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The TPJ wants to hear from you!
The Publications Committee will
poll members concerning their thoughts
on some of the “hot topics” of the day.
During each quarter, the Committee will
draft a question, which will be distributed
to membership, through the Directors.
Each question will direct you as to where
to send your response. We will print the
responses in the following TPJ, reserving
the right to edit for space considerations.
While we prefer to print a name and city
with each response, we understand that
some of you may prefer that we not print
your name. We will honor this request, so
long as the response is not contrary to the
objectives of the Paralegal Division or the
Publications Committee. We hope that
this column provides a way for PD members
to express themselves, constructively,
on issues that impact our profession, our
communities, and our country.
Question of the Quarter:
Should the US government regulate the
price of oil and gas?
RESPONSE 1: Yes!
—Marsha Smith, CLA, TSC, San Antonio
RESPONSE 2: No. Oil and gas are a commodity,
the consummation of any product
should regulate its price, the government
should not be regulating how we produce,
how much we produce, and how much to
pay for an item; because of the regulations
the government has already set in place,
the cost of a gallon of gasoline goes mostly
to the government rather than the oil
company. Getting the government out of
the oil business would enable us to pay less
for the production of oil and gas. If we as
consumers want to keep the prices in
check, then we should encourage our government
to open more drilling sites
(coastal and parks) so that oil and gas
would not have to be purchased from foreign
countries.
—Name Withheld
RESPONSE 3: Dear TPJ, Yes, I have always
been in favor of regulations in regards to
gasoline pricing. I believe as long as the
big oil and gas companies set their own
pricing, they will continue to gouge the
American public. Many countries have the
right to impose a price freeze if the price
of gasoline gets too high. There is no reason
why we should not be able to do the
same thing. I have a hard time believing
the oil and gas companies when they tell
us they are spending the record profits
into exploration. After Enron, the oil companies
do not have any credibility. It is
apparent they have plenty of political
influence to keep the government from
passing any kind of regulation. They spend
millions for lobbyists who can wine and
dine politicians. I just hope somebody will
do something before it is
too late.
—Stephen Blanchard,
Grand Prairie
RESPONSE 4: The US
government should stay
out of the commodity
pricing business and let
the free market set prices.
Our economy is based
upon demand setting
prices, not the government
regulating them. If
prices get too high,
demand decreases and
prices drop. If too much
is produced, prices drop
and demand increases.
The government regulates
prices for certain
commodities already, and
those industries are facing
problems with their price
supports. Many small
dairy and family farm
operators have been
forced out of business by government
“price programs” which only served to
benefit large companies. A similar effect
has occurred in industries where the government
has interfered with bidding for
contracts and creating regulations relating
to awarding contracts for goods or services.
Remember the over-priced toilet seats
and tools used for military contracts? Not
only have prices soared for certain common
goods, but pricing controls and bidding
regulations have helped create an
atmosphere where fraud is prevalent. The
same thing happened when state governments
entered into licensing arrangements
for casinos and other forms of legal gambling.
Keeping the US government out of
pricing for oil and gas will allow consumers
(individuals and companies) to
determine their own price points where
they will no longer purchase oil or gas in
the same quantities. Of course we need
these commodities to operate our vehicles
and heat our homes. Utilities need natural
gas to convert into electricity, or sell for
home heating and cooking. However,
when buyers decide that prices are too
high, they find ways to cut back on consumption
until prices fall to more reasonable
levels. Look at supply, demand and
prices for gasoline over the period of a
year, or several years. Prices rise and fall
with demand.
Sure, we would all like to see gasoline
prices fall below current levels, but many
of us don’t consider that taxes on gasoline
have risen steadily for the past several
years, further pushing up prices. The profit
margin is being squeezed and most oil
companies are realizing their profits from
volume sales and sales of crude products,
instead of profits on sales to end-users.
The US government gets a large part of
the taxes on the gas we purchase, and state
and local governments also have their fingers
in the price-pie. Those costs are
always passed on to the end-users and are
not likely to be reduced any time soon.
Most local gas and sales taxes were
approved by local voters - all of us!
It is too late to prevent the US government
from getting involved in the pricing
of oil and gas taxes, but it is never too late
to vote with our wallets and our feet to
control further interference by any government
entity in pricing of
these or any other commodities.
Vote against tax
increases. Contact your representatives
in Congress and
urge them to support less
federal regulation of commodities
and price supports.
Let the free market economy
work they way is was
designed, and keep looking
for creative ways to cut back
on consumption of expensive
commodities. Prices will
naturally begin to fall as
demand decreases, then will
rise when demand increases
again.
—April May, Dallas
RESPONSE 5: Should the
US government regulate the
price of oil and gas? In of
itself, no. There are many
factors that play into the
pricing of gas that we need
to take into consideration
and that the US government should be
addressing. We can talk about potential mis-management or fraud. We can talk
about changes in the speed limit laws or
changes in the fees charged to individuals
who still see fit to purchase oversized vehicles
or vehicles that use an excessive
amount of fuel. We can talk about the
vehicle industry taking responsibility in
the kinds of vehicles they produce. All
these things come up in the media time
and again. I would like to think our government
is smart enough to get in there
and do what needs to be done for the benefit
of the people.
But, let’s face it. We can take personal
responsibility. We can choose to purchase
vehicles that are fuel efficient. We can
choose to slow down our speed and to be
more mindful of our driving. Decision
makers within the oil, gas, and automobile
industries can choose to take responsibility
for what goes on within their respective
industries.
It will take all of us working together to
see us through this period of our history.
—TM, San Antonio
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