Is it just me, or has this whole notion of trying to punish countries and companies we don't like by boycotting their products at the gas pump reached the pinnacle of absurdity?
In the present case we are asked to eschew gasoline from Citgo, a subsidiary of Venezuela's state-owned petroleum company, because that nation's president has made anti-American statements. Sounds straightforward enough, but another very popular email flier says we shouldn't buy gas from the Middle East because terrorists come from that region (in fact, Citgo is named as a preferred alternative to these brands). Yet another forwarded message calls for a one-day boycott of all brands of gasoline to let OPEC know we're fed up with inflated prices. What's a consumer to do?
In the present case we are asked to eschew gasoline from Citgo, a subsidiary of Venezuela's state-owned petroleum company, because that nation's president has made anti-American statements. Sounds straightforward enough, but another very popular email flier says we shouldn't buy gas from the Middle East because terrorists come from that region (in fact, Citgo is named as a preferred alternative to these brands). Yet another forwarded message calls for a one-day boycott of all brands of gasoline to let OPEC know we're fed up with inflated prices. What's a consumer to do?
Comments
After Chavez’s recent UN speech, I most definitely think that every U.S. citizen should boycott V. oil in the U.S. I will not conduct business with CITGO. There’s nothing absurd about how I feel about this — it’s just business; I have a choice. I really don’t feel like sending money to a regime that clearly despises the United States of America.
Absurdity? Maybe, as you suggested, itīs just you. Most have us have opined and then been served with further info which invalidates our opinion. After today this boycott is going to grow wings. Maybe joined by Pelosi and Rangel. Here in the Amazon Venezuela has maybe 11 PDV stations and was rumored to be interested in buying the Ypiranga chain of gas stations….
My Citgo Cards are heading to the shreder and there final destination, the Trash…I will not waste my money on this Dictator who feels free to badmouth the US, lets see if his country lets his people badmouth him, I do not mind going somewhere else especially if the gas is mostly US product, I just wish we would get past the Liberals and drill here to become 100 % independent of Foreign oil and keep our money here and out of the hands ot those that want to bring harm to us………..John
My personal citgo cards have been cut up- I just finished canceling our company’s account w/ them as well (not huge- but they just lost 2,500/month in our fuel charges) Let him trash talk america all he wants- he will get nothing from me.
I never hear anyone say they want to have a trade boycott because Saudi Arabia teaches children to kill us in school. No Iran trade boycott even though they threaten to destroy Israel..How about the U.A.E. for slave trading…..Let some lefty make fun of W and everyone is ready to act.
There is plenty of oil in Texas, Oklahoma, Alaska, and the North Sea just to name a few places. I’d rather pay $5 gal. rather support the dangerous loonies who spoke at the UN.
It’s about time we get serious about reducing our gas consumption. Plan your trips and maybe even carpool. Just cut back 2 or 3 gallons a week and it will hurt all those SOB’s. And definately boycott CITGO.
A boycott involves actions that an individual can take. How is an individual going to boycott trade with Saudi Arabia or Iran? I can’t even think of anything they sell in the USA except oil. How can an individual boycott slave trade? Many Citgo stations around where I live have already converted. Just yesterday, a Citgo where I used to stop frequently began distributing gas under the Valero Oil brand from Texas. I support the boycott and don’t find it the least bit absurd.
Funny because Ctigo gives money to MDA, so if we boycott Citgo than we take money out of MDA. SO much for the unfortunate children who suffer from the disease. Also if we boycott Citgo than the factories will shut down and AMERICANS will lose jobs.
Venezuela – Calls Bush a devil
Saudi Arabia – finances schools that tell thousands of impressionable children that all americans are devils. 22 of em pulled a little prank on September 11th, 2001. Maybe you remember it.
Hey, do whatever you want, you right wing, whack jobs. I’ll take immature blowhards over proven serial muderers any day. I’m going out of my way to buy Citho gas until I hear Chavez is forcing his citizens to worship God in state approved ways and bankrolling terrorists. Seriously, you flag-smooching knuckleheads REALLY need to get a tougher skin. Names won’t hurt you, why do you CARE what Chavez thinks of us or says about our leaders. The saudis are paying for the guys killing our soldiers in Iraq. Get with it! Starve the weasels! Buy Citgo.
I’m a Marine Corps veteran, and I can tell you right now – there is nothing absurd about taking a stand for your country. Hugo Chavez, a COMMUNIST DICTATOR – gets up there and calls my president the devil – the president of the most generous nation in the world – we give 5 times more to help those in need than the rest of the world combined – but yet he called Bush the Devil – Well here’s a newflash – WE ARE THE F**KING GOOD GUYS!!!! – Has everyone forgotten that?? – The truth is that buying oil from any nation but the one you live in is wrong – I realize at the present moment, we have little choice, but you do have the choice not to support a commie who hates the U.S. – and you have a way (it’s called voting) – to oust these spinless liberal treehugging commie-lovers from their high perches so that we can enact a little common sense – drill the hell out of the Gulf and Alaska – and tap that oil that will allow us to end our dependence on these fascist bottom feeders for oil. – And by the way WHEN we WIN in Iraq, The world we be a safer place and YES, LIBERAL IDOITS, of course we will exploit the oil reserves – we spilled a lot of blood in that country and will spill more to free it, so when the gunsmoke finally settles – you bet your ass we will take some of our thank you’s in BUBBLING CRUDE form – we are saving their asses, so the least they can do to repay us is share some oil – what’s wrong with that?? In Closing: Boycott Citgo !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I have met Chavez and been to Venezuela, as his guest and an American! I have read the comments here and want to add that Citgo has offered a helping hand when no other oil company has to our Nation’s poor people! To me that outweighs him Calling Bush a devil, may of us think think it anyway! Where is the help from Exxon and Mobil?! Grow up and think about what really matters!
Mr. Chavez is the duly elected president of his nation and so has every right to govern as he sees fit. Unfortunately he sees fit to embrace extreme socialist utopian ideas that will eventualy ruin his economy. There is nothing new about economics. We will be there to pick up the pieces when he is done playing with his countries wealth. His people voted him in now let them enjoy the ride while it lasts. No nations economy has ever prospered being run by bureaucrats.Pity the poor Venezuelans.
Mr. Bush is the duly elected president of his nation and so has every right to govern as he sees fit. Unfortunately he sees fit to embrace extreme capitalistic utopian ideas that will eventualy ruin his economy. There is nothing new about economics. We will be there to pick up the pieces when he is done playing with his country’s wealth. His people voted him in- now let them enjoy the ride while it lasts. No nation’s economy has ever prospered being run by bureaucrats.Pity the poor Americans.
In order to give armament support to Communist Rebel groups throughout America, the RUSSIANS are building an AK-47 Kalashnikov assault rifle factory in Venezuela. They will be shipped into the United States in cargo ships in ports in the gulf states where they will be manifested as oil production machinery.
Chavez NOW has IRANIANS operating his oil refineries in Venezuela for him. It is only a matter of time, if not already, before Chavez has Iranian-built LONG RANGE missiles, with a variety of warhead types aimed at: Guess Who?
CITGO has closed gas stations in thirteen states and is NOW in the process of changing its name to PETRO EXPRESS, due to the loss of gasoline sales in the USA and because of the recent publicity of ownership by Chavez of Venezuela.
As long as Chavez is in power, every dollar you spend with CITGO or PETRO EXPRESS gasoline will be used against you, your basic human rights and your freedoms. He will do everything within his power to start wars here in the Americas that will probably be the death of millions of free people.
For those of you like Lisa, Brian and Michelle, who think that ‘if we’re nice to them, they’ll be nice to us’ you might rethink your idealistic views from your ‘pristine castle of dreams’ as they smile when they start killing us.
Oh, I forgot, things like that only happen to ‘other people’ in ‘other places’!
Some people seem to miss the point that the CITGO question is not about who we buy the crude oil from. IT IS about who we permit to get the additional profits that are to be made by refining it into gasoline, distributing it, and selling it. CITO does this, and all CITGO profits eventually gets back to the government now controlled by the dictator Chavez. I will not buy at any CITGO station. I will ALSO not buy from any gasoline station chain that I discover is actually buying its gasoline from CITGO and selling it without using the CITGO brand on the station. Who can tell me what chains are doing this??
For Jim America, the petroleum distribution business is very complex. For the general consumer, there is no way of knowing where the gasoline we buy is coming from. Oil companies do exchange deals all over the country. Chances are there is not a single oil company in this country that can confidently say that their products do not come from Venezuela or are not exchanged with products from Venezuela. As for a boycott against Citgo, 14,000 independent retailers who sell gasoline plus the Americans that work for Citgo are the only people that get hurt from a boycott. It’s a shame that Mr. Chavez’s rhetoric has shaken up a nation of free people who are damaging the free enterprise of other Americans by boycotting. Our oil money is funding a lot of countries that don’t like us. How about pursuing a “Don’t Drive” campaign?
I do not understand why people have such a hard time standing up for what is right these days. I thank God that there were not nearly as many Michelles Lisas and Brians (Dems obviously) around back during World War 2 because we would all be speaking and typing Japanese or German right now if there were.
STAND for something or you WILL fall for anything.
Yes, David, it is just you. It is quite appropriate to withhold purchase money from companies or countries that “hate” the U.S. Contrary to what some ‘uneducated’ people think, the U.S. is not the problem in the world. We do try to be the solution (that in itself may be our problem) Why would anybody in their right mind buy from anyone that treats the U.S. the way that Chavez does?????
Hey Vern! Chavez is an elected communist dictator! who has term limits! ahhh that’s right he’s a nationalist. something our consumer guided little minds don’t like as it tends to drive the price of goods up when former third world countries get their shit together and start charging us the true value of their resources. Funny how we export “democracy” but only as long as the guys we like get elected.
And why exactly is our govenrment holding hands with Saudi Arabia???