I know: It's definitely not price gouging (insult away, BTW)

BTE, I'm fairly fortunate with my current situation. However, there are others that are just feeling this crunch way too hard.

A buddy of mine just started moving his way out of financial debt hell and then an emergency came up where he needed to fly to Florida at the last minute. With gas prices up, he paid more now than he should have. Now, he's created a larger hole that will need more work and time to climb out of. Should gas prices go up to $5/gallon, he could be back to square one.

 

Well, actually, the government can do something about high gas prices if there's evidence of a cartel, collusion, or price fixing.

And given that we're talking about oil companies,there's a good chance of one of the above.

 

I'm sorry Ragu, you just seem to be looking at reasons to swat away any idea that doesn't fit into the "too bad, there's nothing anybody can do" mantra. There's always a third way, there's always ways to think creatively. If what you're saying is true, that it's just market forces and all you can do is bite the bullet, then we're headed for a recession. We can't accept that.

Frankly, I wish I saw more sympathy from Ragu, BT and other people for what people are having to endure because of gas prices. As alleyallen says, you all just seem to be saying, "Oh well, bend over and take it." Thanks, that's really helpful.

 

I'm not apologizing, Oz, I'm just explaining.
You see no reason for the increase? OK.
On Jan. 1, light sweet crude was just about $60 per barrel. It's now about $75. I'm terrible at math, but I think that's a 25 percent increase. On Jan. 1, U.S. gas averaged about $2.35. It's now about $3.00. Again, if I'm doing it right, that's about a 27 percent increase. The numbers are pretty close.
The reason gas is more expensive? Oil is more expensive. If you learn about this stuff, Oz, you'll have more money in your pocket when you're older.

 

Crass, it wasn't just the car companies that were shortsighted about oil. It was the American consumer that demanded these SUVs. They wanted as many of them as the car companies could roll off the lot -- even though many of them would never see a snowflake in their adult lives. It was easier to put stuff in, and cooler than a minivan.

 

And I'm as guilty of being shortsighted as anyone.

I had a perfectly good car that got 37-40 mpg.

A car salesman tennis buddy of mine offered me his son-in-law's first-generation Lexus 400 for $8000. Absolutely mint condition.

So I made the purchase. In September 2003.

Gasoline was $1.69 a gallon then. The Lexus gets 24 mpg . . . if I drive it like a baby. With my previous car I was spending $70 a month on gasoline. Now I spend $240.

If I had known then what gasoline prices would do, would I have made the purchase?

Hard to say. But I made that decision, and I'm responsible for the consequences.

 

Ragu, we agree on reducing our dependence on oil. We disagree on whether the govt. should do anything to help out consumers in the time being. This isn't that bad, but during the Depression the New Deal didn't directly cause the economy to recover. (World War II did.) But the govt. intervening sure did help people out in the time being.

Not saying we need something that massive now. But it's a good example of govt. doing what it should do: Help the little man out.

 

I remember paying $1.22 a gallon for gas in 1984 ... and then 67 cents a gallon at the same station in 1986 or '87. I know it made me positively giddy at the time. I know it sucked for a whole bunch of Texans (and not just insanely rich ones) during the late 1980s when the oil market collapsed.

Capitalism isn't perfect, but nobody's figured out a better way yet.

 

When the fuck did I ever call for the existence of a boogeyman. And it might seem patently ridiculous to you, but the financial situation of millions of Americans calls you an ass for taking the high road attitude you're displaying. I'll say this so you can fucking understand it, although I hate taking a tone like this with you because I generally like your stuff.

I KNOW WHAT THE FUCK IS CAUSING HIGHER GAS PRICES! I JUST DON'T GIVE A FUCK BECAUSE IT'S NOT SOMETHING I CAN FIX! IN THE MEANTIME I'M GOING BROKE FROM HIGHER INSURANCE, HIGHER UTILITIES, HIGHER GAS AND MORE!

Do you fucking understand now? Jesus Christ, the people who are struggling are asking for a fucking break and you're giving me a lecture about how free market works. I don't need it. I and millions of other Americans need a fucking break.

 

And saying a "tantrum" doesn't help ... sorry I'm not bleeding financially quiet enough for you ... is fine, if there were another solution I could employ that would make a difference. Being an indifferent and uncaring ass doesn't do anything either.

 

Hmmm ... OK. I'm channeling another one of my "attack DyePack" moments from last week.

Fucking ratshit-eating, amradillo-fisting Exxon-Mobil executives, stealing my hard-earned money and making me feed Cat Chow to my son. I call upon the viciousness of the hand of Ixthar to visit festering boils of vomit-filled zits on the porcupine-quilled, hanging-lower-than-my-grandmother's-tits testicles of those money-grubbing, George Bush's-ass-sucking oil whores.