Does anyone have a different explanation besides mine as to why gas prices are so high?

Question

Here's my thoughts. And no, it's not Bush's fault. How can one man do that much damage? And it isn't the war, either because the oil's still flowing. Here's my theory. Across the U.S. we have so many restrictions, such as a requirment to have a certain type of gas in this part, another in the next zone, and a totaly different one in the next. And there are about 7 of these "zones." No new refineries have been built in 18 years. We can't drill in ANWR because we'de harm the carribou population, but we can sure as he*l put a giagantic pipeline and a road right down through the center of it. We can only have a certain number of rigs in the Gulf. Why? The EPA. A Socialist Founded Institution. They've imposed so many rstrictions on gas and drilling rigs, that it's almost imposible to do any REAL drilling. I don't mean some little rig by your house. And here's the hipocracy of it. Mexico just built themselves a gigantic rig in the gulf, and no one said anything. And the EPA is supposed to be an International Organization, last I heard. Could it be they are not out to help America after all? When an animal's life comes before our well being, that's when it becomes too much. When it interfere's with our economy, and just about puts us in a stand still, that's when we, the American people need to step up and say enough. I'm gonna ask another question here in a minute, under "How do you take a nation down without military force?" But this one is asking if anyone has a different veiw on why Gas prices are so high. And I don't want to hear "Bush's Fault!" If thats all you can say, then don't say a thing.

Answer 1

I dont disagree with your theory. I just want to add one of my own that helped push the prices up.

A few years ago the oil futures went on the public trading market. Yes. The public, the entity as a whole that believed everything from the world is flat to Milli Vanilli can sing, is at the helm of the future prices of crude. Can you imagine what happens when the public hears that there was a problem, of any magnitude, to a oil line or ship? What happens when summer comes around and naturally the public again buys up all the oil futures in hopes to make a quick buck.

Greed is what drives prices. The greedy people that are making the money will call it marketing/economics. No one entity is to blame for the results. It would be too easy. Just dont leave out anyone at fault. Bush, Iraq, war, EPA, tax, and even the public are all together and individually at fault.

Answer 2

Most of what you said are the real reasons for gas being up, but you won't get any Bush haters to admit that because they hate facts even more than Bush.

I believe your number of special gas blending zones is too low. I don't know where to source the info, but I'm sure I've heard of single cities being divided down the middle and different blends for different seasons and so on. Areas where this does not go on tend to have lower gas prices for this reason alone.

The EPA is hamstringing us too. Many people claim we should lower or oil imports but then at the same time refuse to allow us to drill domestically. Well, if we don't get it from them, and we don't get our own, where do they propose we get it? I don't see the logic (nor the science) claiming an oil tower somewhere in Alaska is going to drive away every living thing for 200 miles in every direction. Look at the offshore rigs in CA; when tuna fishing charters go out, guess where a lot of them head? Right, to the rigs because that's where the big schools of tuna hang out. There is too much emotion and too much junk science. Ask the founder of Greenpeace; he disowned the very organization he started because they became to radical.

Answer 3

Gas prices here in the United States is cheap as compared to the rest of the world. It has always been that way. Try buying gas in Europe or Asia, you'll know what I mean.
I agree with some parts of your answer. However, war sparks a fear into investors in wall street and that directly affects the price of oil futures. Therefore, when investors drive up the price of oil, consumers feel the pinch in their pockets.
Now, is that the fault of Mr. Bush? Did G Bush start the war? Or was it Osama? To me it doesn't matter. Because this conflict between Al Queda and the US has been brewing well ahead of Bush Jr and Sr. Heck, it started the day we supported these Islamic extremist back in Afghanistan. My point is, war plays a HUGE part in driving up the cost of fuel. Fear drives a speculative market into extreme directions almost all the time.
In closing, I can't say that I blame President Bush. If you really look into it, he didn't start the war. It was a war that was going to happen and I think 9/11 triggered it to happen.

Answer 4

I think everyone made a good point. Yes India and China, lack of refineries, new technology, politics, instability in the Middle East etc all play a small role. But overall the supply and demand is the biggest culprit. Decreasing mileage here and rising demand overseas increases the strain on supplies. The fact is not many people have decreased their driving or gotten smaller cars because that requires change, and people hate change. I couldnt find the graph but I recall seeing a supply and demand graph for oil in the US and the demand curve was almost vertical which would make any slight increases in demand account for the huge increases in price we have seen.

Answer 5

larger gas prices are (or should be) each environmentalist's dream. intense prices do top the following: a million. make people purchase automobiles with more desirable suitable gasoline economic gadget; 2. make people shrink mileage pushed, for this reason reducing CO2 emissions; 3. inspire people to look at determination power aspects; 4. make determination power aspects economically aggressive with out intense priced federal and state tax subsidies; 5. make cities reassess, and with slightly of luck advance, their inadequate mass transit structures; 6. possibly it also will provide people a reason to think about utilising those structures. In Arizona, we've buses that look a motive force and 50 empty seats. at the same time as gas is more cost effective, people imagine gas is a present instead of a powerful and dropping source. the eu international locations were sensible adequate to tax gasoline at intense ranges for years, with the outcome that gasoline prices $6 a gallon and up.

Answer 6

our gas prices are lower then any-place else
so i do not see why everyone complains lets remove the tax on truckers who make a living transporting all the things we take for granted. Ease the burden on them and slow inflation for goods that reley heavaly on oil by removing the taxes.
We need to drill for oil in the gulf we ahve found large deposits there and need to use them while we work towards alternative fuel independance. I heard hemp makes a considerable amount of fuel when refined and so does sugar cane so we need to direct our efforts to these ends.
We pay the same price for oil everyone else does now and we do not like it-- for years we had secret deals to export middle-east oil for reduced prices --favorable deals with dictators we installed and armed later they decided they had been manipulated and no longer wanted to keep the deals so we went round and round the middle east till we have run out of countrys to exploit.
IF the government had been honest and fair 40 years ago when they began making the deals over there maybe we would not have had so many problems in the region.
The arab nations only wanted guns and planes so they could attack there neighbor and get back the land there great great goat herder relatives use to roam making there claim to more land that contained oil reserves and we were happy to assist.
Those days are gone now and we need to urge the world to develop new sources of fuel and energy ,before to long the reserves are going to run out there realy is just so much to go aroud and in the future people dependent on oil will take over the countrys that have some unless we do something.
LOOK at it like this , oil addiction brings with it the same problems that drug addiction does .those hooked will pay for the addiction as long as they can afford it.
Once the supply weakins only the rich can still afford it and the poor begin to rob and steal commiting murder in an effort to get what they crave.
so we need to look at more perminent solutions horse traders whent the way of the dino .NOW they breed race horse's if they managed to stay in the business at all the auto kills millions every year around the world saver and better transpotation means need to be developed .We know the faster you go the more chance for serious injury so where are we in a hurry to get to . We need to slow down and rethink allowing people to go faster then 25 miles an hour or thirty . this effort to go fast has destroyed america not made it better . i notice in my travels that airport hotels have a lot of working girls in the lounges so while the cats away he plays and the mouse gets left cleaning the house . America is falling into ruin with this faster life-style.

Answer 7

I have to disagree.. one person can do a whole lot of damage. Look at the history of the world and you will find several individuals who did do just that. As far is our country is concerned, there is no need to raise gas prices. We have enough oil both in the US and what we bring in from abroad. Did you notice that with people worried and focused about the rising price of gas.. the other events happening outside of our world no longer seem so significant?

We are all equal on this planet. Animals and humans alike. We are the ones who put the animals in danger to begin with. Oil spills are not an act of nature.. they are human mistakes and it is up to mankind (supposedly the superior race) to protect them.

Answer 8

That's a nice little rant there, randall. A bit incongruent, but you're getting there. The EPA is not international. Not sure that high petrol prices amounts to "that much damage." The US economy is roaring, and that's good news for the rest of the world, too.

Answer 9

I agree that it is not Bushs fault but i will have to say i think that we could be doing more drilling and getting oil from the US and lowering gas prices. Or even Mexico we could offer them more immigration or something to beable to drill in Mexico. I think that there are more things the US can be doing and its not being done.

Answer 10

Yes, and China/India's growing need for oil strains the supply, also pushing up the price...

We're stuck until about 2010, then the 2.5 TRILLION barrels trapped in the Colorado shale will start flowing and we will be the biggest exporter of oil in the world... Unless the envirosocialists shut that down also....