why gas prices are sky rocketing?
462017
The middle east's revenge on us for blasting their countries.
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.
674830
Gasoline is the bloodline that keeps America moving. Our personal vehicles alone guzzle 65 billion gallons of gasoline and diesel fuel each year, and that number is projected to increase by 2.6 percent each year. \nTracking gas prices can feel like a roller coaster ride. They're down a little one month, up the next, before shooting up more than 30 percent in a year. Plus, they're different depending on where you look. Other countries, and even other states and cities, can have very different gas prices from your local Gas-N-Go. To the average person, it probably seems as though there's little rhyme or reason to how gas prices are determined. In this article, we will look at the forces that impact the price of gas at the pump, and we'll find out where your gas money actually goes. \n\nAmericans have an insatiable thirst for gasoline, and with sport-utility vehicles (SUVs) continually growing in popularity we are only getting thirstier. Just look at the roads and highways and you'll see that a severe gas shortage would practically cripple the country. Americans drive more than 2.5 trillion miles per year in automobiles, light trucks and SUVs, according to a MEMA report. That's equal to 14,000 round trips to the sun. Today, we drive almost twice as much as we did in 1980 (1.5 trillion miles). \n\n\nPhoto courtesy Phillips Petroleum Company\nA gas station in Colorado Springs, CO\n \n\n\nHistorical Gas Prices\n(Adjusted for inflation)\n \nYear Price Per Gallon \n1950 $1.91 \n1955 $1.85 \n1960 $1.79 \n1965 $1.68 \n1970 $1.59 \n1975 $1.80 \n1980 $2.59 \n1985 $1.90 \n1990 $1.51 \n1995 $1.28 \n2001 $1.66 \n2002 $1.31 \n2003 $1.52 \n2004 $1.79 \n2005 $2.28 \n2006 (so far) $2.68 \nSource: U.S. DOE  \nThe United States consumes an average of 20 million barrels of oil per day (bbl/d, according to the Department of Energy. Of that, about 45 percent is used for motor gasoline. The rest is used for distillate fuel oil, jet fuel, residual fuel and other oils. Each barrel of oil contains 42 gallons (159 L), which yields 19 to 20 gallons (75 L) of gasoline. So, in the United States, something like 178 million gallons of gasoline is consumed every day. \n\nTypically, the demand for gas spikes during the summer, when lots of people go on vacation. Holidays like Memorial Day and the Fourth of July create logjams of tourist traffic during the summer. This high demand usually translates into higher gasoline prices, although that's not always the case. For instance, while gas prices soared 31 cents in April and early May of 2001, reaching $1.71 per gallon (which now seems inexpensive compared to today's prices), prices actually declined during the 2001 summer. \n\nIn 2004, prices continued to rise past the end of the summer travel season for a variety of reasons, including several hurricanes and an increase in the price of crude oil. And in 2005, Hurricane Katrina (along with a sizeable increase in crude oil prices) pushed prices to $3.07 per gallon on September 5, 2005. Prices settled down somewhat in November and December of 2005. But now the numbers are climbing again, with an average price for regular unleaded gas at $2.90 right now (May 2006). \n\nPrice increases generally occur when the world crude-oil market tightens and lowers inventories. We will discuss who controls the crude-oil market later. Also, growing demand can sometimes outpace refinery capacity. In the spring, refineries perform maintenance, which can place a pinch on the gasoline market. By the end of May, refineries are usually back to full capacity. \n\n How do you overpower the pump?\nRising gas prices are impacting everyone: what are you doing to soften the blow?\nWe want to know!  \n\n\nWhen you pump $20 dollars into your tank, that money is broken up into little pieces that get distributed among several entities. Gas is just like any other consumer product: There's a supply chain and several groups who are responsible for setting the price
397625
In general gas prices are high due to the federal and state taxes piled on each gallon (24% last check).  We would be led to believe the technology does not exist to make other sources viable.  This is probably untrue, but the gas companies may have it all tied up.  The answer is we must push aside the environmental wackos and drill for our OWN oil.  There are thousands of years worth of supply in many parts to the US.  Canada does not buy foreign oil, in fact we buy some of ours from them.  All we need to do is start DRILLING.
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!!
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.
598226
The bastards are messing with us!  They are simply raising the prices to fatten up their wallets.  Their profits have raised by 30% and they keep changing the reasons for prices going up.  We never get a straight answer.  First its "a pipe broke and needs to be repaired so oil has gone up", then its "everyones using too much gas in their suvs", then its "we're negotiating to lower prices", um, excuse me but doesnt Bush OWN a refinery?
615592
when oil prices go up, It costs more to make & deliver goods. In turn the price of goods go up. Hence inflaton.
491113
There is none, if inflation had followed suit with everything else clothes, food, building supplies etc.It would be over 3 dollars a gallon.The problem is people actually give idiots like micheal moore and al fraken credibility, its uncanny!!!!They have both been proven to be liars.One of the biggest reasons gas prices increase is simply speculative theory!! we went to war for humanitarian reasons, those people want us there they were under dictatorship. clinton sent soliders into Bosnia in 98 and knowone had a problem with that, it was for humanitarian reasons or so we thought.The real problem a lot of people have with this is the time its taking but you cant put a time frame on something like this.
430448
I think we will probably see gas go to $3.75 a gallon this summer.  I drove to New York this past weekend and a gallon of regular gas was $2.80 and super was $3.05 (Ultra was $3.11)   I really feel sorry for all those people with their super big SUV's.  I think that as long as we keep on making these large cars that are like houses on wheels and keep paying to fuel up the prices are not going to come down...  just think what will happen if Iraq gets sanctions imposed on them by the west....
1121329
The price goes up when demand outpaces the supply of gasoline.  and that would mean if we as Americans drove smaller cars than suvs we would have less demand.  Also we need a new fuel source other than petroleum.
390170
They raise prices by restricting supply. They try to maximize their income without driving their customers to alternate fuels or into a depression. Either would reduce their income.
202996
I have! Oil prices go down and gas goes up. Supplies increase the price at the pump goes up. The 2nd biggest oil deposit in the world comes under U.S. control.... You get the idea. Enough is enough. His friends have all made a buck on this insanity, let's go back to $1.00 a gallon.
84095
We'll spend $6 or $7 a gallon for gas because:\n\n- We're willing to.\n- Supply and Demand will dictate that price or higher.\n\nI saw a segment on 60 Minutes a couple weeks ago about huge reserves of oil in Canada. The reserves reside within soil.
82643
If things keep going as they are we wont be driving cars that run on gas. There are electric cars in development and other forms of fuel being developed.
1149237
Government does not raise the price of gas.  A thing called supply and demand controls the gas prices and the price of everything else in our society.
806984
I believe the Bush administration Is the cause for the increase in gas prices. Do you remember when the Vice President had a secret meeting with the oil big wigs? This meeting was so hush-hush the president went to the supreme court to have the minutes sealed. soon after gas prices went through the roof. The Bush started the war in Iran. We had Gulf coast storms. There were a lot of factors but mainly it is greed by the oil companies. Oil companies will site market conditions as the reason for gas prices increasing. What they wont tell you is that they caused those conditions. ask them why did they close oil refineries down in Calif. and not build new ones?