The High Price Of Fuel - The REAL Reasons...

News Sarasota, AP, DOE ^ | April 21, 2006 | Matt Bruce

[Matt Bruce]

SARASOTA, FL. (NS) -

The all-time record high prices for gas - oil - diesel are no longer just an 'issue' to be talked about. Fingers don't need to be blamed. This has become an AMERICAN issue that requires both Democrats and Republicans to come together and quit their bickering and PASS an Energy Bill that will allow the United States of America to become energy self sufficient and put America and American's FIRST!

Have you have been to the gas station today? You did know how high gas prices have gotten, right???

Well, don't expect to see them going down any time 'soon'...

Oil prices have been hitting new record high's everyday this week. One New York gas station was selling gas way over $4 a gallon...

Prices that high were reported to be rare, with most of the nation paying something closer to $3 per gallon...

However, one of my trucks sitting in Ontario, CA. reported seeing prices as high as $4.04 per gallon at the pump...

Magnifying the sense of alarm is the fact that a few states were suddenly hit with shortages of gas this week. And in some places, people cannot get gas at all...

The price of oil due to be delivered in June was already selling at a record high today – $75.00 a barrel – that is up several dollars from just a few days ago. Many analysts say $80 dollars a barrel could easily be the average coming this summer...

Adding to the high pump price pressure is a booming China and India putting a big new squeeze on the global oil supply where there was little pressure before. These two huge countries alone could soon use up as much oil as the entire rest of the world does now...

It also does not help that guerilla war in Nigeria has knocked out about 20 percent of that oil-giant's production. Oil traders are also worried about Iran's nuclear buildup...

Iran has threatened Israel, the United States and the World with 'serious' consequences should sanctions be placed against them by the UN Security Council...

And let's not forget that there still are 3 Oil Refineries not refining any oil along the Gulf Coast. It has been this way since Hurricane Katrina struck, and no new Oil Refineries have been built in over a decade, despite efforts last year by the Bush Administration to get an Energy Bill passed that was stalemated by Democrats...

But even without these overseas headaches, America is having its own oil production problems. Production usually goes down in the spring, but this year the problem's worse because a few refineries damaged in last year's hurricanes are still out...

And the addition of a cleaner additive to the nation's gas is causing problems because that additive -- ethanol -- is in short supply, making gas itself in shorter supply. This is also known an E85 across the Upper Midwest...

Democrats, like New York Sen. Charles Schumer, are trying to make political hay out of the pain at the pump, even as The New York Times points out that Democrats did little about high energy prices when they hit during the Clinton administration...

Schumer's calling for an investigation to see if the big oil companies might be taking advantage of the oil panic to gouge the public...

What a FARCE! We all know Oil Companies ARE making record profits and every time prices go UP, the U.S. - State & Local Government gets more TAX money in their coffers too...

And that is one thing that is driving many Democratic and Republican leaders absolutely nuts! They all want the public to see just how remarkably well the American economy is doing, but right now, most people are not seeing beyond these gas signs, and WHY should they???

High crude Oil and retail pump prices affect ALL of us. Sooner or later, EVERYTHING we buy is going to go UP as a result of what's happening right now with OIL...

Our Nation's Farmers are going to have an extremely tough time planting their first crop, let alone trying to get a second one in this year with fuel not being readily available to them and the higher cost of production causing many NOT to plant at all...

Companies that were 'hanging' on a fence, just trying to 'get by' will be GONE as a result of these higher energy costs...

Wait until your electric bills start going higher in a manner of a month or two when Utility Companies start asking for emergency rate hikes...

How many people won't be going on their vacations this summer because they can't AFFORD to buy gas for their vehicles???

INFLATION and what you have today WILL get worse! But WAIT there IS one possible solution!!!

CALL your Senator's and Congressional Representatives NOW and have them ask President Bush CONVENE Congress right NOW to enact WHATEVER Legislation is needed to get the USA more energy self sufficient and REDUCE our dependence on Foreign Oil...

I don't care how many Oil wells, Refineries, Off-Shore Drilling Platforms it takes! The time is NOW to do SOMETHING about this issue...

We need to drop the EPA regulations adding to the expense of production and slowing down our refineries!

It's way past TIME for the President to call the Congress into Emergency session and NOT be let to go ANYWHERE until they PASS an Energy Bill that INCLUDES getting our Oil from Alaska shipped TO our Refineries in the Western United States. Give Americans American Oil...

For NOW, That's Just 'OUR' Opinion...

Matt Bruce Managing Editor News Sarasota.com

[singfreedom]

I'm going to have to check that out. My understanding was they had reformulated and solved many of the problems. During the early eighties I ran a Gas/Ethanol mix in my Vette and suffered no ill effects. It ran well with no pings and I got the same mileage with no power loss. The main problem then was that if you didn't drive your vehicle regularly, it might cause some rust in the gas tank.

[okie01]

This is just like the immigration debate. Until the Congress sees some retribution for their inaction they will favor special interest money over the people.

But which "special interest" do you believe is being served? I assure you it isn't Big Oil -- who would love to drill in ANWAR and off the Gulf Coast, plus do without the necessity of blending and distributing 47 different boutique fuels.

You don't suppose it could be the liberals and the enviro-wacko lobby that is actually being served, do you?

[mtbopfuyn]

There's hundreds of oil wells in Texas that were capped back in the last 70's because oil prices were low. Now that they're skyrocketing, I don't see why we don't start them up again.

Back on the old home place, we would have to haul in drinking water because there was too much oil in the well water. Not enough to be profitable though. At the cafe in town, we would have to double up on the filters in the coffee machine to get the oil scum off the tops of the coffees.

[singfreedom]

I agree the increased demand by China and India is going to make us look like pikers as far as our energy consumption goes--and I don't think it will ever get any better.

High prices will force us to look for alternatives, yes, but my fear is it will push us to make bad, expeditious, decisions, rather than the clean, affordable, practical, sustainable alternative energy sources we should be seeking.

Finding and using our own oil sources would give us some time to make wiser decisions and end our dependence. I don't want a hasty decision on automobile power. Can you imagine what this would do to the elderly on fixed incomes, the working poor, students, etc., who really need a car? They would buy a car, only to have the power source abruptly change on them. It could be a disaster. The same for businesses.

[singfreedom]

Sounds like the place I grew up! I got so used to it, I kinda miss the oil flavor in my coffee!

[singfreedom]

You are exactly right, Okie, I smell lib enviro-nuts in this mess!

[backhoe]

Allow me to drop out of Lurk and Link Mode for a brief bit of commentary- we all need to get serious about our dependency on foreign sources of energy, and use our own resources.

Our consumer-based economy is driven by and dependent on readily-available, reliable energy-- choke that off, and we'll all be back to using one rotary dial phone in the dining room, watching one TV, and driving one car per family-- probably a Hudson Hornet or a Rambler...

We need to

1) end the nonsensical ban on offshore drilling off California and Florida--read & weep:
Castro Plans to Drill 45 Miles from US Shores, But We Can't

2) build a lot of next-generation nuclear power plants, not just for electricity, but for any process requiring heat, power, or steam.
And if we replaced our existing nuclear plants with this one there would be significant benefits.

3) end Jimmy Carter's idiotic ban on recycling nuclear waste, and reprocess the stuff rather than fighting over where to bury it. Europe has done this for decades.-- what to do with spent nuclear fuel? Answer here: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1468321/posts?page=50#50 hattip:  Mike (former Navy Nuclear Engineer)

4) use the 300-500 years worth of coal we have on our own land, using the new clean-coal technology.
-Clean Coal Centre--

5) and finally, there's nothing wrong with conservation, we should all practice it- but you can't conserve your way out of a shortage. Nor is there anything wrong with "alternative" energy sources- except they don't supply the vast ( not to mention readily-available ) amounts of power we need at a price competitive to more conventional sources.

We do need to get serious about this before we get strangled by a bunch of petty thieves and dictators who don't like us much.

My tongue-in-cheek collection of energy-related links:

Sticker Shock-$3 a gallon gas? Click the picture:

And kindly note, and note well-- the first reply to this post ( when gas was $1.45 a gallon ) was derisive... so, who's laughing now? Drudge reports $4.04 a gallon gas in CA today...

[verity]

How is your 1980 Yugo doing?

[BallparkBoys]

bookmarking

[singfreedom]

Backhoe, have you ever considered running for the Senate?

Your plan sounds fantastic. Hubby and I will vote for you!

[GOPJ]

And Jeb Bush needs to let our guys look for oil off the Florida coast. The Mexicans will find it if we don't get out there... and soon.

[singfreedom]

That is so true---more money for those 23, or so, ruling families to divvy up among themselves.

[GOPJ]

1) end the nonsensical ban on offshore drilling off California and Florida--read & weep: Castro Plans to Drill 45 Miles from US Shores, But We Can't

2) build a lot of next-generation nuclear power plants, not just for electricity, but for any process requiring heat, power, or steam. And if we replaced our existing nuclear plants with this one there would be significant benefits.

OK. OK. OK. If you'll run, I'll vote for you too, Backhoe. And please, keep spreading the word about Florida. Castro and/or the Mexicans will be selling us oil that should have been ours. Jeb needs to wake up and get real.

[GOPJ]

1) end the nonsensical ban on offshore drilling off California and Florida--read & weep: Castro Plans to Drill 45 Miles from US Shores, But We Can't

2) build a lot of next-generation nuclear power plants, not just for electricity, but for any process requiring heat, power, or steam. And if we replaced our existing nuclear plants with this one there would be significant benefits.

OK. OK. OK. If you'll run, I'll vote for you too, Backhoe. And please, keep spreading the word about Florida. Castro and/or the Mexicans will be selling us oil that should have been ours. Jeb needs to wake up and get real.

[Skinn_dogg]

With this be Bush’s legacy?

[mississippi red-neck]

However, it doesn't do much good to have more oil if we don't have the necessary refining capacity!

This lack of refining capacity turkey is one of the biggest deceptions and propaganda excuses for price gouging that these oil company extortionists have fed the stupid and gullible American public. I have family members who have worked in the contraction of them and some that have worked in the refineries themselves for over thirty years.

Does not anyone know that it is the oil companies who decide when to, where to, and then build the refineries?

It is part of their business and manufacturing process just like any other company.

If an automotive company needs more cars they expand and build more factories. It is the same with oil companies.

They say it's mentalists that won't let them? More B.S.propaganda for the gullible American public.

There are plenty of states that would be glad to have them. Even if there where no U.S. states they could build all they want to south of the border in Mexico where all the to her businesses have gone to get away from elemental laws.

There are plenty of refineries in third world countries .

They can bring one of these things on line from scratch in twenty-four to thirty-six months.

They certainly have all the money they need to build them. If they wanted are needed them you can bet the farm they would get them.

They certainly have all the money and all the political clout they need to get what they want.

Think people! The reason and only reason they don't is because they don't want or need them. They have mega profits in billions of dollars pouring in. All of them, ever single one.

Do you think that unless they are forced to that they are going to do anything that would change or endanger that?

Nor are they going to build them and do away with one of their bogus excuses for the price gouging that has made these kind of profits possible.

It is they who decide when they need to expand their refining capacity and they who build them just as it has always been.

Their is no shortage of oil or gas at least not one that the Big Oil Companies want corrected and it is they who determine whether or not production or supply is increased.Not,you I or the government.

We can only conserve so much. We have to have enough for our society to function.

They know that and they know they can ask what they want for it. What they have to do is not go too far. There is a point of no return.

These companies are big enough, rich enough and powerful enough to do what they want whether it is build refineries or squeeze every penny they can out of a dependent people and they are doing it.

[backhoe]

Backhoe, have you ever considered running for the Senate? Your plan sounds fantastic. Hubby and I will vote for you!

Bless you, my friend, for the kind words and thoughts- but I am much too crotchety, and probably too crude ( when annoyed, I swear like a Barbary Pirate ) to suffer in silence all the fools I would encounter along the way.

The stuff I outlined was just a vest-pocket summary of what I've concluded after wading through all those links in "Sticker Shock."

I note your husband is in the oil business, and I bet he, and the people he works with, could come up with a far more comprehensive list.

I just want to rip my hair out every time I see these demagoguing, pandering, economically-ignorant "critters" in Congress or the Senate hold yet another pointless, fruitless "hearing" where they browbeat oil company executives.

Why don't we have hearings on the New York Yankees billion-dollar payroll ( as heard on Neal Boortz's show today ) and their "excessive profits?"

Hell, all they do is chase a ball around a field- at least Evil Big Oil sells a product we all use and need.

I have said for years, "turn the energy companies loose, if you want more, cheaper energy." Sure, hold them accountable for keeping it clean, but let them go out and do their job of locating, harvesting, and distributing energy.

[backhoe]

And please, keep spreading the word about Florida. Castro and/or the Mexicans will be selling us oil that should have been ours. Jeb needs to wake up and get real.

I'm telling everybody I know, and sending that link to everyone-- that is just beyond the pale.

[Wristpin]

To bad Clinton vetoed opening up ANWR back in 1995. It would be nice to have 1mbd flowing down right about now.

[singfreedom]

I think, in a large part, our oil companies are victims of their own success. They're damned if they "do" and damned if they "don't".

I vividly remember, during the seventies, when gas prices "skyrocketed" and it even became unavailable. While I was taking the shuttle from my business to the parking lot, I couldn't avoid hearing a woman loudly castigating the entire oil industry, from top to bottom, wishing them naught but ill. Keep in mind, this was in Oklahoma pre-1980, oil was king---it made our whole state go. Only a few years later, the industry crashed.

Everyone was hurting, masses lost their jobs, whole cities went broke, it was awful. I have often wondered if that woman remembered her irresponsible remarks and/or if she, herself, suffered along with everyone else in the state. I post this parable as a cautionary tale: Be careful what you wish for, because you just might get it.