Oil Crisis? Greed Crisis is More Like It. Citizens We Need to Unite
Filed Under (Business, News) by admin on 13-06-2008
Dear Friends,
How much did you pay for a gallon of gas today? The stations by my house in Southern California range from $4.59 to $4.45 per gallon. Four days ago I just paid $4.04. How could it have increased by forty cents in four days! And how about those folks who need diesel…it’s already at $5.15 a gallon!
What’s going on? Why isn’t anything being done about this. I read and keep up on events and I’m not sensing that anyone is looking out for the consumers. Certainly not the White House or the Federal Government (that’s a whole other story.)
Every time I’m at the gas pump I feel like Howard Beale from the 1976 movie “Network” I want to scream “I am mad as hell and not going to take this anymore!” Don’t you feel that way too!
Everyone who I am talking to has had to adjust their lives because of the high gas prices. You just don’t jump in the car anymore. You have to think twice if the trip is worth it or if it can be combined with another. My neighbors have their Tacoma permanently parked in their driveway now since it costs $100 to fill it up. They are using their kids more economical cars. My mom has even jumped on the bandwagon and is combining her trips. I, too, even though I have a Prius am re-thinking my miles. And quite possibility, a trip we were planning won’t happen because of the oil/gas gouge. Heck, I’m even giving up curling this summer due to the high price of petro. So you know that it’s a serious issue with me.
The high price of fuel is not only affecting us at home, but when we fly. The airline industry is now charging (or soon will) $15 for your first checked bag. And that’s not all. They are charging you now for your beverages. If you want a soda, you better have two bills in your pocket to cover that charge. No more free anything in the friendly skies. And why? All due to oil prices.
This gas crisis has had me fired up for quite sometime and it didn’t help that last week’s Business Week centered on this situation. But, it wasn’t until I called one of my friends today whose passion is uncovering “cover ups” that I fully started to see who was responsible for these great influxs in gas prices. My friend wants to be referred to a Madisonian Federalist so from now on, he’ll just be Madison on my blog. I always appreciate talking to him for he scourers the web on topics and he doesn’t stop until he feels he gets an adequate explanation of all things that rule the earth. I don’t always agree with him and you don’t have to either, but I do appreciate his tenacious quest for the honest truth.
He too has been perplexed by the rising and not falling gas prices. I loved something that Madison said. He said that everyone is pointing out that we have an oil crisis. We don’t have an oil crisis. We have a financial crisis and currency crisis, but not an oil crisis. You see we have oil and lots of it. It’s just our Wall Street traders who are being the traders and causing the prices to go up. Look at this stat that Madison supplied me with today.
FACT: The United States consumed only 0.4% more gasoline in 2007 than we did in 2006.
3,390,977,000 (2007) vs. 3,377,174,000 (2006) barrels
Energy Information Administration official U.S. Department of Energy statistics:
http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/dnav/pet/pet_cons_psup_dc_nus_mbbl_a.htm
Isn’t that unbelievable! We only consumed 0.4 more percent of gas last year than the year prior. If that’s the case, how do we get to the bottom of what’s going on. Who’s not minding the store. Or better yet, who is not regulating the store. How out of control does it have to get before we say ENOUGH ALREADY.
Why hasn’t there been a vocal group leading the charge! Why is everyone silent. Where’s the automobile industry. People won’t be driving their SUVs, heavy duty trucks or gas guzzlers as usual. Where’s the Teamsters. Independent truck drivers are just parking their trucks now - they can’t afford to run them. And the airline industry…I know you’ve got a ton of trouble…but this is hurting your efforts beyond belief.
And where are our citizens. Why aren’t we protesting! How do we band together on this and say NO! I don’t know exactly where to begin, but I would love your comments as to how you think we could make a stand. How is the gas gouge hurting you? What changes have you made? I’d love for you to speak out on my blog. This crisis affects us all!
In the Business Week article titled “Breaking Point” (June 9, 2008) credit counselor Bruce Hamlett talked about the pressure that the rising gas prices are having on the average American.
They’re asking, ‘Do I put gas in my car or do I pay this utility bill or do I pay the mortgage. It’s getting to the point where it’s an impossible choice.”
Again, how did we get in this mess that we can’t offer gas and our mortgages. More importantly, how do we get out? Where are our politicians - why are they so silent. We need help at the pump!
I’d love to hear your thoughts as well on this subject and about the price of gas in your town. Also, I’m hoping that I can get Madison to post some more thoughts on this as a guest commentator - so stay tuned.
Cindy - a perplexed driver
Hi Cindy, thank you for your thoughts. I too am so perplexed that there is not vocal outrage by our goverment officials. As consumers there has to be something that we can do. I have band together with others and stopped buying gas from the largest oil companies. Today I purchased a bike and have decided that this will be my primary mode of transportation. I would love to know where to start to make some noise to voice my opinion. I think I will start a emial campaign to our goverment officials. Any thoughts??? What is the best course of action???
I’m a Republican, so let me preface that since it’ll make what I have to say in the light I’m saying it.
Yes, high gas prices stink. But according to the numbers gas companies aren’t making a ton of profit. They could be lying of course, but the numbers just aren’t there.
Economics is so complex, it makes my head spin.
That said, I don’t -want- the government involved. At all.
I’m not sure how much you listen to NPR, but this American Life had a fantastic episode where they explained what caused the housing crisis.
It all started with Greenspan saying that federal bonds were only giving a return of 1%.
That small little phrase was the lost nail that started the war that they’re still trying to clean up in the US economy.
Should America do something? Yes.
They should go green, stop wasting so much of the resources we have and stop consuming as much as they do. People in Europe are just laughing at us complain because their gas has ALWAYS been expensive.
If the government does anything, it should be kicking itself for making land owners close down oil fields in Texas.