What do you think about the prices of GAS? The war in the Middle East and lack of concern the govt.?

Question

seems to have for the United States Citizens that need help!?

Answer 1

not much to think about . The gas companies are proving a pont we will pay anythiong to keep our cars driving . We are still one of the cheapest nations in the world for gas so why complain . Does no good . There is buses or other ways to get around so if you do not like the price of gas use other forms of transport /

Answer 2

There are many reasons for the high prices for Gas at the pump. The lastest issue with Alaskan Pipeline that looks like it will be down for at least two months now is only going to make things worse - especially for consumers on the West Coast of the United States. The concerns about the ME war(s) are part of the problem and I don't think you comments regarding a lack of concern by the government are acurate (especially in an election year and the demigoggues are already attacking the major oil firms as greedy bastards (yet became very silent when No. US oil producer Chevron - CVX - made less than expected). The last thing I want is taxes on American Oil Companies which will really only take money from people's retirement funds and give them maybe a few pennies off their gas bill at the pump.

For some reason many people have forgotten that world demand for oil is increasing at a very rapid rate with India and China's demands for black gold increasing greatly. The greater world demand for oil has brought the price up alone. Another issue is that we and the Iraqi's have failed to get most of their oil production back on-line. Remember when we went in there the Bush Administration thought most of the rebuilding of Iraq would be funding on Iraqi Oil - that certainly has not happened and recent stories just show how badly the NeoCon's blew this (I still shake my head at why the heck did we re-train the entire Iraqi Army - pure stupidity). Meanwhile there are issues with rebels in Nigeria and other countries reserves are dwindling down.

Another issue that has pushed up are the concerns over natural disasters. Fresh in the mind of many Americans is what happened to New Orleans last year. Certainly a great deal of the increases at the pump have been caused by concerns being priced into the market of anotherr major hurricane that could damage the offshore oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico, the major ports like New Orleans, and the Oil refineries that are along the Atlantic Coast. Fear is a major cause of America concerns.

The reality is most Americans really don't mind paying these high prices and there will be no action until they do - and what that should be is conservation and more use of public transportation (which would take care for most people most effected by these oil prices is they would simply ride the bus, train, etc - but of course not all). We in America are actually really spoiled because with though the price at the pump has increased greatly over the past few years - we still pay the lowest prices for gasoline in the modern western world. Travel to the U.K., France, Germany, Italy, Japan or even Poland, Russia, or Albania - the prices we pay at the pump are very low. When we start paying prices that other nations do - then the Price of Gas will be a major issue to deal with and maybe then Americans will stop driving there individual automobles and will start to use and demand more and better public transportation which is the real way to help.

Update - they are not saying it wont be until January that the Alaskan pipeline will be back to normal - and the price of oil is up again. Oh well.

Answer 3

The only reason the gas prices are so high is because of money. People have money, they are willing to spend it on gas, the people that own gas companies are willing to make the money, investors are willing to pay more for gas futures, and everybody is happy, right???

Well, obviously, no.

See it all started when oil futures went on the open market. Now instead of government controlling the oil prices, now investors' greedy hands are controlling them. The price of oil per barrel is as high as ever, $77 or so. Also, when there is news about some oil shortage or even a chance of oil shortage, these same investors see opportunity and the oil futures shoot up again.

Now, high prices of crude oil translates to high prices for oil refineries. This translates to higher prices for gas companies (not as high as we are paying), which means high prices at the pump. But it seems nobody cares because people still buy gas. There are just as many SUV's, full sized trucks, people taking driving vacations, people driving to recreation (beach, parks, amusment parks, malls) as ever. It's supply and demand. People are using the gas, which everything after going to work, the store, and church is a luxury, and the gas companies are able to charge more for it.

It really isnt that we need help from the government. We need help from ourselves. We dont go out and spend $100 once a week on a steak from Ruth Chris because it is frivolous, yet we complain that $100 a week for gas is too much while we are driving all over town trying to find somewhere else to eat.