Why isn't our government doing something about gas prices?
363434
Nationally, the average per gallon price for regular gasoline is $2.50.\n\nAre gasoline prices high? That's not the best way to ask that question. It's akin to asking, "Is Williams tall?" The average height of U.S. women is 5'4", and for men, it's 5'10". Being 6'4", I'd be tall relative to the general U.S. population. But put me on a basketball court, next to the average NBA basketball player, and I wouldn't be tall; I'd be short. So when we ask whether a price is high or low, we have to ask relative to what.\n\nIn 1950, a gallon of regular gasoline sold for about 30 cents; today, it's $2.50. Are today's gasoline prices high compared to 1950? Before answering that question, we have to take into account inflation that has occurred since 1950. Using my trusty inflation calculator (www.westegg.com/inflation), what cost 30 cents in 1950 costs $2.33 in 2005. \n\nIn real terms, that means gasoline prices today are only slightly higher, about 8 percent, than they were in 1950. Up until the recent spike, gasoline prices have been considerably lower than 1950 prices.\n\nSome Americans are demanding that the government do something about gasoline prices. Let's think back to 1979 when the government did do something. The Carter administration instituted price controls. What did we see? We saw long gasoline lines, and that's if the gas station hadn't run out of gas. It's estimated that Americans used about 150,000 barrels of oil per day idling their cars while waiting in line. In an effort to deal with long lines, the Carter administration introduced the harebrained scheme of odd and even days, whereby a motorist whose license tag started with an odd number could fill up on odd-numbered days, and those with an even number on even-numbered days.\n\nWith the recent spike in gas prices, the government has chosen not to pursue stupid policies of the past. As a result, we haven't seen shortages. We haven't seen long lines. We haven't seen gasoline station fights and riots. Why? Because price has been allowed to perform its valuable function -- that of equating demand with supply.\n\nOur true supply problem is of our own doing. Large quantities of oil lie below the 20 million acre Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR). \n\nThe amount of land proposed for oil drilling is less than 2,000 acres, less than one-half of one percent of ANWR. The U.S. Geological Survey estimates there are about 10 billion barrels of recoverable oil in ANWR. But environmentalists' hold on Congress has prevented us from drilling for it. \n\nThey've also had success in restricting drilling in the Gulf of Mexico and off the shore of California. Another part of our energy problem has to do with refining capacity. Again, because of environmentalists' successful efforts, it's been 30 years since we've built a new oil refinery.\n\nFew people realize that the U.S. is also a major oil-producing country. After Saudi Arabia, producing 10.4 million barrels a day, then Russia with 9.4 million barrels, the U.S. with 8.7 million barrels a day is the third-largest producer of oil. But we could produce more. Why aren't we? \n\nProducers have a variety of techniques to win monopoly power and higher profits that come with that power. What's a way for OPEC to gain more power? \n\nI have a hypothesis, for which I have no evidence, but it ought to be tested. If I were an OPEC big cheese, I'd easily conclude that I could restrict output and charge higher oil prices if somehow U.S. oil drilling were restricted. I'd see U.S. environmental groups as allies, and I would make "charitable" contributions to assist their efforts to reduce U.S. output. Again, I have no evidence, but it's a hypothesis worth examination.
1089171
apresocratic,\nRawk on, man!  I want what you're on...\n\nAdrian,\nYes, there are barriers in the U.S. government that are slowing the transition down.  However, keep in mind that big Oil companies are actually evolving into big Energy companies, buying into whatever will lead our future markets.  Everyone knows Oil is a time bomb waiting to go off and die out.  There's no reason not to encourage alternative fuel sources.\n\nAt the same time, we'll never be 100% off of foreign oil before it's gone, but that doesn't mean we can't get consumption down to a respectable number so that fluctuations in price stop having an immediate impact on our economy.
368718
Some of the prices are artificially inflated. \n\nHowever, gas prices in the US are still lower than in most countries. Go to Germany or England and pay the equivilant we pay per gallon for a liter. \n\nI do think that many of the companies are taking advantage of teh recoupment of defense oil reserves and the war against terror in order to boost their profits.\n\nOn a final note, though, the war in Iraq was not about oil. If it were, we would be getting oil from Iraq. We are not, yet at least. Much of what excess Iraq is producing is going towards paying their reparations to many countries.
473109
GAS WAR - an idea that WILL work\n\nThis was originally sent by a retired Coca Cola executive. It came from one of his engineer buddies who retired from Halliburton. It ' s worth your consideration.\n\nJoin the resistance!!!! I hear we are going to hit close to $4.00 a gallon by next summer and it might go higher!! Want gasoline prices to come down? We need to take some intelligent, united action. Phillip Hollsworth offered this good idea.\n\nThis makes MUCH MORE SENSE than the "don't buy gas on a certain day" campaign that was going around last April or May! The oil companies just laughed at that because they knew we wouldn't continue to "hurt" ourselves by refusing to buy gas. It was more of an inconvenience to us than it was a problem for them.\n\nBUT, whoever thought of this idea, has come up with a plan that can really work. Please read on and join with us! By now you're probably thinking gasoline priced at about $1. 50 is super cheap.  Me too! It is currently $2.79 for regular unleaded in my town. Now that the oil companies and the OPEC nations have conditioned us to think that the cost of a gallon of gas is CHEAP at $1.50 - $1.75, we need to take aggressive action to teach them that BUYERS control the\nmarketplace..... not sellers. With the price of gasoline going up more each day, we consumers need to take action. The only way we are going to see the price of gas come down is if we hit someone in the pocketbook by not purchasing their gas! And, we can do that WITHOUT hurting ourselves. How? Since we all rely on our cars, we can't just stop buying gas. But we CAN have an impact on gas prices if we all act together to force a price war.\n\nHere's the idea:\nFor the rest of this year, DON'T purchase ANY gasoline from the two biggest companies (which now are one), EXXON and MOBIL. If they are not selling any gas, they will be inclined to reduce their prices. If they reduce their prices, the other companies will have to follow suit.\n\nBut to have an impact, we need to reach literally millions of Exxon and Mobil gas buyers. It's really simple to do! Now, don't wimp out at this point...keep reading and I'll explain how simple it is to reach millions of people.\n\nI am sending this note to 30 people. If each of us sends it to at least ten more (30 x 10 = 300) ... and those 300 send it to at least ten more (300 x 10 = 3,000)...and so on, by the time the message reaches the sixth group of people, we will have reached over THREE MILLION consumers. If those three million get excited and pass this on to ten friends each, then 30 million people w! ill have been contacted! If it goes one level further, you guessed it..... THREE HUNDRED MILLION PEOPLE!!!\n\nAgain, all you have to do is send this to 10 people. That's all. (If you don't understand how we can reach 300 million and all you have to do is send this to 10 people...Well, let's face it, you just aren't a mathematician. But I am, so trust me on this one.)\n\nHow long would all that take? If each of us sends this e-mail out to ten more people within one day of receipt, all 300 MILLION people could conceivably be contacted within the next 8 days!!!\n\nI'll bet you didn't think you and I had that much potential, did you?\n\nActing together we can make a difference. If this makes sense to you, please pass this message on. I suggest that we not buy from EXXON/MOBIL UNTIL THEY LOWER THEIR PRICES TO THE $1.30 RANGE AND KEEP THEM DOWN.\n\nTHIS CAN REALLY WORK.
346330
These "plans" are so stupid.  If you really want to do something that reduces the price of gasoline... you have to signifantly decrease the demand for oil.  That means not driving your car... at all.  Don't buy plastics or Rubber products ever.  Not just a few thousand people... it has to be 100's of millions of people.... then maybe... but\n\nNot going to happen... so forget it.
1062509
Look who's running the country...a bunch of oil freaks.  Everytime the price of oil goes up they are cashing in!  They don't want to come up with alternative fuel sources because there is no money in that for them.
628324
Gas prices will never go down. You might see a small reduction after a massive increase, but $3 a pop is now the price. I bet you will see $3.50 a gallon by the end of summer.\n\nWith your suggestions I believe you think American corporate price gouging is the cause for high prices. Most people point to supply and demand. But if price gouging is a factor, I fear there is no solution.  That is what Capitalism is all about.\n\nMost of middle America hates the prices, but loves the profits they are accruing with stocks in their 401K. ExxonMobile made $10 million in one month, made $1 billion last quarter. ConnocoPhilips made about 1/3 that in profits as well.\n\nThere just aren't enough people in the country that don't profit from selling gas to go beyond complaining about the price.  A boycott will not work.\n\nThe only thing we can hope for is the Feds suspend their gas tax for awhile.\n\nEDIT:\nOn another note, we Americans are too damn hypocritical.  We want the world to be democratic & capitolistic, but when oil prices rise, we want our people and government to act more with socialism values.  People chanted in the streets "No blood for oil!" when protesting in the 1990's, but now Americans want their oil.  What the hell is wrong with us?
593966
You mean like a communist country would? No I live in America.\n-one less thing for the gov to mess up\n-the gov IS in charge of creating energy policy and to date \nthey have not...since GH Bush..and his plan sucked (oil based)\n-replace greedy oil execs with greedy politicians?\nWe have high gas prices because we buy gas guzzling SUV's and live 30 miles from work. IT IS OUR FAULT!!
306644
The gas prices are absolutley ridiculous.  This is captalism at its worst.  I am not saying I am communist, heck no, but our government needs to change its policy ASAP and make laws that restrict huge, unfair profits for corporations that are making money selling an essential consumer product.  Laws must be made, people NEED gasoline, it isn't an option to most, and it isn't right to have us pay outrageous gas prices, while someone else gets incredibely wealthy.  Unfortunatley, money equals power in this country, and if we don't do something about this we are all going to continue to get screwed over.  Good question!!
502628
Not that I am for this--But dear it wouldn't matter and why you ask---well here is an article--this is starting to open up a new can of worms--please understand--Anyone in the world could have all the oil in the world..and it really wouldn't matter at this point...\n\n$3-a-gallon gas: Blame Washington, not Big Oil\nWhat's driving up gas prices? It's not just higher crude costs; it's new regulations.\nNelson D. Schwartz\nMay 3, 2006: 2:20 PM EDT\n\n\n(FORTUNE Magazine) - With gas prices roaring past $3 a gallon and consumer fury rising even faster, Congress and the White House are engaged in a Kabuki-like ritual: pointing fingers at each other over who's to blame, while furiously attacking Big Oil for reaping gargantuan profits - as drivers get hosed at the pump.\n\nIf the politicians really want to figure out who's responsible for the latest round of price increases, though, they'd be better off looking in the mirror. That's because the rise isn't only due to higher crude costs. It's also fallout from some little-noticed provisions in the energy bill passed by Congress and signed into law by President Bush last summer.\n\nBuried in the 551-page energy bill - which was supposed to ease energy shortages, not worsen them - were new regulations governing what additives go into gasoline and how it's refined. Corn-based ethanol is replacing the petroleum-derived additive MTBE, but Congress timed this logistically tricky switchover to occur just as demand for gasoline peaked ahead of the summer driving season - right about now.\n\nThe end result is an extra strain on the refining and distribution system when it can least afford it.\n\n"It's too late now, but Congress has consistently failed to sequence regulatory requirements in a responsible fashion," says Bob Slaughter, president of the National Petrochemical & Refiners Association.\n\nAdds Larry Goldstein of the Petroleum Industry Research Foundation: "The gasoline crisis is made in the U.S.A., not in Iran or Venezuela or Nigeria. At least half the increase in gasoline prices is due to unintended consequences of the energy bill, but no one in Washington wants to admit that."\n\nIndeed, while crude prices have risen 21% since the end of 2005, gasoline is up 37% - a sign of just how stretched the system is. Congress's mistake, says Goldstein, was setting the new law to go into effect 270 days after it was signed - May 5 - rather than waiting until fall, when gas demand is typically on the downswing.\n\nNow the big question is, How high can gas go? Well, perhaps the only good thing that can be said about paying three bucks per gallon is that it seems to be slowing consumption - which should, in turn, reduce prices. Over a four-week period in April, says oil analyst Jamal Qureshi of consulting firm PFC Energy, U.S. gasoline demand dropped by half a percent, to just over nine million barrels a day. That may not sound like much, but it's a reversal from the 1.7% average annual increase in gas consumption the U.S. has experienced over the past decade. If $3 is indeed the tipping point at which consumers change their behavior and alter their driving habits, it's the one silver lining in an otherwise very dark cloud for drivers.\n\nThe wildcard in this scenario, of course, is the increasing risk of a military confrontation with Iran. If that happens, says Qureshi, "all bets are off." Given that crude oil accounts for 55% of the cost of each gallon of gas (refining accounts for 22%, taxes for 19%, and distribution and marketing for 4%), an upward spike in crude oil would push gas up even if the bottlenecks caused by the energy bill ease this summer.\n\nThat's why Red Cavaney, president of the American Petroleum Institute, says the answer in the short term is conservation. Washington is indeed being turned upside down when it's left to Cavaney, Big Oil's chief lobbyist, to talk conservat
173145
OK - regardless of your politics, I think most of us in the US right now would agree that gas prices are high, have been for awhile, and we're feeling the crunch a bit.  So instead of complaining, why don't WE make some small changes?  \n\nWalk or bike to work/school if you can, or use public transportation.\nTrade your SUV in for a more fuel efficient vehicle\nWeather proof your home in winter AND summer\nMake less trips (go grocery shopping once a week instead of constantly running back for things you've forgotten)\nTake shorter showers (use less hot water)\n\nCut down on gas, and gas prices stop effecting your wallet quite as much.
72668
for the most part no-the gasoline is regualted by the government
400589
Yes.\n\nThe US Government regulates every business to some extent. Minimum wage, Social Security, Unemployment tax, are all government regulations that dampen the economy.  In addition to this, look at the way they abuse the oil companies.  You think Gas prices are high?  Don't blame the oil companies, look at the US Government.  For the process that crude oil goes through to be gasoline, gas is relatively cheap.  Now, when you start adding environmental regulations that are based on paranoia and not fact, all of a sudden, there are a thousand different additives to the fuel depending on where you are in the country.  This drives the cost up.  The US Government constantly falls victim to the environmentalist wackos, and forbids oil companies from drilling in the Gulf of Mexico or Alaska, as well as forbidding them from building more refineries.  Add all of that together, and gasoline should be a lot more expensive than it is.  Take all of that away, and gas is fifty cents per gallon. \n\nThe oil companies are the best example of Government regulation gone wrong.  Look at it this way, whenever the government steps in and tells a business that they must do something or face penalty of law, that is over-regulation.  Another recent example in Maryland, I think, the government has passed a law that says that any company with over X employees MUST provide benefits for it's employees.  The law was directed at Wal-Mart, because Wal-mart happened to be the only business around that fell into that catagory.  Under the law, if they failed to provide benefits to it's employees, they must pay the difference to the government.  More politicians sticking their faces into places they shouldn't be, just to satisfy some voters.\n\nIf you need more, feel free to ask.
722705
My guess is that the price of gas keeps going up because we are still willing to pay it..  even though we should all just buy bicyles.  Second hand ones can't be more than $100.  Probably not that much.  Anyways, we need the gas so we pay high prices for it.  Sort of like food.  We need it, so we pay whatever the supplier says the price should be.  Here's a thought,  how about all of us who b*tch about the price of gas, go get on welfare so we can afford to buy the gas. Hey it might happen.   Just insist that you are mentally unstable.  Which of course, has to be true because society totally sucks.
825130
gas and oil prices are determined by supply and demand on the world market.  Neither oil companies nor republicans control prices. Only thing they could do is build more refineries, which would result in greater supplies of gasoline, which would reduce prices further.  Liberals don't like refineries, because they think they cause pollution  and are beholden to the environmental lobbyists.  Oil companies don't build refineries, because they can't with govt approval and they're making big profits as things are, so there's no incentive to build them.
380440
There really isn't much. All gasoline has to meet federal standards. Go for price.
436434
Actually, gas prices in the US are artificially low.  We pay about 1/2 to 1/3 of Europe's prices.  Prices here fluctuate almost arbirarily, but also in accordance with supply and demand, and, of course, the price of oil.  It's precisely because we're in this war over oil that prices has gone up. War makes production and distribution a pain, to say the least.  Other oil producing nations, like Venzuela and Nigeria have also had political distruptions.