Gas Prices and Gas Gouging?

According to National Geographic (because my fellow law enforcement cohorts and I were discussing this during a midnight shift one night) the prices are high because of the refining process. Apparently oil companies and gas companies are pointing in that direction. Now I know that there used to be a refining company near where I live and it went belly up. I do find it odd that prices are dropping near the election. So did the rest of us. Republican and democrats. Mostly republicans. We all agree that it is high. The problem with high gas prices is that it affects the market accross the board. It takes a while too. Your not just going to take a poll early on and see it as was done not too long ago. It takes about three years to start really causing a strain. Its really hitting the truck drivers and I feel bad for them. I also feel bad about this recent opeing of the mexican boarder which was a lousy move by our administration. It will affect the price of food, clothing, tools, public services. It affects everything. In fact, if you look closely, you will find that serious stock gurus are looking towards investing into the railroad industry. That tell you anything? Sure does me. I work in the government sector and have been for quite some time and you can bet that there will always be a political tie to gas prices and the oil industry. There is no way to get around that. Sad but true. Next time you get a chance look into the Bristish Petroleum incident concerning a recent tragedy and the fight of a duaghter against that company who essentially murdered her parents. They completely ignored safety concerns in a plan called "The Three Little Pigs" which they coldly titled it in which they discussed how it would be cheaper to deal with the law suits of those who would be killed as opposed to fixing the problems there that were seriously dangerous. The CEO of Bristish Petroleum, mind you, was knighted by the Queen herself. You can bet your next paycheck that there will always be political ties to oil. Anyone who is nieve enough to think that there isn't is rather foolish.

UGH!! Gas prices are about SUPPLY AND DEMAND!! THAT'S why "the price goes up every April, goes down every August, back up a little at Thanksgiving and Christmas ..." Because when people DEMAND more, and SUPPLY is low (because the greenies haven't let us drill our own oil for decades!!), the price goes up! People drive a lot more in summer and around the holidays. AND the gas companies are NOT gouging!! YES, they are making "record profits," BUT THAT'S BECAUSE THEY'RE SELLING RECORD AMOUNTS OF GAS!!!! They are making the SAME AMOUNT per gallon as before. If you want to know who's gouging - LOOK AT THE GOVERNMENT WHO IS STEALING MORE IN TAXES THAN THE OIL COMPANIES MAKE, REGARDLESS OF THE FACT THAT THE GOVERNMENT DOES NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING!! Why can't people get this through their heads?!! Why oh why oh why??!!!!! Good Lord! AND WHY AREN'T YOU ANGRY ABOUT THE FACT THAT EVERYTHING ELSE HAS GONE UP IN PRICE, ALSO?! Huh? WHY?!! I'll tell you why -- it's because the media only focuses on gas prices! If they focused on the rising cost of bottled water (which, like gas, is also rising), people would be barking about that! So why don't I hear anyone say anything good when the price comes down a little? Hmmm? God help me, I am soooooo sick of hearing people whine about gas prices!! But then, you can't go by me, 'cause I'm sick of hearing people bark and whine about EVERY LITTLE THING THESE DAYS!! You've got it pretty G.D. good in this country, dude!! Pretty good! Freedom, opportunity out the @ss, even the poor households in the U.S. are better off than the poor in most other countries! How about you try to appreciate what you have! Help meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!

No, it won't come down. Opec and big oil will create excuses

to keep it up. And it is to cents on the DOLLAR profit, not the gallon. If it were on the gallon then you would have me believe that record profits are recorded with gas at 3.00 because we are using more than at 2.00? BS. And it not supply and demand. Same reason. The world is not using more at 3.00 than at 2.00. That is crap. A switch was not flipped basically over night doubling usage. All you rich people making money off of Exxon stock can say all you want. It is gouging. Period. If not, why did the Democrats in congress try to pass legislation to investigate and fine OPEC and big oil? Of course the Republicans shot that down very quickly.

Just did some figuring. When I started driving in 1970, gas was 39 cents a gallon and minimum wage was $1.85. That's a ratio of 21%. When I gassed up today, I paid 2.64; minimum wage is what, $7.50---a ratio of 35%. Figure in inflation because wages for refinery workers went up and of course soocial security and medicare rates that employers pay increased, along with the taxes (local, state, federal) went up. My gas milage in 1970 got 8-10 miles a gallon---today 22.

I figure it's a wash, but if you want to continue to point the finger at Bush and Big Oil----be my guest.

Just did some more calculations for you people giving me the thumbs down. In 1970, I drove a week on a tank of gas (20 gallons at 39cents). Took home $70 a week. So my gas expense was 11.1% of my income. Today I drive a week on a tank of gas (15 gallons at $2.59) and bring home (after insurance, 401K, etc that I didn't have in 1970) $550 a week-----------my gas expense now, 7.1% of my take home pay. A 4% decrease.

Crude oil is priced by specualtors, which has nothing to do with politicians, they are not specualtors....however,

that crude oil has to get refined into gasoline that we use in our cars.

The problem is, our refineries, in volume, has been the same for the last 30 years. I dont even think an oil company could build refineries in the USA today beacuse of the environmental laws we have placed on the books since the 70's. So, foreign companies build refineries and sell us the gas.

So, guys like Hugo Chavez sell us gas ( CItgo, and various other gas companies ) and they could not give 2 poops about your pocket book, or mine.

Summer is over. Time to make non-oxygenated fuel. Sooo..now the refineries have to do maintenance to switch over. You can't make any refined fuel during that process.

Less refineries on line, less fuel, higher prices.

This happens every year. This year at the same time sweet crude oil prices are going up. Those spot prices are fixed in the trading pit at the ARA in Rotterdam, not in Dick Cheney's office.

Check the source links and start learning how this works before you start blaming your president every time you have to reach into your pocket.

Do you have any physical evidence, that will stand up in a courtroom, which substantiates your accusations or are you just bitter?

Second point: what is gas gouging? You seem about as intelligent as the next liberal imbecile. I've heard of price gouging but not gas gouging.

Finally, if Americans were actually smart they wouldn't be paying what they're paying for fuel. Ditech runs commercials saying "people are smart." That's a bunch of malarkey.

People are stupid which is why they're stuck paying what they're paying. Since fuel prices were jacked I've been fueling up my gas guzzler literally for nothing more than pennies.

It depends on the next candidate & if it is repug or democrat. He will not back down if it is a dem, he will make prices go up if he can. Bush will NOT vote to make himself less money! If we get a dem, they will try to lower prices, but Bush is an oil baron as well, so....

Sad isn't it? Stupid people run the US!

gas prices may dip a little near election season, but the only thing that will be gas prices down significantly is if they allow drilling in Alaska or discover some huge oil field.

Yup it is Bush's fault, every bad thing that ever has happened is Bush's fault. He killed Elvis, caused Pearl Harbor, bombed the twin towers and was the shooter on the grassy knoll.

Remember the media quoted "sources in the Bush Administration" He has a time machine, didn't you know that?

From the details you would think Congress doesn't exist.