Why Do Higher Gas Prices Anger You?

BBB,

Quote:

Raising the price of gasoline is the worst way to extract reform because it adversely affects all of us, but especially the poor. The government, both state and federal could force industries to change, but they don't because those industries contribute too much political money. As long as our political system is corrupt, change won't occur.

True, UNLESS prices go up and consumers demand change. New markets are created in order to meet this demand. Politics react accordingly.

It's not the best way to enact change, at all, but we cannot really stop it from happening. And there's politics all over it, especially for progressives and renewable advocates; it's hard not to take advantage of rising prices to press for change.

Cycloptichorn

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mysteryman wrote:

Cycloptichorn wrote:
Oh, Jesus, get off it.

The price of gasoline going up isn't a good thing for anyone in the short term, but may be extremely beneficial for all of us in the long term. That's what we're saying.

Cycloptichorn

Thats NOT what JoefromChicago said.

Well, no, not exactly. But I agree with it.

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Thanks, Squinney, but no, I'm not agreeing. I'm just noting that he says exactly the same things he accuses the left of. Well, he's in the trucking business, so I can understand how he feels. His ox has been gored.

Hey, I promise. These prices hurt me too. Enough to start making some changes in driving habits, at a minimum. Some marginal business are going to fail, and some people are going to be out of work AND face higher prices. I can only say that it will be worse the longer we wait.

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Re: Joe

BumbleBeeBoogie wrote:

I understand what you are promoting and I agree with most of what you propose---except you have to be aware of and sensitive to the fact that not all of are alike in our physicial abilityies, our financial status and how it affects our lives, etc.

No doubt. But then practically everything that happens hurts the poor disproportionately more than the rich.

BumbleBeeBoogie wrote:

Raising the price of gasoline is the worst way to extract reform because it adversely affects all of us, but especially the poor. The government, both state and federal could force industries to change, but they don't because those industries contribute too much political money. As long as our political system is corrupt, change won't occur.

And as long as people have no economic motivation to act in a socially responsible manner, change won't occur either. I'm not happy that it takes a massive rise in gas prices to effect change. That change should have occurred before we got into this mess. We should have been investing in mass transit, we should have been implementing smart, sustainable urban planning, we should have been developing alternatives to fossil fuels, we should have been encouraging higher mpg standards and hybrid technologies. But without people being directly affected economically, there was no impetus for any of these changes.

Now we have the impetus. And I think that's good.

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roger wrote:

Thanks, Squinney, but no, I'm not agreeing. I'm just noting that he says exactly the same things he accuses the left of. Well, he's in the trucking business, so I can understand how he feels. His ox has been gored.

Hey, I promise. These prices hurt me too. Enough to start making some changes in driving habits, at a minimum. Some marginal business are going to fail, and some people are going to be out of work AND face higher prices. I can only say that it will be worse the longer we wait.

Where have I EVER said the things I am accusing the left of saying?
Where have I EVER demanded free health care,a free education,or a fully funded retirement?

Show me just one place where I have EVER said I want those things!!

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I apologize if it sounded like I accused you of saying:
I need free medical care,so you must provide.
I need a free college education,so you must provide.
I need a fully paid retirement,so you must provide.
I don't recall anyone else saying that either, but maybe someone, somewhere, did. What you did say was "Why not? There are many on the left that do just that.", so you're staking out the right to make the same demand, just on a different need.

mysteryman wrote:

roger wrote:
No, we are not tickled pink. Just better to pay somewhat more now and make some adaptation than to get slammed with $5.00 or 6.00 later. These adaptations do take time to impliment.

You can't simply state "I need (fill in blank), so someone must provide."

Why not?
There are many on the left that do just that.

I need free medical care,so you must provide.
I need a free college education,so you must provide.
I need a fully paid retirement,so you must provide.

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"Everyone want's to live at the expense of the State. They forgot that the State lives at the expense of everyone." -Fredric Bastiat

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Well, gas prices went up AGAIN here. SOme places are as high as $3.25. The place I go to is now $2.99, up from $2.79 not 12 hours ago.

What is going on??? Any news regarding this?

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Obviously Katrina is going to be the cause of rising prices these days, but after watching the devistation cause by the big bitch, I am counting my blessings today that basically minor things are the only things on my mind today.

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Citgo around the corner from us was still at 2.53 last night. The Shell, Texaco and a couple of others were well into the 2.70's.

I think Citgo is the Venezuala line of gas stations that Chavez said he would keep cheap gas at for the poor people of America after Robertsons comments last week.

Whether they stay low will remain to be seen, but it made me chuckle at the possibility of Chavez having that kind of "defense."

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But is it Katrina that is really causng all this??

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In answer to my question...
US Releasing Oil Reserves

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I doubt it, Bella. Remember KiwiChick's post earlier? I can't believe a hurricane in the gulf is causing spikes like that in New Zealand. The contiguous 48 yes; NZ no.

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Who knows. It pisses me off none the less.

And I supose that's what pisses me off most. I have no idea WHY I am paying these prices. If I knew why I might be more accepting of them.

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Another perspective, perhaps.

Gasoline Prices
Walter E. Williams

Nationally, the average per gallon price for regular gasoline is $2.50.

Are 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.

In 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. In 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.

Some 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.

With 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.

Our true supply problem is of our own doing. Large quantities of oil lie below the 20 million acre Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR). The 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. They'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.

Few 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? Producers 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? I 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.

Ah, yes the good old Carter years. Gas shortages, high interest rates, Iran hostages, national malaise, etc.

We obviously need to elect more Democrats so we can return to the "wonder years". Smile

.

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Apart from the juvenile Dem bashing...a good overview JW

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Yeah, I was following along nodding my head until he got to this part:

Quote:

What's a way for OPEC to gain more power? I 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.

And the gratuitous shot at Carter kind of ruined the whole message.

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Uh huh. I especially appreciated the points of his last paragraph (Opec), although I fear it will be lost on many here.

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Well, it would be lost because it's nothing but a wild shot in the dark. He even says he has no evidence, whereas there is a lot of evidence as to who the really big campaign contributors to, and folks involved in forming energy policy for, this administration are.

I say dig up some evidence or leave this unnecessary conspiracy **** on the cutting room floor where it belongs as it is nothing but a distraction.

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JustWonders wrote:

Uh huh. I especially appreciated the points of his last paragraph (Opec), although I fear it will be lost on many here.

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Why Do Higher Gas Prices Anger You?

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