Start a Gas Price retaliation???

[AquaMan]

Sorry to bring this sore subject back, but we were doing a little "garage logic" this weekend and my neighbors and I came up with this idea.

Boycott ONE station nationwide.

If everyone from coast to coast were to stop buying gas from one of the bigger national gas stations, that statioin would reduce the prices which would in turn would cause the competition to follow. ???

It might be a pipe dream, but I can't believe what the papers are telling me. I have heard every imaginable reason for the increase and none are consistant with the truth.

So, as a consumner, I am prepaired to excercise my right to spend where I want and suggest that A station is targeted for a little price adjustment.

If a collective agreement is made and spread from coast to coast, I know there would be a change in prices.

I realize this is drastic and maybe a little imature, but when the head of the accounting department for Texaco says that his company is profitable (30% in fact) at a station price of .99 cents, then I don't like the concept that this price hike conjors up. It seams that some back room agreements have been made at our expense and that the goal is to create a political "savor" to settle at $1.60 nationwide. Folks, we will never see $1.40 or less again.

So tell me what you think about singling one station out and give them a taste of this power of the dollar. Conoco, Amoco, Texaco, BP, SA, Holiday. Which one?

Feedback? Yeah/Nay?

AquaMan~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[night_eyes]

I didnt think this situation had anything to do with the stations selling the gas. I thought it had to do with OPEC. And the fact that we cant do much about it...if we decide not to buy fuel from these countries...then they dont buy our products. So we're really between a rock and hard place. Am i right? For the record if what you've suggested would work i'd be right with ya...these prices are not exactly good on my pocket book.

[Phil T.]

The oil producing nations are making good money, as are the few remaining refining companies. Recall a couple years ago when Amoco claimed thye could no longer afford to explore for more oil? That kindly British Petroleum/Shell Oil bought the poor American company. BP/Shell/Amoco's profits are up over 300% compared to a year ago. Conoco over 400% and Texaco over 500%. Since there are only about 5 refining companies, boycotting one brand of gas will let them sell it to you under a different trademark. The future has more mergers in store. The automobile companies are combining at a ridiculous rate. Now if BP/Shell/Amoco bought Ford/Land Rover/Saab/Jsaguar, we'd have a real monopoly.

[Trooper]

Great idea, Aquaman. Don't think for a minute that the stations that sell fuel are upset about the prices. They have twice the cash to work with during the period between selling the fuel and paying the company for it. The fuel business is almost all cash flow. That's great for them. Additionally, 6% of $1.95 is a lot more than 6% of $.99. Let us know which station and when to start. My idea is to start at "A" for Amoco.

I also think you're exactly right when you talk about political saviors telling us they reduced the price of fuel by 40 cents never to return to true market supply/demand prices. Then the politicians and the oil companies will be laughing at us even more. There are no shortages or real increases in the cost of production. This is all about the price elasticity of demand. I hit mine about 85 cents ago.

[glasseye]

Don't want to start anything but, if we can't even get fishermen to stay out of the casino owned by people spearing all the walleyes from the lake they love then what chance do you have of talking everyone into your plan?

[AquaMan]

Night,

Not doggin ya, but you are repeating what they have told you think. If you check the other post I did a few days ago it covered that OPEC issue. You see, as the largest consumer of fuel,the US dictates what OPEC says and does. OPEC was created to be the secretly controled political puppet. Why use our supply and reserves when we can manipulate a potentially hostile country and its reserves.

The real reason is the same as Trooper pointed out. We have been lead to the trough. Do we drink?

AquaMan~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[AquaMan]

Hey, At least they are working together.
:-)

AquaMan~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[AquaMan]

Amoco seams like a good choice. Will wait for any other suggestions.

AquaMan~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[Paul H]

Get them where it really hurts.

All the sundry itesm - coffee - pop - candy - etc.
trhat they now sell that put the mom & pop shops out of business.


Make that extra stop - buy the stuff some where else - or at least buy gas from a non company owned station when possible.

The $^%#^%$% marts are doing all they can to get your $$$ - don't let them.

Anf they make more off a six pack pop or beer than a gallon of premium.


IF this could pick up steam and their misc. sales droped 25% - then gas wars would start to get the poor suckers (us) back in there.

[DaveS]

The thing I can not figure out is why the price varies so much from one area of the country to another. Price in Nebraska this morning was $1.85 while price in western Virginia this evening is only $1.42. Used to be only a few cents difference between Midwest and East coast - Not $0.40 to $0.45 / gallon

[Had enough]

I agree, lets boycott one of the bigger ones. Also everyone concerned should call their congressman and give them an ear full. What this country needs is another boston tea party.

[Tommy Mac]

AquaMan~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I think that you have something here. In Minnesota and esspecially here where I am, Holiday would seem to be a good choice. They are everywhere and are more of a out of towner type of operation. The Amoco's, Spurs etc are more locally owned. My vote is to target Holiday.

Catch A Big One!

[larry g]

A complex solution to a very simple problem.Why do we make it hard on ourselves?For example, you propose to boycott amajor oil company, thy will just sell it some where else, even a compepitor wont pass up a good deal.Now if all of just parked the cars and trucks for about two weeks[you know sort of tighten family ties, get to know the kids, maybe even read a book, that kind of thing], just do the most necesary driving, we would start to work on the real problem , the law of supply and demand, and guess what would happen?But thats too simple a solution isn't it?A guy once said the most scarcest thing to find now a days is common sense.Stop and think about this, if we only worried about essential things, there would be a shortage of fishing poles.

[Backwater Eddy]

Stop & Go is another good choice, they jump the price every darn time the wind blows!

[AquaMan]

LAST EDITED ON Jun-20-00 AT 10:36AM (CST)[p]LAST EDITED ON Jun-20-00 AT 09:59*AM (CST)

Tommy, actually, the Holiday stores are franchised stores as well as the Amoco and SA stores. I realize that engaging in this type of action would hurt some business owners, and I wish no ill will toward them. However, there is an attitude now-a-days that says, "Oh, well. They will Pump and Pay"

Farmers, Lawn Maintenance, Truck Drivers, Delivery Services all live and die by fuel. And you will pay more for things then at the pumps. I think that the Boston Tea Party idea is what is needed here. But it needs to expand to all areas. One name that is nation wide must be targeted in order to provide the biggest impact.

Amoco, which is about to be sold to British Petrolium (BP), is one such name that is seen in ever city in the US. I therefore offer this suggestion, that you spread the word to avoid fuel from ALL Amoco stations, especially in the midwest. But we must continue to avoid them until the prices are in the $1.20 for PREMIUM. That is still profitable. Remeber, the CFO for Texaco said that they are profitable at .99 cents at the pump. Heck, the Anual report for Standard Oil shows a 500% increase on earnings this quarter.

Let's face it we all need to get to work and can't boycott all fuel. That is impracticale. Just get it from some where else. It has to be ONE for all, otherwise it will not work.

AquaMan~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[cisco]

Of special interest to me is the fact this is the site where so often someone writes, "You get what you pay for?"

You folks still think price reflects quality? The price mechanism of classical market economics does not work because we have so many non market controls. This mess we have is more political than economic.

[SUPERTROLLER]

Amoco stations around my area where some of the better prices most of the time. Texaco always seems to be the most expensive anyway so I'd suggest starting with them. They're profits are up 500% because they've gouged us worse than the other companies. I'll go with the chosen target but feel if you can hit the highest one first the others will try to stay lower than that to sell gas. Hate to muddy the waters with debate so you decide and we'll follow your lead.

[Hawg_Heaven]

Here is one of two E Mails I was sent and intend to do. Lets go for it.


>From: "maxine" <mforsgren@xtalwind.net>
>Reply-To: "maxine" <mforsgren@xtalwind.net>
>To: "barbara cottongim" <bcotto@indy.net>
>Subject: Fw: Gas out can we do it?
>Date: Mon, 19 Jun 2000 17:57:35 -0400
>
>
>----phase.com>
>Sent: Monday, June 19, 2000 5:46 PM
>Subject: Fw: Gas out can we do it?
>
>
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > -----Original Message-----
> > > > From> > Subject: FW: Gas out can we do it?
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > -----Original Message-----
> > > > From: MIC-RITE MACHINE TOOL & DIE, INC. [mailto:micrite@advnet.net]
> > > > Sent: Thursday, June 15, 2000 1:26 PM
> > > > To: Paul Simms; Paul Roehrig; mike j kirchner; Matt Kirchner; Lisa
> > > > Katanski; Jim Hansen; Steve Gajewski; Laura Fox
> > > > Subject: Fw: Gas out can we do it?
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > >> Subject: Gas out can we do it?
> > > > >>
> > > > >>
> > > > >> It worked in April of 1999 and April of 2000 - Let's see if it
>will
> > > work
> > > > >> again. Now that gas prices are rising every weekend by .20 to
>.30
>a
> > > > gallon.
> > > > >>
> > > > >> Last year on April 30,1999, a gas out was staged across Canada
> > > > >> and the U.S. to bring the price of gas down, and it worked. It's
>time
> > > > >> to do something about it again. This time, lets make it for three
> > days
> > > > >> instead of just one. The oil cartel decided to slow production to
> > drive
> > > > up
> > > > >> gasoline prices. Let's see how many Canadian\American people we
>can
> > get
> > > > to
> > > > >> ban together
> > > > >> for a three day period in June, NOT TO BUY ANY GASOLINE, during
> > > > >> those three days. LETS HAVE A GAS OUT.
> > > > >>
> > > > >> Do not buy any gasoline from June 23, 2000 THROUGH June 26, 2000.
> > > > >> Buy what you need before the dates listed above, or after, but
>try
> > not
> > > to
> > > > >> buy any during the GAS OUT. If you want to help, just send this
>to
> > > > everyone
> > > > >> you know and ask them to do the same. We brought the prices down
>once
> > > > before,
> > > > >> and we can do it again!
> > > > >>
> > > > >> Come on North America lets stand together.
> > > > >>
> > > > >> WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.
> > > > >> Even if you receive this 100 times keep passing it around, this
> > > > >> way you know everyone is being informed and no one will
> > > > >> forget!!!!!!!!
> > > > >>
> > > > >>
> > > > >
> > >
> >
>

__________________________________________________ ______________________
Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at #####://www.hotmail.com

[Hawg_Heaven]

This is number two.

All: Remember too that the gas stations all have convience stores!!! Just
buy the gas you need and don't buy any of their high markup junk food etc.
They all rely on this to make their profits and when they lose that they
will get the gas companies attention!!!!!!!!!!
----- Original Message -----
From: bill vandrese <bilvan@hotmail.com>
To: <dave8052@yahoo.com>; <Mspsgt1959@aol.com>; <fishbros@netonecom.net>;
<ealm@bresnanlink.net>; <bribian@hotmail.com>; <jcalkins@netonecom.net>;
<Miosha@msn.com>; <PRinP@aol.com>; <DryerH@state.mi.us>;
<relegreet@uplogon.com>; <jgriffin@chubb.com>; <ngrunst@yahoo.com>;
<pamh@portup.com>; <jharn10051@aol.com>; <wheikkila@bresnanlink.net>;
<roofie98@juno.com>; <id27@home.com>; <kmj1@mead.com>;
<karivan@hotmail.com>; <dickkennedy@juno.com>; <delegate@bresnanlink.net>;
<jness@up.net>; <lmostlund@bresnanlink.net>; <mpaluda@bresnanlink.net>;
<tlp@bresnanlink.net>; <upstorm@uplogon.com>; <dpuro@bresnanlink.net>;
<zenarose@hotmail.com>; <sassymom43@hotmail.com>; <scook129@aol.com>;
<urzica@rust.net>; <marievd@hotmail.com>; <rzdeb@msn.com>
Sent: Tuesday, June 13, 2000 9:57 PM
Subject: Fwd: Fw: FW: Gas Prices


>
>
>
> >From: "maxine" <mforsgren@xtalwind.net>
> >Reply-To: "maxine" <mforsgren@xtalwind.net>
> >To: <mailto:Undisclosed-Recipient:@onyx.xtalwind.net>
> >Subject: Fw: FW: Gas Prices
> >Date: Tue, 13 Jun 2000 20:43:52 -0400
> >
> >
> >----- Original Message -----
> >From: "Patti Denemy" <pdenemy@pathwaynet.com>
> >To: <Undisclosed-Recipient:;>
> >Sent: Tuesday, June 13, 2000 1:22 PM
> >Subject: Fw: FW: Gas Prices
> >
> >
> > > > > > > OPEC did it to us again. They pacified us for two weeks in
> > > April so
> > > > >we
> > > > > > > wouldn't boycott...hardly anyone did. Now look at the prices!
> > > They
> > > > >knew
> > > > > > > exactly what they were doing. We just can't sit back and let
> > > them get
> > > > > > > away
> > > > > > > with it. The American people don't realize the power they
have.
> > > A
> > > > >very
> > > > > > > prominent figure in our society has suggested that if enough
> > > people
> > > > > > > boycott
> > > > > > > just one gas company, would put that company out of business.
> > > That
> > > > > > would
> > > > > > > get OPEC's attention again. Don't let them get away with it.
> > > Mobil
> > > > >is
> > > > > > > one
> > > > > > > of the many companies that is not American.
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > Boycott Mobil beginning June 22, 2000 through the end of this
> > > year.
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > Pass this message to as many of your friends and family
members
> > > as you
> > > > > > > think of. A list of trucking companies is being compiled and
> > > will be
> > > > > > sent
> > > > > > > a copy. Please help in anyway you can. We can make a
> > > difference!
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
__________________________________________________ ______________________
> > > > Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at
> > > #####://www.hotmail.com
> > > >
> > >
> >
>
> __________________________________________________ ______________________
> Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at #####://www.hotmail.com
>
>

[AquaMan]

The only problem is we have very few if many at all Mobil Oil stations in the upper midewest (MN, WI, ND, SD, IA, MI) We have tons of Amoco stations.

AquaMan~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[rob799]

the bigest problem is not only gas prices its ##### corporate greed ,the working man today dont get squat while the higher up corporate employees make double our salaries we get nothing but the crumbs that fall to the floor,they dont give a care if we cant afford the gas as long as we struggle to make them rich