[Victor]

"...The US market for crude oil is hardly separated from the Global market. Most of the oil we use in this country is imported from outside our borders......"

Yes, you are right on both points.

That is NOT what I am talking about. Who sets the price at US gas pumps...?

Distributors, who are in turn controlled by domestic suppliers, who are in turn controlled by.....???

[Mr. Wright]

Ping

[thackney]

Who sets the price at US gas pumps...?

Lots of different people and companies.

Distributors, who are in turn controlled by domestic suppliers, who are in turn controlled by.....???

So the hundred or so distributors, along with refineries who sell to them who also sell directly to some retailers in larger markets, but also sell to those same distributors, are all going to collude together.

These folks are all going to work together, regardless of the ones with middleman distributor and those without, they will work together to raise prices. They don't do this now because???...

And none of them will cut their prices to gain market share, they will all work together seamlessly.