US to Watch for Gas Price-gouging: Bush

Reuters ^ | 4/18/2006 | Staff Writers

[Protagoras]

You are losing your spot on DU while posting here.

[Neoliberalnot]

Bingo again. I have made a bundle in the last two days selling stocks held for less than a year. IN fact, I feel comfortable knowing that wherever the price of oil settles, I am still going to be way ahead of the game. I am not an economist, but a scientist that could see the energy crunch coming several years ago and I invested in concert. It wasn't rocket science, just common sense, which really isn't that common.

[southlake_hoosier]

What makes you think we are still free in this country? It is still the best this world has to offer, but we are far from being free.

Take these into consideration:

Are you by law required to wear seat-belts in cars?
Do you have to pay taxes to fund representation that does not exist?
Do you have to pay tax to buy things after you money has been taxed to pay for more representation that does not exist?
Do you have to pay tax on the property you might own someday?
Do you have to work like a dog most of your life because you are required to pay taxes?
Are you tracked by Yahoo, Google, your local library, IRS, AT&T, and your Internet provider?

That's just a start. Seems to me the freedom that the country was founded on and many fought for is gone.

[SAJ]

Now, that is worth saying twice.

At least twice.

[ccc_jr]

All im saying is that there needs to be checks and balances. The oil speculators were regulated until 2000 when the reigns came off. Suprise surpise, gas prices went through the roof.

[Nathan Zachary]

Hedging up barrel prices strictly based on the fear factor is BS. There already WAS a $20 fear factor tag on the barrel. Call it the terrorist surcharge, or what ever.

I don't care what you say, this fear pricing is out of control. It doesn't NOT reflect supply and demand at all. There is plenty of supply, and plenty of reserve. Plus there is plenty of additional capacity.

If you think the oil companies are going to pump out EXCESS, you're nuts. They will keep production as tight as they can to keep prices as high as they can to make as much profit as they can, which they are setting records making.

AND, I'm not afraid to make a bit of money off something I can't change. Besides, higher prices might stimulate some alternative actions, like drilling in ANWAR and off the east coast, as well as building some nuclear generating stations, etc etc.

[WhiteGuy]

Sadly agreed with by pretend conservatives

So, I guess you're saying you agree?

[Protagoras]

And your evidence that gasoline is in short supply?

"Short" supply is relative to demand. The price is the proof that demand is greater than supply.

Nothing surpasses price as an indicator of allocation of resources.

[dfwgator]

Do people think that the US is the only country that consumes oil?

A lot of increased demand is coming from China, to fuel their industries.

[Protagoras]

You guess wrong,,,,,again.

[Nathan Zachary]

In fact, maybe it takes a good scare to get Europe off their Butts to take action against Iran. It is after all THEIR oil supplies that will be effected MUCH worse than ours. We might hurt, but they will hurt more.

[ccc_jr]

So anyone who disagrees with the absolute free traders is a dumbocrat?? There are alot of people in the Constitution Party that would disagree with you.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

And your evidence that gasoline is in short supply?

The price is going up and peope are paying it.

So what kind of government program to you propose to regulate the price of gasoline?

[Protagoras]

Anyone who doesn't support free market capitalism is an imbecile. You can call them Democrats if you wish.

[WhiteGuy]

You bet!

[Protagoras]

Who the hell said we were free? Certainly not me.

[ccc_jr]

So were down to name calling. Well I fell that people like you would sell the Declaration of Independence for a price. Your nothing but a whore for money.

[FixitGuy]

Yeah. I'm concerned about gas gouging too.

The difference is I HAVE TO BUY THE STUFF!