Stage 7:Gas Prices Send Surge of Riders to Mass Transit

With the price of gas approaching $4 a gallon, more commuters are abandoning their cars and taking the train or bus instead. Mass transit systems around the country are seeing standing-room-only crowds on bus lines where seats were at one time easy to find. Parking lots at bus and light rail stations are starting to overflow. In most major cities, the riders are risking getting tickets or possibly getting towed for driving over curbs and into grassy areas just to park.
“In almost every transit system I talk to, we’re seeing very high rates of growth the last few months,” said William Millar, the president of the American Public Transportation Association. It’s obvious that people are starting to look for alternate ways of transportation. It can be more than a hassle paying $3.50 (on a good day) a gallon; especially with the average car having a 15 to 20 gallon tank.
Oil prices broke yet another record on Friday, climbing $2.27, to $125.96 a barrel. The national average for regular unleaded gasoline reached $3.67 a gallon, up from $3.04 a year ago, according to AAA. With this new information I learned reading this article today I have come to the conclusion that the city of Pflugerville needs a mass transit system. Almost every time I read an article about the oil prices in the United States it talks about a new record being set for prices a barrel. I set a new record at the gas pump each time I get gas and that’s according to my wallet, (a very good source). I would be the first to ride the bus to Austin or Round Rock anywhere at these rates.
I have started to wonder about more issues that can arises from the gas problems in the U.S. the first is with the growing number of riders that will mean a increase in prices for the bus. Witch still won’t be worse than gas but the riders who always ride the bus will start to protest and it will be another story in the Austin American Statesman newspaper; which will of course be put behind the Texas Longhorns football team. The second problem is that I believe with more cars in one place a greater increase in “break-ins” and car thefts will arises.
If it’s not one thing is another in the United States, land of the free and home of the obese. It seems that there will always be problems here. I just can help but think what would make people happy more. Gas prices dropping, or the end of the war in Iraq. To be honest I don’t think that Im truly ok with myself about my choice in which I would like more. Which would you like to happen?

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/10/business/10transit.html?hp

Stage 5: White House and Democrats Move on Ohio Court Plan

Senate Democrats and the White House moved ahead Wednesday with a compromise to break the year-long impasse over approving judges for the federal appeals court based in Ohio. However the Senate Republicans seemed “unenthusiastic” about the plan as the Judiciary Committee held hearings on two nominees to the United States Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit who are in the middle of the compromise. Helene N. White, a liberal Democratic candidate originally put forward by President Bill Clinton. The other is Raymond M. Kethledge, a conservative Republican chosen by the Bush White House.
The court is currently divided with 8 conservative Republican appointees against 6 liberal Democratic appointees with 2 vacant spots which can be decided soon with the 2 current forerunners, White and Kethledge.
Some of the delegates think that the spots will be filled by Senator Obama or Senator Clinton if either is elected president. If they pick 2 democratic chairmen it will even the 6th circuit court at 8 democratic and 8 republicans. One problem with that is some delegates’ fill that waiting for the presidential outcome will be too long. However, the delegates who fill that waiting too long are also republican and if a democratic president is selected the only nominees will most likely be democratic.
We can only guess why a republican delegate would not want to wait for a possible democratic president to fill the 2 vacant spots. If White and Kethledge are appointed, it would leave the seats at 9 to 7 in the republicans favor.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/08/washington/08judges.html?ref=washington

Stage 4:Clinton Aide Says Race May Not Go to Convention

On a recent televised interview, Senator Clinton’s campaign manager Terry McAuliffe was quoted saying “I don’t see it going to the convention”. McAuliffe was talking about Senator Clintons chances of staying in the race for the democratic nomination of presidency. In the past few days, a number of party leaders have asked Mrs. Clinton to give the nomination to her opponent, Senator Barack Obama. Clinton campaign has insisted that she would fight through the end of the primary season. Appearing on NBC’s “Today” show, McAuliffe still insisted that Mrs. Clinton’s will fight on, but said the party’s superdelegates would resolve the contest soon after the final democratic nomination election. McAuliffe then stated “After June 3, this is going to come to a conclusion.”
Clinton’s criticism of Obama was muted during her appearance in West Virginia when she said she has done much better than her opponent with certain key voter segments, including woman, older voters and blue collar workers. Clinton trails Obama in pledged delegates and cannot catch up in the remaining races; however she argues that she would be more successful in the general election against the Republican nominee, Senator John McCain.
During a 45-minute appearance in the House of Representatives, Senator Obama was shaking hands with members of both parties and posed for pictures and also said he expected Senator Clinton to win West Virginia and Kentucky and described her leads in those states as “insurmountable.”
“My goal is to bring the party together as soon as possible,” he said.
One issue that remains for the democratic race is the voting in Florida and Michigan, the problem is delegates have been blocked the voting because of a conflict with the Democratic Party because of the timing of those states’ primary elections in January.
However McAuliffe, (Clintons campaign manager) said that question of Florida and Michigan needed to be settled by the party. But did not seem to think it would stand in the way of concluding the race by early June.
“Within a week or two after June 3, I think it will be all over,” he said.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/09/us/politics/08cnd-campaign.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin

Stage 3:Suspend deliveries to U.S. oil reserve, lawmakers say

Only one thing could bring the democratic and republican party together. GAS PRICES, with the fuel costs becoming a major election year issue, members of both parties pitched their ideas Wednesday for bringing down prices. Democrats called for a profits tax on oil companies, with new protections against “price-gouging”. Republicans asked for increased exploration for new oil sources. The only plans they had in common have been to stop the delivery of 70,000 barrels of oil a day for the emergency stockpile. President Bush has resisted suspending deliveries, saying it would weaken the nation's defenses against an interruption in the flow of foreign oil. The reserve, set up after the 1973 Arab oil embargo, holds about 700 million barrels in salt caverns along the Gulf Coast. Bush also claims that halting deliveries would do little to bring oil prices down. Stating 70,000 barrels represents only a small fraction of the 20 million the nation uses every day.
Only 2 to 5 cents would be saved if the nation stops sending the barrels to the reserves. In my opinion that’s not enough to stop sending the barrels to the reserves. I think that a guarantee from one of the parties and the candidates dealing with dropping oil prices will increase their chances drastically! Oil prices and the War on Terror are the main concerns of the American public; promises and solutions will give an opponent an edge in the race on either or both categories. To start tax the oil companies more will only increase the prices in the long run and drilling in the land doesn’t seem so bad to me as long as the damage to the land isn’t dangerous to people or the land and its inhabitants. Maybe we should just vote Senator Clinton in, having 2 presidents for the price of one might be handy. After all Hilary would be crazy if she doesn’t take any advice about or economy from Bill most older people I talk to say they want him back and he did the best for us in their opinion. However, I think Bill will have to make a few decision during the day since Hilary will be sleeping after staying up all night answering phone calls.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-energy8-2008may08,0,4447440.story

Stage 2: Support for Clinton Wanes as Obama Sees Finish Line

Senator Hilliary Clinton stood her ground last week concerning her presidential run despite needing support from Democratic officials and sponsors. Some of her advisers acknowledged (privately) that they remained unsure about the Senators future on her candidacy. This article caught my attention with the headline it self and after reading it i realized that there is an actul chance of Senator Clinton dropping out of the democratic nomination race because of a need for money. I personal thought she was starting to gain momentum but its hard to be in the public eye without money. We can only watch to see what happens next to the 2008 presidential race.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/08/us/politics/08campaign.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin