At this point, I don't care if it's price gouging, market forces, lack of refining capacity...or a combination of all of the above...all I know is I am sick of paying $3 a gallon for gas...
Don't worry...it will be $4 before long....unless you live in Cali, in which case you may already be paying $4
Amen. And I don't care what anyone here says, if the prices continue at the level -- or go even higher -- we will see Bush's approval rating drop into the 20s. It doesn't matter if it's actually his fault or not.
Cheer up, $4, $5, $6, maybe $7 around the corner soon at this rate.
$4.00 per gallon gas (it's already $3.35 and climbing at some places around here) and shortages to boot, are going to lead to a Democratic takeover of Congress this November.
It DOESN'T MATTER how much rhetoric a few Freepers are going to extoll regarding the concept of "free markets". It doesn't matter one whit
With ever-increasing gas prices that literally zoom up nightly, facts becomes useless. What matters more is "public perception".
And right now the perception is that the prices and shortages are due - at least in part - to the greed of the energy producers (look that that Exxon retirement package!), speculators who run rampant and unregulated, and the inability (or unwillingness) of the President and his party to do anything about it.
For example, the current "ethanol imbroglio" could be ended immediately - by an executive order suspending the EPA-mandated ethanol switchover requirements. After the executive order was in place, the Repbulican-controlled Congress (our side still "controls" Congress, right?) could expedite legislation to restrict or perhaps end outright "botique blends" of gasoline in favor of a few "regional" blends that can be produced more efficiently and cheaply, reducing price-pressure on refinery products and maximizing production "throughput" at our refineries.
My bet is the Congress and President will do next-to-nothing, or just plain _nothing_ as prices zoom up and actual shortages ensue (as they are occuring RIGHT NOW). Of course, President Bush will take a moment to express his "concern" about high gas prices, and then go on to other business (derisive snort).
We'll have $4 a gallon by fall, perhaps $5.
And a Democratic Congress, to boot!
- John
$4 by Memorial Day? We'll send a get-well card.
Now if we had a U.S. Congress with the foresight of the Alaskan legislature, about 20 years ago they would have instituted a "permanent fund" whereby oil drilling land leases would produce royalties that are set aside into an account that in turn is invested and all the revenues produced and interest received on said account would pay for all the needed infrastructure and programs that U.S. citizens want. Instead of paying taxes every year to the Feds, we'd all be getting a royalty check like Alaskans do. These crude oil prices are making Alaska the envy of the world's best economists.
Get ready for $4 a gallon !!!
Two words for you.
Quit Driving.
I agree, I'll tell you what else I am sick of: having a congress and president who are more concerned with illegal aliens and the iraqi people than they are about us.
"all I know is I am sick of paying $3 a gallon for gas..."
Better get used to it.
It's going to get worse.
Europe pays $6.00 a gallon.
I;m not happy about this either.
For the last thiety five years I have seen gas prices increase every summur {vacation travel}and in the winter {heating costs}never changes never will.
Most people are but this is a free market economy. We know we're being price gouged, but what can we do about it? We've let the environmental whackos get away with this for so long that we've boxed ourselves into a hole. We've got the biggest reserve of oil possibly bigger than the middle east sitting under Colorado and we cannot drill because of regulations. If the Republican Party doesn't take up the call and publicize the fact that because of all the regulations we're in this mess and the Democratic Party has aided and abetted the enviornmentalists, they are the stupidest part who has ever lived and they deserve to lose.