NY Times chart shows impact of gas prices hit rural poor in the South and Midwest the hardest. In some counties motorists are spending 16% of their income on gas.
This can’t continue. Those counties will empty out as businesses close and residents move to cities.
Welcome to the economic readjustment. Truckers (and trucking support staff) will need new jobs. Non-agricultural rural businesses will decrease. Probably the remaining residents will be buying a lot fewer Ford F-350 pickups (or at least having second vehicles that are much more fuel efficient). And the ‘burbs will eventually start to decline as well.
The good news for global corporations: this means a new pool of cheap labor ripe for exploitation right here at home. The good news for unions: someone’s going to need them again. The good news for the environment: we won’t be able to afford to waste half our energy anymore. The good news for the average consumer: I’ll get back to you.
BTW, unleaded gasoline in Cedar City, Utah last night was at $4.14. That’s now more than 30 minutes work at the average local wage.