Loretta's co-worker is a nice enough and well meaning woman. Her political views are very much leftist and quasi-socialist. She is a big supporter of The Labour Party. She and I do not see eye-to-eye on much. So her trying to get me to join a boycott got me very suspicious.
"So tell me why should I refuse to buy petrol tomorrow?” I asked her.
"Because we are tired of the high petrol prices.” she explained. "We are going to show the oil companies that we aren't going to take it."
"So how exactly will not visiting a petrol station tomorrow reduce petrol prices?"
"Because it will hurt them in the pocketbook."
I asked her "Are you going to drive to work tomorrow?"
"Of course.” she answered.
"So even if you do not visit a petrol station tomorrow, you will probably need to fill up sometime with in the next few days. Right?"
"Yes.", she answered.
"If you really want to make an impact, then why don't you refuse to USE petrol products tomorrow, instead of just deferring the purchase for 24 hours?"
She looked at me blankly, like I had suggested that she fly to the moon.
"In fact." I said, "Why don't you plan to ride a bike to work once a week, and take the train 3 times a week? Won't that make more of an impact that this little boycott of yours?"
By now I could tell she was getting angry with me. Leftists hate common sense logic.
"By the way," I added, "The prices being charged by the oil companies are only that high because we consumers are willing to pay it. As long as you and I are willing to spend $1.50AUD a litre for petrol, then why can't they go ahead and charge it? If you don't like it, then don't buy it."
Oh boy. She was getting mad now.
"Well not all of us can walk to work or ride a bike!" she said. "What about a mother with kids? It is not fair that she has to pay for petrol!"
"Ok... So what exactly are you saying? Are you suggesting that having a child entitles someone to cheap petrol? Even if that were true, how on earth would you implement such a plan? How would that be fair to those without kids? What about those who are injured? Why can't they also get the same discount? What about senior citizens? Where do you draw the line?"
"I don't know." she countered. "It just doesn't seem right."
This got my conservative blood boiling. I lit into her.
"If you are so damn worried about moms with kids." I continued, "Then how about demanding that the government reduce some of the special fuel taxes that they impose on every litre of petrol that is sold in this state? Right now it costs about 50 cents a litre in taxes! They can cut that in half tomorrow if they had the balls, and it would make a huge difference in the price you pay."
"Further, moms with kids already get a discount on expenses. It is called a tax-deduction. They get to claim a deduction for every kid they support. That means more money in their pocket. Thousands of dollars more. Then it is up to the family to decide how to spend that money. They can spend it on petrol to drive the kids around. They can buy public transportation tickets. They can buy a fuel efficient car. Why should they get an addition discount at the pump when they already get it on their taxes?"
I finished "Your boycott idea is a futile gesture of impotence. You are only proving to the petrol vendors that you need them, which will convince them that they can charge whatever they feel the market will bear for their product. If they charge too much, then alternative energy solutions become economically viable competitors that you can use. If you really want to make a difference, then walk to work tomorrow."
So as I expected, she drove to work and filled the tank up over the weekend. What a clueless fool.
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