Gas Price Gouging - Call it like it is

Dustin51

Kel Varnsen wrote:

I am curious how you have no choice. Just from my own perspective it seems to me that the people I know who complain about gas prices the most are the ones who make the choices that lead to them having to use more gas (the people who choose to live far away from where there work and choose to drive bigger cars or SUVs). When I bought my home I chose to live close to my work at least partially because it would mean I would not have to burn a lot of gas commuting each day.

Some people have a choice. I agree. But not everyone does and those who don't are usually the ones just hangin on man. And they're being pinched by these companies. It's a real shame.

810wmb

macgyver06 wrote:

did anyone really think it would go down now that we control the oil fields in iraq?

how can we control the oil fields if we are losing in iraq?

Kel Varnsen

Dustin51 wrote:

Some people have a choice. I agree. But not everyone does and those who don't are usually the ones just hangin on man. And they're being pinched by these companies. It's a real shame.

But there really is no way around it. Oil companies are huge multinational companies. If an country told them they had to cap their prices, they could just ship more to places where prices aren't capped. Seriously the best way for a person to save money on gas is to quit complaining about it. Buy a smaller car, walk to work, move your house closer to where you work. It might not be easy but the only thing people can really control is themselves.

my2hands

Kel Varnsen wrote:

But there really is no way around it. Oil companies are huge multinational companies. If an country told them they had to cap their prices, they could just ship more to places where prices aren't capped. Seriously the best way for a person to save money on gas is to quit complaining about it. Buy a smaller car, walk to work, move your house closer to where you work. It might not be easy but the only thing people can really control is themselves.

bullshit... we control more than ourselves... that is why we have a government, to enforce laws and make sure fair business practices are being applied

this isnt the wild west with folks selling snake oil... we have laws... we have ethics... we need to make sure everyone is follwoing those laws and ethics


big picture

An energy industry dominated administration takes office, largely financed by the energy industry...

this administration holds secret meetings with the energy industry to formulate "energy policy", and stonewalls any attempt to have those meeting become public...

the president is quoted as saying they are pursuing a "policy of consumption"...

next thing you know we are at war with the worlds 2nd largest oil bearing nation...

next thing you know oil prices and gas prices continue to climb from the onset of this administration to historic highs...

next thing you know a category 5 hurricane hits the gulf coast, one of our major domestic oil producing regions... leaving the energy companies foaming at the mouth to gouge the american public and blame it on the disaster even though actual flow of oil is barely disrupted

next thing you know the american public has been phsychologically fucked into paying over $3 per gallon, cheering every time it dips near $2.50...nearly double what the cost was only 6 years ago... people are now cheering in relief, for fuel $ that has doubled since the vice presidents "secret" energy task force meeting...

next thing you know the energy industry is swimming in world record profits...

all this while selling fuel at record high prices... record prices = record profit

next thing you know energy industry ceo's are bailing out with record setting retirement and bonus packages

next thing you know congree calls the energy industry to capital hill...

next thing you know none of them are to be sworn in, holding them UNACCOUNTABLE for any faleshoods, mistruth, or flat out lies they would present to THE UNITED STATES FUCKING CONGRESS... while only months before professional baseball players were FORCED TO PROVIDE SWORN< BINDING TESTIMONY...

next thing you know, after the pretty little dog and pony show by our beloved corporate whore politiicians on both sodes of the fence... business goes on as usual

next thing you know petroleum and fuel prices continue to rise to historic levels... blaming it on higher demand, poor refining capabilites, natural disasters, and wars...none of which actually create a large ripple in the world flow of petroleum at all... they continue to shovel this propaganda to excuse the record prices, while at the same time never speaking of the record profits being made off of the backs of the people being strangled at the pump and at home... all while being sprinkled happily with lies and propaganda by the corporate controlled media into our nightly news to ease our concerns after driving home passing insane gas prices advertised to us every 1/2 mile...


if you dont think there is price collusion, gouging, and supply collusion going on here, with this administrations guidance and protection... then i have a bridge in minnesota i can sell you

opec also plays a role in this as well, on the supply side... but these people are all in bed together... the countries and the companies... all having a good old time ripping us off, blatantly

onelongsong

my2hands wrote:

i can't wait to see how the corproate cheerleaders around here try to explain this away

Gas Price Gouging - Call It Like It Is
By Robert Weiner and John Larmett
The Seattle Post-Intelligencer

Tuesday 30 October 2007

Gasoline prices are poised to explode again. Oil companies are setting up the framework for higher prices because of fears of a Turkish invasion of Kurdish-controlled Northern Iraq and administration saber rattling about Iran. Crude oil, at $29.59 a barrel when President Bush took office in January 2001, is now pushing toward $100. Washington State's current gasoline cost of $3.09 per gallon, double Seattle's 2001 price of $1.52, is now second only to California in the 48 contiguous states.

Jay Leno joked on the "Tonight Show" October 17, "The Nobel Prize for Economics was awarded to three people - the CEOs of Exxon, Texaco, and Shell for figuring out how to quadruple the price of oil over a seven year period without an actual shortage."

He's right, there is no actual shortage. Even if something happened, Kurdish oil production is less than 1/4 of 1% of the world's oil, and all of Iraq generates under 3%. Iran's share of world production is falling, 5% last year compared to 8% in 1974. The oil industry uses the unrealized potential of small disruptions to implement huge price fluctuations. They are using the fear factor and war profiteering to repeat and increase what they had last year, the highest profits for any industry in American history.

Furthermore, home heating oil bills are up a third from a year ago, and double six years ago-a $1700 annual household increase, seven times inflation. Home heating bills are the silent economic killer to families - the spotlight has been on car gas prices.

As former House Energy Committee Chair Joe Barton (R-TX) said, "No federal statute prohibits price gouging." Leading Democratic Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton is demanding a new Federal Trade Commission oil price investigation. Oil companies raised gas prices 24 cents a gallon in the 24 hours after Katrina. The FTC reported increases "not substantially attributable to increased costs." It was pure fear-mongering.

Congress is enacting new laws specifically aimed at price gouging, sort of. In May, the House passed groundbreaking legislation making gouging by oil and gas companies a federal crime. The bill calls for jail time and fines of up to $150 million a day for charging "unconscionably excessive prices" and taking "unfair advantage" of consumers during a presidentially declared emergency. The President has indefinitely continued drug trafficking and national security emergencies and could do the same on oil prices strangling consumers.

However, there is no "violation" if the price charged is "substantially attributable to local, regional, national, or international market conditions." The House is saying it is not gouging if the public will bear it. The oil companies could still charge whatever they want-a loophole big enough for a gas-guzzling Mack truck.

In the Senate, Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA) has introduced legislation which defines gouging as "charging an unconscionably excessive price" and adds a critical "prohibition on market manipulation", regardless of "emergency" timing. Cantwell has been pushing for its enactment for over two years and missed the 60 vote debate "cloture" by just three votes in 2005. With the new Democratic majority, Cantwell succeeded in including this provision in the Senate energy bill now before a House-Senate conference. Cantwell's ban on market manipulation regardless of "emergencies" could have enormous impact on stopping price spikes.

(An unintended consequence of the Bush saber rattling is even higher prices and more money to Iran, which defeats the purpose of sanctions to stop nuclear weapons.)

Congress needs to rise above special interest relationships, protect Americans from oil company gouging, and define the term so it means what it really is.

---

Robert Weiner worked six years as a communications director in the Clinton White House and sixteen years in the House of Representatives. John Larmett, senior policy analyst at Robert Weiner Associates, worked on energy-related issues as press secretary to Rep. Jim McDermott, D-Seattle.

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/337435_gasprices31.html

why don't you call a spade a spade? you people have pissed and moaned about the government NOT doing anything about global warming. i told you several months ago that since the people have not done anything voluntarily; the price of gas is going to be raised to a point where people will stop driving so much. oil will soon be taxed to clean up the enviornment and the price will jump again. this will effect all plastics so prepare for that.

onelongsong

Dustin51 wrote:

Some people have a choice. I agree. But not everyone does and those who don't are usually the ones just hangin on man. And they're being pinched by these companies. It's a real shame.

my truck runs on used cooking oil.

onelongsong

onelongsong wrote:

why don't you call a spade a spade? you people have pissed and moaned about the government NOT doing anything about global warming. i told you several months ago that since the people have not done anything voluntarily; the price of gas is going to be raised to a point where people will stop driving so much. oil will soon be taxed to clean up the enviornment and the price will jump again. this will effect all plastics so prepare for that.

just a subnote; the price of oil is expected to exceed $100 USD a barrel. the reason given is global warming because less heating oil is needed. go figure.
(that from fox news)

Kel Varnsen

my2hands wrote:

bullshit... we control more than ourselves... that is why we have a government, to enforce laws and make sure fair business practices are being applied

this isnt the wild west with folks selling snake oil... we have laws... we have ethics... we need to make sure everyone is follwoing those laws and ethics


big picture

An energy industry dominated administration takes office, largely financed by the energy industry...

this administration holds secret meetings with the energy industry to formulate "energy policy", and stonewalls any attempt to have those meeting become public...

the president is quoted as saying they are pursuing a "policy of consumption"...

next thing you know we are at war with the worlds 2nd largest oil bearing nation...

next thing you know oil prices and gas prices continue to climb from the onset of this administration to historic highs...

next thing you know a category 5 hurricane hits the gulf coast, one of our major domestic oil producing regions... leaving the energy companies foaming at the mouth to gouge the american public and blame it on the disaster even though actual flow of oil is barely disrupted

next thing you know the american public has been phsychologically fucked into paying over $3 per gallon, cheering every time it dips near $2.50...nearly double what the cost was only 6 years ago... people are now cheering in relief, for fuel $ that has doubled since the vice presidents "secret" energy task force meeting...

next thing you know the energy industry is swimming in world record profits...

all this while selling fuel at record high prices... record prices = record profit

next thing you know energy industry ceo's are bailing out with record setting retirement and bonus packages

next thing you know congree calls the energy industry to capital hill...

next thing you know none of them are to be sworn in, holding them UNACCOUNTABLE for any faleshoods, mistruth, or flat out lies they would present to THE UNITED STATES FUCKING CONGRESS... while only months before professional baseball players were FORCED TO PROVIDE SWORN< BINDING TESTIMONY...

next thing you know, after the pretty little dog and pony show by our beloved corporate whore politiicians on both sodes of the fence... business goes on as usual

next thing you know petroleum and fuel prices continue to rise to historic levels... blaming it on higher demand, poor refining capabilites, natural disasters, and wars...none of which actually create a large ripple in the world flow of petroleum at all... they continue to shovel this propaganda to excuse the record prices, while at the same time never speaking of the record profits being made off of the backs of the people being strangled at the pump and at home... all while being sprinkled happily with lies and propaganda by the corporate controlled media into our nightly news to ease our concerns after driving home passing insane gas prices advertised to us every 1/2 mile...


if you dont think there is price collusion, gouging, and supply collusion going on here, with this administrations guidance and protection... then i have a bridge in minnesota i can sell you

opec also plays a role in this as well, on the supply side... but these people are all in bed together... the countries and the companies... all having a good old time ripping us off, blatantly

So exactly what would you have the government do to control gas prices? It is easy to say the government should do something, but what exaclty would you have them do? I gave an example in an earlier post about how capping prices usually only screws over station owners. The US has crazy low gas prices compared to a lot of places in the world. Gas in Canada is usually $1+ a litre (almost 4 bucks a gallon and we are a huge oil producing nation). More and more people all around the world are driving cars (car use in China is taking off like crazy) so gas companies have more customers than ever, which of course means they are going to have record profits. Plus if people control more than themselves how come nothing is ever done about this issue?

THC

all i read so far was that gas was $29 a barrel when bush took office..and is now about $90. Odd that the Saudi Ambassador was on the white house terrace w/ Bush the night after 9/11....Hmm....
and the only plane not grounded was the one picking up all of the Saudi's linked to Bin Laden and flying them back to the middle east. If people don't believe me...go look up the Michael Moore article in Rollingstone on that crap..
it will make you sick.

why do you think he's always holding the guy's hand when he stops by...
a fricken disgrace. bush is the biggest traitor this country has ever seen....

THC

Wasn't bush in the oil industry before he became president?
Hmm...wonder who his friends are????

flywallyfly

THC wrote:

Wasn't bush in the oil industry before he became president?
Hmm...wonder who his friends are????

He had several ventures in oil related fields but all were complete failures just like everything in his life. However, the Bush family is highly connected to oil companies and the Saudi royalty.

g under p

flywallyfly wrote:

He had several ventures in oil related fields but all were complete failures just like everything in his life. However, the Bush family is highly connected to oil companies and the Saudi royalty.

Nothing shocking there and he was a failure with his baseball team too. Do you think after he leaves office he go out on a World Tour Speaking engagement...oh but he will have made more than enough money from his Saudi buddies????

Peace

g under p

810wmb wrote:

how can we control the oil fields if we are losing in iraq?

If we aren't controlling the oil fields in Iraq, then who is IRAN???

Peace

allforcarrie

If you dont like Gas Prices, go to Europe....... you will apperciate $3 a gal. alot more.

810wmb

g under p wrote:

If we aren't controlling the oil fields in Iraq, then who is IRAN???

Peace

yes...that's why we should bomb them back to the stone age!

SundaySilence

810wmb wrote:

how can we control the oil fields if we are losing in iraq?

Iraq turmoil keeps supply down and prices up. Profitable for Saudi Arabia, profitable for big oil.

callen

MakingWaves wrote:

I have no choice in that I have to drive, i have to put gas in my car along with every other person i see on the road every morning. I complain about the price of gas because it is unlike any other type of purchase you make in my opinion. I buy fuel efficient cars also. The price of gas isn't breaking me in any way, but when you keep seeing the profits of these companies sky rocketing on a commodity that people have to purchase and can't do without it is frustrating. And when you see any storm enter the gulf they bump up the price by $.30 that is bullshit too. They have now figured out after the katrina disaster that they can charge anything they want to a certain extent and make more profit then ever before.
If I want to purchase an object but it is too expensive in my opinion and many other peoples opinions, the price will eventually come down. Gasoline is not like this, we have to purchase it and have no option in controlling the price of it.

waves...you can get a Yaris that gets what 40mpg...that will offset the price increase these past few years if your driving a car that's getting 20 mpg. If your already in an efficient vehicle..yea your kinda stuck.

what this country needs is good public transportation.....

callen

810wmb wrote:

yes...that's why we should bomb them back to the stone age!

thinking you need to go down to your local army recruiter and sign up and ask to go to Iraq

callen

g under p wrote:

Nothing shocking there and he was a failure with his baseball team too. Do you think after he leaves office he go out on a World Tour Speaking engagement...oh but he will have made more than enough money from his Saudi buddies????

Peace

thought of this...what happens to this clown when he leaves office......I mean who in their right mind would pay to have him speak

jlew24asu

THC wrote:

Wasn't bush in the oil industry before he became president?
Hmm...wonder who his friends are????

he also owned a baseball team. I keep waiting to see when major league baseball is going to play its first game in Kabul.