apparently panning out here and there in drilling experiements.

 

[CDB]

Also, I think it is important to recognize that OPEC is a oligopoly. In such a market form, collusion is rather simple. OPEC is a cartel and thus cartel economics apply. Cartels tend to limit supply (often falsely) to fix prices or increase prices. In the long run, one member of the cartel will break rank and prices will move (often down) again.

I'd agree that would be the trend in a free market. The problem is the one way cartels can survive is by having the government enforce them, or a group of governments such as in OPEC. Even were a new peteroleum producing power to rise in our world, they'd likely join a similar organization.

 

[MaynardMeek]

I am sure this was said before... crude price actually has no true impact on gas price... there is no REAL reason for this gas price hike whatsoever.. but please, if you will, look at this as the last big gasp of air being taken by a dying beast. gas (as we know it) is going to change dramatically within the next 10-15 years, and those with the power now are trying to suck as much money from the market as they can before the change over. He told me it wouldn't shock him to see reg. gas prices rise to over $5.00 US but then drop to 2.00 then rise up back to 4.00 so on and this trend will keep to ease the people ( this info from a BS session i had with a very well respected researcher out of princeton university who is working on other sources of transportation energy)

Also, most if not all of our military trucks now over in Iraq etc. are fully or close to fuller fit with amour... however.. though safer, these truck are now very very heavy and are sucking thru gas like there is no tomorrow .. so just like back WW2 when people had to go on a sugar ration to feed the need of the american GI's... we too have to pay our part.... for or against the O.peration I.raqi L.iberation ;-)




please note Operation Iraqi Liberation was never a term used by anyone in our government... its just a clever little thing i heard regarding the hidden meaning in being in Iraq.. which isn't even correct in the first place

 

[Nitrox]

Perhaps you could explain why life must be inconvenient when it does't have to be?

That is actually quite easy; convenience is relative. Squeezing a few people and baggage into an economy car may be less convenient than doing the same in an Escalade but it is more convenient than walking. Monitoring and eating an appropriate diet to maintain a healthy bodyweight could be construed as incovenient. Should everyone be entitled to cheap gastric bypasses to improve convenience? It really depends on your own priorities...

 

[CDB]

That is actually quite easy; convenience is relative. Squeezing a few people and baggage into an economy car may be less convenient than doing the same in an Escalade but it is more convenient than walking. Monitoring and eating an appropriate diet to maintain a healthy bodyweight could be construed as incovenient. Should everyone be entitled to cheap gastric bypasses to improve convenience? It really depends on your own priorities...

Which is exactly what makes it a meaningless standard.

 

[Mrs. Gimpy]

I have seen estimates that we don't have but 20-50 years worth of oil unless we have other countries start using more like India and China, then the estimates start dipping even lower to 10 or 15 years..

its really sad that that scares me. we are so dependent on oil, seriously, can u imagine how different everything will be without oil if nothing new is developed?

 

[kwyckemynd00]

its really sad that that scares me. we are so dependent on oil, seriously, can u imagine how different everything will be without oil if nothing new is developed?

scary, too, because war is definitely in the backs of the minds of leades of the world...oil will most likely be necessary to stay on top and nobody wants to lose power. AT the smae time, we're going to have "underdog" countries looking to take advantage of the situation.

We better find alternatives QUICK.

 

[MaynardMeek]

there are, the westernized world still has too much pull on what "we" wish to use to make our cars go. Iran is actually very close to using a safe biproduct of nuclear power to run small transportation... they aren't looking to drop any bombs on anyone, they are looking to be the leaders of the new free world's energy supply... but we ( oil using nations that see large $$ from it) are doing our best to hold that off for as long as possible

 

[riskarb]

The Canadian tar sands contain an order of mag more oil than is in proven reserves. Problem is elasticity of demand for oil that is considerably more expensive in the raw-refining process. Figure > 2* that of conventional oil... it's profitable now, but reserves are still more than adequate, thereby limiting the near-term potential as there is a far cheaper to refine and deliver product.

 

[anthony454]

We need more nuclear power....oh yeah more refineries its been awhile since we built another one.

 

[jmh80]

:bb:

 

[QUICKRYDE]

Yea, that's what I'm talking about but THAT BIKE is the number one killer and the insurance is high as hell on that bike. I already use my sportbike 80% or more and my truck is used only for shopping, dates and traveling.

I was listening to the morning news today and they said it might reach $4.00 to $5.00 a gallon next year.

When it gets $3.50 a gallon, cause right now its $2.80 here in Dallas, I want this:

 

[jmh80]

I did see that wholesale gas prices dropped 11 cents yesterday. Not sure about today.

That should take 2 weeks for the local gas station owners to come down on prices. Whereas the increases take a mere hour or so.

 

[BigVrunga]

scary, too, because war is definitely in the backs of the minds of leades of the world...oil will most likely be necessary to stay on top and nobody wants to lose power. AT the smae time, we're going to have "underdog" countries looking to take advantage of the situation.

We better find alternatives QUICK.

They could have made it a point to take care of this sh*t and get us off the Middle East's oil spewing teat decades ago. But 'they' (the powers that be) didnt - because they're greedy bastards and sooo many big time politicians and businessman have made their wealth from the oil industry.

Well, like I said in the above post - screw them. There are some alternatives that we, as the consumers, can use without 'inconvienencing' ourselves. You can set up a biodiesel still in your garage, do the brunt of your driving in a vegetable oil powered car, etc.

Of course, absurdly high oil prices will trickle down into everything else we buy - and of course salaries wont rise to compensate. And most of the people in America will be poor and pissed off and the other 10% wont give a **** that oil cost so much because a.)They can afford it, and b.)They're raking it in by gouging the consumer.

It just makes me sick - because you know its going to get a LOT worse before it gets better. If it ever gets better.

BV

 

[ss01]

BigVrunga I agree 100% with you.

A cynic might say it is a strange coincidence that the oil prices rise so, just after the USA conquered Irak, the world's what, 2nd, 3rd, biggest oil reserve? Yes that would be cynical because the USA LIBERATED Irak from tyranny. Of course, and it doesn't matter one bit that they are much worse off now than during the 10-year embargo that killed one MILLION children and women over there. Saying otherwise would be just TOO cynical.

OTOH, all of a sudden, American companies get to basically take over the oil business on the Irak side of things, and BOOM the price of oil RISES. DRASTICALLY. Why isn't it lower now that Irak is liberated and the land of the free exerts its gentle democratic liberating power over that country? Shouldn't the caring kindness of beautiful democracy save people from having to choose between good food and fuel? Nah. Thinking that way would be way too cynical, right.

It's a set up. All of it. It cannot possibly be that Bush got full support from EVERYONE for his little war for which he made up the official reason out of thin air, by promising riches from all the oil and "reconstruction" activities over there. That's undue cynicism, too, right? Don't flame me too hard - remember, flamethrowers run on (expensive) oil...

 

[CDB]

They could have made it a point to take care of this sh*t and get us off the Middle East's oil spewing teat decades ago. But 'they' (the powers that be) didnt - because they're greedy bastards and sooo many big time politicians and businessman have made their wealth from the oil industry.

Then Americans should stop voting for them, or stop not voting for other people. It's not like they don't have a choice.

Well, like I said in the above post - screw them. There are some alternatives that we, as the consumers, can use without 'inconvienencing' ourselves. You can set up a biodiesel still in your garage, do the brunt of your driving in a vegetable oil powered car, etc.

Of course, absurdly high oil prices will trickle down into everything else we buy - and of course salaries wont rise to compensate. And most of the people in America will be poor and pissed off and the other 10% wont give a **** that oil cost so much because a.)They can afford it, and b.)They're raking it in by gouging the consumer.

Gouging is a myth and a hypocrisy. I don't think you'd take it too lightly if there were a scarcity of goods you possessed and the government came in and told you what you could and could not sell them for if people were willing to buy it at the prices you set. And if they weren't willing to buy you'd go out of business or have to lower the price.

It just makes me sick - because you know its going to get a LOT worse before it gets better. If it ever gets better.

End all government involvment in the industry and you'll likely see it get better. You don't see the proces of many other goods or services fluctuating so drastically, and when you do it's a guarantee the government is heavily involved.

 

[bda55]

Here's a link with the gas prices in Europe and other countries around the world:
http://money.cnn.com/pf/features/lists/global_gasprices/

I live in belgium and taxes make up like 65% of the gas cost here.. :think:

 

[BigVrunga]

End all government involvment in the industry and you'll likely see it get better. You don't see the proces of many other goods or services fluctuating so drastically, and when you do it's a guarantee the government is heavily involved.

I completely agree with you - I'd like to see a free market on oil in the US. Even if, at first prices skyrocketed, it would propel the energy industry to come up with viable alternatives a lot faster - which would eventually drive prices down.

Then Americans should stop voting for them, or stop not voting for other people. It's not like they don't have a choice.

I *dont* vote for these people!! A lot of times you look at who you have to vote for and its a lose/lose situation. IMHO the democrats and republicans have a monopoly on power in this country...no matter who you vote for you end up screwed one way or another.

That's still not a reason to not vote, however.

BV

 

[BigVrunga]

Here's a link with the gas prices in Europe and other countries around the world:
http://money.cnn.com/pf/features/li...obal_gasprices/

I live in belgium and taxes make up like 65% of the gas cost here..

I laughed when I saw Venezuela at $.12 a gallon!! Its not the high gas prices that piss me off - its that we're not doing enough to find alternative energy sources.

 

[riskarb]

Venezuela's govt. subsidies. Really smart to sell distillates at $.10 on the dollar when you can export your production at 10x the revenue and support the entire economy. Genius... no wonder Venezuela is a toilet.

 

[jmh80]

:numbered:

 

[Iron Warrior]

It doesn't look so bad when you compare it to most of Europe, but I don't like the fact that the cheapest gas I have found is $2.82 a gallon, by ARCO of course.

 

[BigVrunga]

And BV the oil industry in this country is not controlled by the government. We are all publically listed companies. The only thing the government controlls is the taxes and also the land that can be drilled for oil.
So, I'm not really sure what you mean.

Some politicians have a lot of money vested in the oil industry - so I think there isnt as big of a push to find a 'real' alternative energy source as there should be. I dont know though - maybe it doesnt work that way...I tend to be really cynical of anything that has to do with the government - even before I have all the facts.

 

[davisville64]

Maybe these prices will finally get all these HUGE suv's off the road.

As for me, my protege gets 35 mpg :thumbsup:

 

[size]

Gouging is a myth and a hypocrisy.

So true. However, you understand economics, Mises, oiligopoly, monpolyfree markets, etc., while most do not. Oil pricing is rather simple.

Off topic, but have you ever read Keynes's "General Theory"? I vastly disagree with Keynes but a read worth reading.

 

[BigVrunga]

Maybe these prices will finally get all these HUGE suv's off the road.

As for me, my protege gets 35 mpg

That's what Im saying - I sold my Explorer and got a Honda Accord.

 

[Matthew D]

My camry gets 30 but the wife's van only gets about 22 or so

 

[MarcusG]

And Jap cars have locked gas doors

The main reason for gas prices rising is the weakening of the dollar. My colleague was yapping about it 2-3 yrs ago about how prices were going to hit 80 (a barrel) and the dollar was in trouble.

 

[sage]

im definitely going to feel the hurt now that im out of nyc. didnt have to worry about gas prices while living in the city. just dropped 60 bones to fill up my first tank of gas in 6 years. its quite ass but the rate should plateau out wouldnt you say?
Sage

 

[kwyckemynd00]

im definitely going to feel the hurt now that im out of nyc. didnt have to worry about gas prices while living in the city. just dropped 60 bones to fill up my first tank of gas in 6 years. its quite ass but the rate should plateau out wouldnt you say?
Sage

jmh80 said it will hit 3.50 by april.....

 

[sage]

jmh80 said it will hit 3.50 by april.....

unleaded? ahhh!!!! :frustrate
Sage

 

[jmh80]

...

 

[kwyckemynd00]

2.75 by next year? I'm already at 2.79, dude....lol....and that's for regular unleaded.

 

[CDB]

I *dont* vote for these people!! A lot of times you look at who you have to vote for and its a lose/lose situation. IMHO the democrats and republicans have a monopoly on power in this country...no matter who you vote for you end up screwed one way or another.

That's still not a reason to not vote, however.

BV

Not necessariy aimed at you. Just a general statement that all Americans bitch about how screwed up and corrupt our political system is, a minority keep voting for the people who are screwing and corrupting our system, and the majority are too assinine to vote for the alternative that are present in almost every election.

 

[jmh80]

:drunk:

 

[BigVrunga]

Not necessariy aimed at you. Just a general statement that all Americans bitch about how screwed up and corrupt our political system is, a minority keep voting for the people who are screwing and corrupting our system, and the majority are too assinine to vote for the alternative that are present in almost every election.

Oh I didnt take it that way bro - and I do agree with you. The people *do* have the power to change things through voting - but they dont. And then they whine and want the government that is in power *because* of their negligence to do something about it. Its kinda sad.

BV

 

[CDB]

And BV the oil industry in this country is not controlled by the government. We are all publically listed companies. The only thing the government controlls is the taxes and also the land that can be drilled for oil.
So, I'm not really sure what you mean.

Government intervention screws up the market. Say you have a guy with a mine full of 20 million in silver. If he owns it, he can produce as he likes, cut production as he likes in anticipation of shortages and smooth out price fluctuations, sell shares based on the mines productivity over the long term and the productivity of the capital it generates. If he doesn't own it and it's regulated at the whim of the government, and one of those whims might be to kick him off, he has to produce nonstop and suck the mine dry as soon as possible while he still can, before the government kicks him out with some pieceof legislation. Or, before someone else comes in and pulls the silver out, which could happen since he has no claim of ownership. This legal constraint on ownership leads to a constant push towards production at any cost, leaving nothing held in reserve for possible future shortages. So prices of silver would be real low for a while as the owner of the above mine and others produce at breakneck speed. But, once the slightest hiccup hits the market and people realize there's no reserves because the government set up a legal situation with a lot of uncertainty, pushing people towards present production rather than a mix of present production and future speculation, ie cutting production and allocating the silver forward in time to where consumers needed it, the price of silver spikes.

A similar situation pushes oil comanies further towards present production. Freedom of the seas and subsidies for exploration, etc. You subsidize the oil company, give them a tax break if they explore for oil in the areas the government says they can. Why not take the short term tax break, all it means is you do something now you were planning to do later. Then they tap a field and guess what? They don't own it, so it has to be sucked dry before anyone else can get into it. The situation described above unfolds.

Telling oil companies where they can and can't drill is also a factor. local and state governments at the whim of NIMBY groups fighting against more refineries and more capacity are also a factor. Regional gas restrictions which lead to separate shipping needs are also a problem. Gas should be a fungible good, regulation makes it not so in many areas.

A lot of people don't realize that the government adding a simple percentage tax, or a flat amount like ten cents on each gallon of gas, is the least damaging thing it can do to a market. More damaging is forcing prices lower, or legislating in such a way that distorts the production process, such a messing with property rights.

The government controls the industry in the same sense it controls every individual and company. More to the point its interventions in the market **** up production and price structures and leave every worse off in the end.

 

[CDB]

Off topic, but have you ever read Keynes's "General Theory"? I vastly disagree with Keynes but a read worth reading.

Do you have any clue how long it took me to get through The Wealth of Nations and Human Action? I swear that's why I need glasses these days is because of those books. General Theory I've read bits and pieces of, basically only the pieces I've needed to read. Most of my reading has been of Chicago Schoolers, Austrians and Socialists. Those are the three most important views of economics I think, the first insightful but misguided, the second right but too idealistic, and the third wrong and destructive.

 

[CDB]

2.75 by next year? I'm already at 2.79, dude....lol....and that's for regular unleaded.

Some of the stations here in Long Island New York are running out of regular unleaded.

 

[kwyckemynd00]

Well...that's not too horrible...because, now the ratio of reg to premium is only slightly premium heavy....its practically nothing now

 

[CDB]

Well...that's not too horrible...because, now the ratio of reg to premium is only slightly premium heavy....its practically nothing now

One of my friends just ditched his old Mustang because anything other than premium would make the engine ping. V8 too, had tobe balls to the wall expensive these days. I lovemy Civic more and more every day. and I swear a ybrid is next most likely, despite high dealer service costs. A high repair bill every now and then is easier to deal with and absorb than constantly high fuel costs.

 

[mtruther]

You might want to check out diesel engines. My Jetta is getting 45 mpg. So yeah, take the housewife cruising around all day in the Sequoia, divide her gas prices by 3, and that's what I'm paying.

I think Mercedes makes a diesel that gets mid to upper-30s for those going highend. Even my Dad's gigantic diesel Dodge Ram gets about 22 mpg. Way better than a gas burner. Plus, with a diesel your engine runs forever.

As for the politcs of all of this, I'm personally a fan of our two party system. It's a bit unweildy at times, as we've discussed in this thread, but it keeps the kooks out of power and it keeps things stable. I'd rather have industry control things than see fringe factions striking out on some crazy new initiative to revolutionize society. Looking at Europe and other nations with multiple parties, I'm fairly convinced that the end result it almost always more government intervention. Keep it simple.

 

[kwyckemynd00]

One of my friends just ditched his old Mustang because anything other than premium would make the engine ping. V8 too, had tobe balls to the wall expensive these days. I lovemy Civic more and more every day. and I swear a ybrid is next most likely, despite high dealer service costs. A high repair bill every now and then is easier to deal with and absorb than constantly high fuel costs.

I'm rockin' a base-model civic lol Down from a tundra, but now my pocket love me...

 

[mtruther]

You were disappointed, but please don't tell me you were surprised. This is a man who has spent his life working in the oil industry, who is friends with big oil owners like the bin Ladins, who has done nothing but destroy environmental preservation regulations since he entered office. What exactly did you expect?

To be fair to Bush and the Republicans, they were able to push through an energy bill that is going to construct new nuclear reactors (by far the cleanest energy source around) and new oil refineries, all which have been historically heavily resisted by the left for decades.

 

[mtruther]

there are, the westernized world still has too much pull on what "we" wish to use to make our cars go. Iran is actually very close to using a safe biproduct of nuclear power to run small transportation... they aren't looking to drop any bombs on anyone, they are looking to be the leaders of the new free world's energy supply... but we ( oil using nations that see large $$ from it) are doing our best to hold that off for as long as possible

Do you actually have a source on this because I simply don't buy it. At all.

Here you have a nation where oil sales account for 80% of its exports. And this nation is using government funding (obtained from selling oil) to undermine the backbone of its economy?

Right now Iran is sitting on one of the largest oil caches in the world. And unlike technology, not every nation on earth can have access to oil reserves. So you're telling us Iran (whose people can already get gas dirt cheap) is going to give up its monopoly to invest in a technology that is just going to be utilized by other nations more efficiently?

I just don't think so. A nation sitting on essentially unlimited oil supplies is interested in supplying its fuel needs with nuclear energy. Sounds like a translucent smokescreen if I've ever seen one (or NOT, as it was).

 

[Matthew D]

The problem with nuclear is that is only clean at the beginning because you have tons of waste materials that you have to sit on for thousands of years...

 

[kwyckemynd00]

Two good points (mtruther and matthewd)