A one day boycott will not hurt the oil companies

[liberal N proud]

Tomorrow is the day that has been designated in all our in-boxes as a gasoline boycott.


Example of email:

Subject: don't buy gas may 15th

...in April 1997, there was a "gas out"
conducted nationwide in protest of gas prices.
Gasoline prices dropped 30 cents a gallon overnight.

On May 15th 2007, all internet users are to not go to
a gas station in protest of high gas prices. Gas is
now over $3.00 a gallon in most places.

There are 73,000,000+ American members currently on
the internet network, and the average car takes about
30 to 50 dollars to fill up.

If all users did not go to the pump on the 15th, it
would take
$2,292,000,000.00 (that's almost 3 BILLION) out of the
oil companies pockets for just one day, so please do
not go to the gas station on May 15th and lets try to
put a dent in the Middle Eastern oil industry for at
least one day.

If we really want to make a dent in the oil companies we would all need to stop driving for one day or more. If every vehicle in the country was parked for one day, that would be an actual impact in the usage.
There wouldn't be any of this buying gas a day ahead of the boycott or the day after because all that does is shift the profit from one day to the other.
By parking our cars we would deprive the oil companies of the profits that would have been used in those cars that day. All the cars in the US, that would be a fair sized hit.

Will make the oil companies lower the price, probably not. But it would make a better message than a boycott.

Will it happen? FAT CHANCE

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

1. Let's Be Perfectly Rational And Honest Here: No Boycott In The World Is Gonna Do It.

I mean seriously, let's face it.

And the one day boycott things? Always good for a laugh I guess.

[liberal N proud]

3. That is what I am trying to say.

We would all have to park the car/truck/bus and every other form of transportation to make any impact.
We all know the chances of that happening is nil.

Parking the vehicles prevent the burning of the fossils for that time that you would have otherwise driven. With the huge profits, it still would only make a statement not an financial burden for the oil magnets

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

5. Oh I Know. My Comments Were Meant Generally As Opposed To Direct Critique :o)

I will say though, that when you say it would only make a statement I still kinda disagree in the sense that the statement that is made would only really be made to each other, not the people who are intended to care. They still wouldn't blink an eye, ya know? But I hear ya.

[uppityperson]

2. Don't forget to fill up today.

Here it is with a minor change:
If all users went to the pump on the 14th instead of the 15th, it would give $2,292,000,000.00 (that's almost 3 BILLION) into the oil companies pockets for just one day, so please do not go to the gas station on May 15th and lets try to put a dent in the Middle Eastern oil industry for at least one day.

[sandnsea]

4. We could send a message of unity

It would scare the oil companies and possibly turn on some refineries. Unfortunately our Democratic free marketers can't see beyond the end of their own capitalist nose to do it.

[phylny]

7. It really won't scare the oil companies at all.

It will screw with the delivery operation, storage, barge and pipeline schedules, but it will ultimately just hurt the station owner.

It makes no difference to the big oil companies when you buy your gas - today, or in two days from now. The only thing that will drive the price down is by us all consuming less.

[taterguy]

6. This is a vehicle, should I park it tomorrow?

I'm sorry but the reluctance to recognize bicycles as legitimate vehicles is one of my linguistic pet peeves.

[liberal N proud]

8. That is what we all need to do for a day or two

Ride bikes to work or walk.

[taterguy]

10. I've been doing it almost 20 years

Remember yelling "No blood for oil" during the first Gulf War. I decided then to avoid using oil.

[durrrty libby]

9. As a nation we are really dumb about boycotting, unless it

is raising a stink over Imus.

[liberal N proud]

11. Agreed!

[Name removed]

12. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[durrrty libby]

15. I was rushing through the grocery store yesterday, and I heard this old guy

telling another shopper about the big boycott.

I really wanted to stop and tell him what a silly idea this was,
but I was already late.

Honestly, this guy was at least 60. How could someone that age
have no critical thinking skills?

[BuyingThyme]

17. It's not a silly idea, and the fact that you

heard some old dude talking about it at the grocery store proves it.

The only silliness is in the people who discourage demonstrations in a democracy (including the morons who sent those emails).

[durrrty libby]

21. The fact that some old dude was talking about it, does not prove

it is a workable idea.

It is said....Pay me now, or pay me later.


If he were talking about carpooling, making fewer trips,

and using less fuel, then we might make some headway.

[BuyingThyme]

23. I think education is the key. If people can stage

a protest that everybody can participate in, that is a huge advance in my opinion.

Think about it. An old guy at the supermarket knows about a demonstration ahead of time. And he's talking about it! That is a wonderful thing which should not be dissed in any way.

And if you disagree with his point of view, and wish to express as much, that's wonderful too.

[LynneSin]

16. I honestly don't think that it was democrats that push this stuff

I have no problem with boycotts. I haven't shopped at a Wal-Mart in years because I protest their labor policies and I know that I'm one of thousands, perhaps millions that feel the same way. I know that there are other stores out there that carry the same items and therefore I have an alternative for shopping at Wal-Mart. Just this last quarter, Wal-mart posted something like a 28% loss in business. Perhaps they are starting to be affected by us anti-WalMarters.

But these gas boycotts are probably one of the dumbest ideas that come around. Technically I can say I'm a part of the boycott because I had to fill up my gas tank on Sunday and I won't need to fill it up again until sometime next weekend. But for those of us who need cars - well we need gas. And just because I don't buy the gas on the 15th doesn't mean I'll never buy gas again - I'll just fill up on a different day. This means that the Oil Companies will feel no impact whatsoever on the boycott because eventually I'm going to have to fill up that gas tank.

[BuyingThyme]

19. This is a demonstration.

The objective is to create an event in which almost anybody can participate. You don't have to take a trip to the city, you don't have to make a sign, you don't have to worry about being recognized, you don't have to burn a weekend or take a day off work.

All you have to do is abstain from buying gas on one particular day. And people here are discouraging that? Wow.

So, I guess you have a problem with one-day walk-outs too? How 'bout talking back to the boss?

[uppityperson]

28. You don't have to do anything, no one will notice.No standing in solidarity.

People notice signs. People notice groups demonstrating together. All I have to do to join in this "demonstration" is just go about my daily business, and fill up on gas on the 14th to give record sales that day, but average for the week. OK.

Look, I'm demonstrating now.

Look, I'm demonstrating again!

Woohoo!

Silly me, I thought demonstrating meant standing up together, SHOWING that I was actually DOING something.

Oh dear, I just demonstrated not buying gas again.

[Name removed]

29. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[BuyingThyme]

34. Keep searching for ways to belittle people who get involved.

I know you will.

[LynneSin]

42. And who is going to notice - no one

Don't delusion yourself, the gas not bought today was bought either yesterday or will be bought tomorrow. Hell I feel like topping off my gas tank just to piss off people here.

And yes, I don't do one-day walk-outs. I enjoy my job and like my boss (although trust me, I talk back to him). It's a secured great-paying job which I have no desire to screw-up because I truly like what I do!

[sandnsea]

22. But somebody has to start the first one

I don't know when this country became such a bunch of fucking weenies. If it's not attacking defenseless brown people, most of the country is just a bunch of weak dicks. What would we do if someone invaded? If they brought gasoline, we'd be tossing the flowers in the street.

[BuyingThyme]

24. That was actually my point.

I don't think I made it very well.

[sandnsea]

30. I was just chiming in

Just agreeing with you. And I don't care what anybody says, we aren't buying gas tomrrow. We also aren't driving anywhere. So nya nya to everybody else.

[BuyingThyme]

31. How dare you!

[Starbucks Anarchist]

25. Not buying gas on one day, then filling up on the next does nothing.

It has nothing to do with other demonstrations -- it's simple math.

[Name removed]

26. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[BuyingThyme]

35. Completely wrong. Getting people involved

is a wonderful thing. And not all people care to get involved in traditional demonstrations.

It has nothing to do with the stupid email.

Belittling people who get involved is a horrible thing.

[Starbucks Anarchist]

36. I made my points in the deleted subthread.

Which was deleted because of your personal insults, BTW.

I'm done here. Have a nice life.

[uppityperson]

37. me too. why bother, eh?

Nice if others could figure out how to disagree without getting personally insulting. Oh well.

[Starbucks Anarchist]

38. Yep.

Logic is like kryptonite to some people.

[BuyingThyme]

40. The only point you made is that you do not understand the

difference between people who want to demonstrate and people who believe that stupid email.

[blues90]

13. It would work only if the effort

would raise the consceince level by seeing empty gas stations and it would have to be a weekly ordeal to continue the idea forward .

I doubt people would ever get the word out to enough people unless the mass media promoted this idea which is a joke to even think about .

Each person has to take their own action into account and this too involves getting the word out .

[hughee99]

14. I completely agree.

Hell, if the people looking at the sales numbers are looking at them on a week-by-week basis instead of day-by-day, they won't even notice it. If no one bought gas on May 15th but filled up on the 14th or 16th instead, just over the course of 1 week, it all balances out. As long as you're buying their gas, then don't give a rat's ass which day you buy it on. It seems like boycotts against large corporations are designed to hit them where it hurts, in the wallet, but it doesn't cost them a dime if you are selective about which days you buy on, as long as you buy the same amount. As for making a statement, they already know we're pissed about the prices, the statement this "no gas on the 15th" makes, IMHO, is that we're not going anything more about it than make a symbolic gesture.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

18. I get about 4 gpm.

That's gallons per month.

People always talk about mpg.

I think gpm is a much better measure.

[elocs]

20. Very, very fat chance is right. Gas is up 16 cents over a year ago, demand is up 1%.

No, this country is hooked on gas, but if it makes people feel good by not getting their fix or driving on the 15th, then go for it. Americans will not change their ways until the price of oil impacts all of the goods we buy. Even then, the people with money will still drive as much and as often as they like. That actually is the point of alternative fuels--to drive as much and as often as we like, not conservation or being more green. As for myself, I filled up on Saturday and a tank will last me a month. If I need to drive somewhere, I will.

[JTFrog]

27. Imagine the impact if

we all just stayed home on memorial day. Just saying... if we all gave up one vacation a year, the impact would be HUGE.

[Dinger]

32. Do It Anyway nt

[EFerrari]

33. You are probably right. But every mass action trains people

and recruits people for the next one. How do you get to Carnegie Hall. :hi:

[tammywammy]

39. A day won't hurt the gas companies

What people need to do is cut back on their overall consumption of gas.

BTW, I don't buy gas on Tuesdays anyways, so this boycott doesn't effect me at all.

edited to say: actually I haven't bought gas since Oct. 2005, since I drive a diesel.

[Zywiec]

41. So if everyone buys the gas on the 14th that they were going to buy on the 15th

Doesn't that give the oil companies access to 3 billion dollars a day earlier? I would love to have the one-day interest on 3 billion dollars. Sounds like they'll be doing better.

[LynneSin]

43. Exactly

I find this type of boycott so worthless than I'm gonna top off my gas tank and post about it on DU just to piss off people.

I'm all for a good protest or boycott but this has got to be one of the DUMBEST ideas out there