Posted on 06/19/2006 12:11:11 PM PDT by newgeezer
Ignoring the tired "bottled water" comparison—since I never buy bottled water, that means nothing to me—the writer makes some good points.
Um...the price for milk and Wonderbread jumped because transportation costs jumped.
In 1972 the national minimum wage was $0.65 per hour, if my old brain remembers rightly. The price of a gallon of gasoline at the time was around $0.30 at local discount retailers (Jacksonville,FL). Today, in FL the minimum wage is $6.50 an hour and gasoline is near $3.00 a gallon. Seems everything evens out at X10.....................
Politically speaking, and pardon the language, but at what price were people pissed off? Convert that to todays dollars and I'm sure we're much higher than that. 8-)
Too, if people HAD to buy multiple gallons of milk every week, they'd be just as upset over its price.
I'm not saying it's all rational, but it does effect people's support of various public policies. The one thing I cannot figure out is how people support democrat policies of blocking energy production, then turn around and complain about the price of fuel.
In 1980, the average wage for a worker was $6.33, leaded regular gasoline cost $1.19. It took 10.4 minutes to earn a gallon of gasoline. It took more time in 1981.
In May, 2006 the average wage for a worker was $16.59. According to gasbuddy.com, the average price for gasoline is $2.86. The takes 10.3 minutes to earn a gallon of gasoline now. When you combine the improvements in mpg since then, it becomes even cheaper to drive to work today compared to then.
Consumer Price Index, Average Price Data --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Why 1981? Why not 1969? Pick the right year and you can "prove" anything you wish. This constant repetition of a "bargain" leaves me singularly unimpressed.
Repeating the same faulty claim over and over simply makes it a tiresome exercise.
One minor thing. He says the average price of milk is $2.09 a gallon. Where? I usually pay $3.34 a gallon around here. I can do without milk but not without gas.
I'll just say it's been a long time since I've seen a 6-pack of beer for less than $1.68.
This whole argument is stupid. Yeah, sure the price of staple goods is more expensive/inflates faster than gas, but I ask, Who needs to buy 10-15 gallons of milk in a week? Or 10-15 loaves of bread?
If we could get buy with 1-2 gallons of gas a week, then $3.00 gallon would be nothing to fret over. The fact that we have to consume gas at a much higher rate and quantity than similarly priced staple goods refutes this whole argument.
I don't think I drink water at rate my vehicles drink gas.
It would require something our schools have not taught for a long time -- namely basic math skills -- for many people to follow that, so it will be gerenally ignored. Thanks, public edumacation!
Excellent FACTS! Again, though, they require basic math skills (namely noticing that 10.3 is about equal to -- and in fact a little less than -- 10.4) for people to grasp, so again, it will be ignored...
PS I'm not referring to your average freeper here, but rather to your average public-school educated voter, particularly libs.
That may be true, as long as people don't live much further away from work.
Don't confuse people with a lot of facts. If they want to bitch about the price of gas, that's what they'll do. That's how demagogues get elected, pandering to malcontents.
Right. And I tire of the news stories that compare gas to milk. When was the last time you had to put 15 gallons of milk into your car?
unfortunately this price rise has done NOTHING to get poor people off the roads
it's just as congested as ever
FWIW I do a weekly check on the interstate around Indianapolis on my commute, and when I drive at a steady 5mph over the speed limit 90%+ of traffic passes me.
Only speed governed commercial trucks and seniors are slower, LOL
I don't think I drink water at rate my vehicles drink gas.
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