How many of you really think fuel prices can be controlled by government and gas companies?

Question

It's amazing and troubling that their is so much ignorance in this country. Knowbody seems to understand how things are priced. If politicians say their going to lower prices... they are treating you as a moron. Other than killing the taxes, they have no control. None. Zip

Answer 1

Unless they (the Government) puts higher taxes onto those oil companies, the companies will then pass those increased costs onto the consumer.  Likewise as our Politicians are doing now, keep the restrictions on drilling, upgrading refineries, making it super hard to make the alternatives come about............then in a run around process, YES THEY ARE CONTROLLING.  The Government needs to keep its foot out of the process and let capitalism, free initiative, etc to work.  Our Government IS THE PROBLEM.

Answer 2

The government can, in a round-about manner.  Since oil is priced in US dollars, any inflation of that dollar will be reflected in the price of oil.  Since democrats took control of congress (with the promise to lower gas prices) oil prices have doubled.  If they lowered inflation, the numerical price of gas would go down, but would in actuality be the same price.

Answer 3

There are a couple approaches politicians could take.

There is the simple expediency of setting a legal maximum at which fuel can be sold.  This will be followed by shortages and rationing, though this obvious outcome is unforeseeable to many of them.

They could put in place subsidies, giving a rebate to those who buy gas.  Of course that money has to come from some place.  They will probably just print it, which means inflation and even higher consumer prices.

They could lift bans on drilling and building refineries, which would increase the supply and put some downward pressure on prices.

Or they could do what they should have been doing all along which is to start defending our currency instead of sinking it oblivion.   To do that we need to get our deficit spending under control and that means spending cuts.

Answer 4

if the gov. even suggests that they can lower the price of anything that means they control it ! and if they dont then they can stop import & export to keep it in this country , as it should be , made by americans for americans !