Anyone capable of discussing gas without politics? Anyone?

[PlanetFrnd]

The biggest issue I have with how things are being handled is some in DC are using these prices as a way to force people off of our oil addiction, but that's only going to hurt the middle and lower classes in the end.

Don't you mean it will hurt the middle and lower classes in the mean time, until a new energy source can be commoditized?

 

[jlb1705]

$50 to fill the tank in my Chevy Cavalier two nights ago. Fortunately it's efficient and I live close to work, so I generally only fill up once every three weeks unless I'm visiting friends & family in Dayton.

I don't have kids yet, but I'll be damned if I end up driving some vehicle that costs twice as much to operate so they can have their own personal entertainment system and some extra leg room. They'll sit in the back seat of a Prius or Focus, read billboards and learn to like it.

 

[Mike80]

[quote='BusNative;191249;7]Don't you mean it will hurt the middle and lower classes in the mean time, until a new energy source can be commoditized?[/quote]

And how many years and billions of dollars in R&D are we away from actually having a commercially viable alternative source?

And yes, it's killing the middle and lower classes, but the decisions in DC aren't helping anything. I don't want to get political here though and it's not just a R or D thing, this has been coming for DECADES.

We can be self-sufficient in a lot of areas if we'd only have the brains to actually use it.

 

[PlanetFrnd]

And how many years and billions of dollars in R&D are we away from actually having a commercially viable alternative source?

And yes, it's killing the middle and lower classes, but the decisions in DC aren't helping anything. I don't want to get political here though and it's not just a R or D thing, this has been coming for DECADES.

We can be self-sufficient in a lot of areas if we'd only have the brains to actually use it.

Good lead question, and I don't really disagree with this post at all.

 

[CleveBucks]

The point is that an oil pocket/field could be discovered tomorrow that could last the world another couple hundred years, the Middle East could decide to give everyone roses and go all hippy, and we would still be paying out the nose for gas because the companies are going to pass that entire increased tax cost onto the consumer. Throw in a little for some extra profit as well.

If they can just "pass along a tax increase" with the snap of their fingers, then why would they wait for a tax increase? What's stopping them from gouging the consumer even without a tax increase? If they hold so much power, they don't need to wait for a tax increase.

 

[Muck]

If they can just "pass along a tax increase" with the snap of their fingers, then why would they wait for a tax increase? What's stopping them from gouging the consumer even without a tax increase? If they hold so much power, they don't need to wait for a tax increase.

Pardon?

The oil companies are going to do everything in their power to maintain the same profit margin. If their costs go up (via taxes) they aren't going to just absorb the loss, they're going to pass it on.

They're also going to make sure that everyone knows that those higher prices at the pump are because the government is forcing us to pay more...

 

[scarletmike]

If they can just "pass along a tax increase" with the snap of their fingers, then why would they wait for a tax increase? What's stopping them from gouging the consumer even without a tax increase? If they hold so much power, they don't need to wait for a tax increase.

Yeah, they don't need to, but they also know they aren't looked upon favorably right now for many reasons. Not to mention, upping prices for the hell of it is generally bad business, and consumers will notice if they were to up prices for no reason.

What Muck said, as well.

 

[CleveBucks]

Yeah, they don't need to, but they also know they aren't looked upon favorably right now for many reasons. Not to mention, upping prices for the hell of it is generally bad business, and consumers will notice if they were to up prices for no reason.

What Muck said, as well.

Except prices are already being upped, and the average consumer doesn't know if it's due to the price of oil, increased taxes, or just plain greed. And the average consumer doesn't really care.

It may be bad business to raise prices for the hell of it, but so what? How is the consumer going to hurt BP or XOM in the pocketbook? Boycott the station that they don't own and might not even sell wholesale to? It's not like MCD's raising the price of your hamburger so you go to Wendy's.

 

[Thump]

Just went up from $3.74 to $4.15 here in Quahog.

 

[Fungo Squiggly]

Ditto for GC.

Even though I had another 60+ miles in the tank, I stopped on a lark last night and filled up at $3.749.

I'm sure it's because of the catastrophic weather conditions yesterday.

 

[MaxBuck]

What [censored]es me off is the hue and cry from so-called conservatives who whine about gasoline prices and being "ripped off" at the pump. Hello? Ever hear of the confluence of supply and demand? (Yeah, I know liberals whine too, but they whine about everything.)

The idea that oil companies should charge less for gasoline than they could get is inane. The cost is 4 bucks a gallon because we'll pay that much for what Big Oil wishes to produce at that price.

 

[Mac]

Most stations around cbus are up around $4.16....big jump today and a big middle finger howdy doodie to you oil companies

 

[CleveBucks]

I was thrilled paying $3.92 this afternoon. Everybody else was at $4.15.

 

[BuckeyeTillIDie]

Exxon's market value increased by 69% today

 

[BlufftonBuckeye]

In my hometown north of Indy it is up over $4, down where im working in Jackson, TN it is $3.74