Angry Kids Protest High Gas Prices

**Momof4cats** · 06-25-2008, 07:57 PM

Sadie and Pyper Vance have had just about enough of high gas prices. The sisters are still years away from being old enough to drive, but that doesn't mean the $4 per gallon price tag isn't hitting them as hard as anyone else. Cable TV was one of the family's budget-cutting casualties, leaving Sadie, 9, and her 7-year-old sister without their favorite cartoons and shows.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/...n4206503.shtml

**Greebo** · 06-25-2008, 08:48 PM

Begs the question, how much of mom's money goes to credit card companies...

**Monroe on a Budget** · 06-25-2008, 09:12 PM

I found the original story at Salt Lake Tribune. Sorry I can't post a direct link yet. Here's a snippet from the story:

Sadie, 9, and her sister Pyper, 7, marched around downtown Salt Lake City chanting, "Lower the gas prices," while carrying homemade signs. The sisters decided to protest after losing their favorite cable TV shows when their mother, Michelle, had to sacrifice cable TV to pay for her daily commute.
"Gas prices are too high," Sadie said. "I just decided to come and protest so they'd go down."
The average price of regular unleaded gasoline in Utah was $4.07 on Monday

**scottVee** · 06-26-2008, 12:31 AM

That's a cute gesture. But I just can't see it having any impact on governments, or on businesses that routinely move zillions of tons of goods around the globe. Maybe if a few million people got together and gave up cable TV or chained themselves to oil tankers, it might get noticed.

I think I saw a headline this week that Americans have driven 50 billion miles less this year than last year. That's a change that might be meaningful. You have to hit misbehaving companies and commodities in the wallet -- nothing else seems to matter to the people behind them.

**Metro2005** · 06-26-2008, 03:58 AM

4 dollars a gallon may look like a lot of money when you're used to 2 dollars a gallon but you have to remember that for example in the Netherlands we pay 10 dollars (!) a gallon. I think its funny to see that people get angry and protest against a 4 dollar price. I would love to pay that amount for gas!

**indigo53** · 06-26-2008, 09:27 AM

Please keep in mind that here in the US we do not get the freebies other countries get like health care!

**Metro2005** · 06-26-2008, 09:46 AM

Originally Posted by indigo53

Please keep in mind that here in the US we do not get the freebies other countries get like health care!

In the netherlands we don't get free health care either. A basic health insurance costs around 100 euros (150 dollars) a month.

And besides the high gas prices we also have to pay road taxes which can be as high as 100-110 euro's a month for a diesel powered car and usually around 40 euro's a month for a petrol powered car and we have to pay so called BPM taxes when we buy a car. usually around 40-50% of the car's value.

Taxes here really are a pain in the ass and buying and driving a car is a big slice out of our monthly budget

**The Muse** · 06-26-2008, 09:59 AM

Spoiled brats. "Waaah...we want cable!"

**Jayne** · 06-26-2008, 10:09 AM

Awww the poor little things..they lost their cable!!!....Someone needs to tell them that other kids are doing without food so their parents can get to work!!

**hippytreehugger4ever** · 06-26-2008, 10:30 AM

It's probably better for them to go without cable, yeash. We've all become too dependent on television to be our entertainment. I'm trying to get my husband convinced to cut back to just the 12.95 a month basic cable (just enough to watch the news), but he won't do it!

**bumplett** · 06-26-2008, 11:15 AM

I think the gesture was a good one - it shows that these girls are AWARE of life around them, and this is a good thing.

I think what's important here is that kids are standing up for what they believe in. (no, I don't give a rat's bottom if they go without cable, but that's not the point)

**fernykins** · 06-26-2008, 11:16 AM

Sometimes if they are latch key kids thats all they have..... You don't want them outside and just because they are 9 and 7 don't mean they don't stay by themselfs...... I don't have cabel not even when my kids were growing up.
I wish the gas would go down...... even if it didit would only be a few cents........
Fern

**ewokgirl** · 06-26-2008, 06:38 PM

On one hand, I guess it's good that they're learning to take some form of action when they want change. On the other hand, it's hard to feel sorry for children missing out on a non-necessity such as cable TV.

Frankly, though, all the protesting in the world isn't going to do a thing for gas prices. Global demand outstrips production, and it's a dying resource. While I feel for those for whom this truly is becoming a hardship, I have to wonder how Americans failed to see this coming. We're not the only people in the world who need oil, but we act as if we're the only ones deserving of it.