Press release from Alan Augustson, Green Party congressional candidate and former presidential hopeful:
Green Party Congressional Candidate Alan Augustson (IL, CD-05) called upon all Presidential and other candidates to back off from promises of lower gasoline prices.
“Cheap gas is over,” said Augustson, who will be seeking to unseat the powerful Rahm Emanuel (D-IL) in November. “Any candidate who promises lower gas prices is making a false promise, plain and simple. It’s a cheap, obvious election gimmick. Don’t fall for it.”
In a communique to a number of online media outlets, Augustson contended that speculators and taxation amount to very little in determining the price of a gallon of gasoline. “Gas is expensive,” he said, “because the oil is running out. And that which remains is harder to find, harder to extract, harder to refine and harder to distribute.”
In fact, he said, gas prices would be even higher still if not for government subsidies.
“Whether you drive an SUV or ride a bike everywhere, you’re paying for gas,” Augustson said. “Your taxes pay for enormous subsidies to the energy industry. Without those subsidies, you’d see gasoline prices similar to what they pay in Europe.”
He speculated that gasoline prices might fall “maybe a quarter or so, just in time for the election. But they’ll snap right back to the upward trend, immediately afterward.”
Augustson’s solution to high gas prices? “Stop using gas. Take public transit if you have it. Get an electric vehicle — not a hybrid. Ride a bike. Walk. Move closer to work. Shop closer to home. Just stop driving. I know that’s not going to be a popular answer, but the truth seldom is.”
Alan Augustson, 44, is an economist, statistician and management consultant living in Chicago. He announced his candidacy for Congress in June of 2007.
8 responses so far ↓
1 Gregg Jocoy // Jun 5, 2008 at 10:34 pm
I must say, Augustson has impressed me with his cool head from the first time he posted to Green Commons.
2 Robert Milnes // Jun 5, 2008 at 11:14 pm
I beg your pardon. I have said that if a third party candidate were to declare the intention to phase out petroleum and phase in electric and hydrogen, which I have, then polls well like possibly able to win-20-35%, then oil futures will fall & so will the price of gas. I stand by this.
3 Robert Milnes // Jun 6, 2008 at 3:30 am
Electric means solar panels & wind turbines. Not biofuels. No more nuclear reactors or refineries. Coal must be 100% clean emissions and phased out. When I went gold mining I met a lot of miners. There is a saying, “If you can’t grow it, you’ve got to mine it.” There is a great pride and tradition with mining. However I would add to that saying this,” If you do not have to mine it, you shouldn’t.” The mining of nuclear materials is very problematic. Especially what to do with nuclear waste. It is not needed for fuel. The mining of coal is similar. We can start the phasing out of petroleum IMPORTS, relying instead on North American coal reserves. But again, it ultimately is not needed for fuel.
4 Robert Milnes // Jun 6, 2008 at 3:37 am
Hydrogen has the advantage of portability. So aircraft, automobiles & long range shuttlecraft might have need for it. Otherwise lightweight & efficient battery & electric motor technology is preferable.
5 Robert Milnes // Jun 6, 2008 at 3:45 am
I heard there is a new refinery planned to be built in South Dakota. If elected I will stop that in its tracks. No more nuclear reactors either!
6 Robert Milnes // Jun 6, 2008 at 3:53 am
Indians in South Dakota: If elected I will see to it the treaties are respected, sacred lands returned. And more.
7 darolew // Jun 6, 2008 at 4:48 pm
“…you’d see gasoline prices similar to what they pay in Europe.”
Convenient that he leaves out that the majority of the cost of gasoline in Europe is taxes…
8 G.E. // Jun 6, 2008 at 4:52 pm
Yes, but in a libertarian society, the price of gas would be even higher.
You have the taxpayer funded defense of oil cargo and the limited liability of polluting killer corporations. If these costs weren’t externalized to the American taxpayer, the price paid at the pump would more accurately reflect the REAL price Americans pay through their tax dollars and with their health.
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