What in the world is going on with these gas prices?

Question

Is there nothing we as Americans and the other countries that are being ripped by opec can do to stop this gouging of prices?It seems to me to be a clear attempt to punish countries that are not a majority of muslims. Our congress seems to be failing us. What can we do as American Citizens to make a change,how can we make congress and senate listen to us. The citizens who make minimum wage or slightly above can hardly afford to live since everything from groceries to utilities have nearly doubled due to these high gas prices, and our incomes have not changed.It seems reminiscent of the depression when all the people were living in tents close to D.C. because they had lost everything they owned, I can see history repeating itself here, am I alone?

Answer 1

I'm sure that no minds paying higher prices when they realize that they're preserving the beauty of the world by not drilling for oil. But then again, I might be wrong about that. Maybe survival is a bit more important than that "beauty".

Answer 2

We as the working class have little power on are own but when enough of us working class chumps get to gether the government has no choice but to take notice. politics are corupt and love the oil companies because they fund there campaings and give them preaty large bonus when ever they pass on something that would hurt them. there have been more carbs and alt forms of fuiel made in past years that emit almost nothing harmfull into the atmosphear but when ever someone get's a patent and they dont sell it they eather end up in jail or dead. so i guess unless about half the us population joins together in protest we will just have to wait untill there is no more gass and then watch the government freak trying to get something new :(

Answer 3

we need refineries,nuke plants and more oil...democrats have stopped all 3 for the last 30 years

Answer 4

You are wrong.  Crude oil is an internationally traded commodity.  No one has been able to control the upward spiral in prices...because there is no control.

Wholesale buyers (aka speculators) make bids to buy oil supplies in the future.  The high bidder gets the oil, in the future.

Democrats in Congress have, for 30 years, stopped the development of new resources and refineries.  This is where all of your blame should lie.

Answer 5

NO, there is nothing you can do, because it's a simple matter of supply and demand. By reducing the supply, the OPEC nations are increasing the demand, and the newly affluent Chinese are adding pressure to that demand.

What can be done? Simple. There are numerous alternatives to oil for powering cars and trucks. It's time to dust off some of the old patents that the motor vehicle companies bought up, and start producing vehicles that run on something other than gasoline. There are biofuels (NOT the ones that are made from food products such as corn, but the ones that use the corn husks and stalks, and 'trash' that is generally chucked out) that could be produced, bottled like propane, and used as a clean power source that could not be controlled by a foreign power. As long as OPEC controls most of the world's oil supply America is vulnerable. Think what would happen if they decided not to sell any oil to the US. The country would be crippled far more effectively than through military means, and it wouldn't cost them a cent. Just turn off the switch.

Answer 6

You're not alone, your perceptions are accurate.

What can you do?  Sound off.  Make noise to your congressman and senator.  Call the white house.  They all keep a running tally of people that call and write.  Everyone who calls represents hundreds of others who don't call.  Everyone who writes represents thousands who don't.  

The next car you buy, buy one that runs on anything BUT gasoline!  

Right now you can buy a car that runs on E85 or CNG.  Buying an alternative fuel car sends the message that you're sick of being a captive to fluctuating oil prices and you've had enough.  

Once oil producers feel the pinch of competition, they'll have to compete for price with alternative fuels.  

They did it in the '70s when ethanol factories started getting built, and they'll drop their prices down to rock bottom once they see we're serioius about ramping up to produce alternative fuels.

I just spent $26,000 on a solar array for my home.  I intend to buy an electric car.

Answer 7

Drill, drill, drill on our own and the Arabs will then become nervous and lower prices.  We also need to tap into the abundance of shale right below us and quit talking about it - just do it.  Where they want to do this - it is barren land, nothing there.  No wildlife to be threatened.  Democrats will continue to hem and haw about it though and nothing will get done.

Answer 8

The events since 9/11 and for the next 20 years will be unprecedented.  There is no comparison to the Great Depression.

No nukes, no coal, no off-shore drilling, no ANWR.

Congress has screwed the American people yet again.  The cost has yet to be tallied, but it will be in the hundreds of billions, if not a few trillion.

If Iran hits the Strait of Hormuz with their missiles, say hello to $250-300 per barrel oil prices.  Energy independence would never have looked so good and so wise, but that's right, our Congress has done nothing but get in the way of progress and energy independence for the last 30 years.  

Good job guys and girls.  What fascinating foresight you have.

Answer 9

That is a very loaded question. Unfortunately, it is a failure on all fronts.

OPEC knows that the very lifeblood of our economy is oil. Ever heard the expression, "The American economy runs on 18 wheels"? Knowing that they can charge what they want onto us, they will. They also know that our domestic oil production is laughable compared to that of the Middle East. That is why they charge what they want for crude. Speculation does have a lot to do with it as well. However, if drilling were opened up in the US, OPEC would almost immidiately drop crude prices to try and draw us back to buying their oil instead of becoming oil independent. So, speculation can work both ways.

Did you know that there hasn't been an oil refinery opened in the United States in over 30 years? It's not that we do not have the crude within the United States or the ability to get it, it is we do not have the ability to refine it. The government places all kind of restrictions on where we can drill for oil and how much we can refine. Unfortunately, there is no alternative fuel that is cost effective enough and until that day we are going to pay out the wazoo for OPEC oil or have to start drilling for and refining our own.

Lastly, did you know that the government makes over twice as much in taxes as the oil companies do in profit per gallon? Congress wants to blame the the oil companies for making record profit but it an attempt to draw blame away from themselves. Oil companies are making record profits because they are making record sales. They made 9 cents on the gallon in 1990 and are making 9 cents on the gallon today. China and other industrialized countries are increasing their demand on oil as well, which means they are selling more.

Unfortunately, there is no real good answer for what the average American can do. Most say bombard your congressman with calls and e-mails but I have little faith in Washington anymore. Just start to watch your budget more. I know it isn't the answer most are looking for but it has to be done. Also, I stopped buying gasoline from companies that buy their crude from the Middle East. I only buy gas from BP and Sunoco because they use all North American oil.

Good luck and keep faith.

Answer 10

we better get used to our politicians will do nothing by next summer we will be paying $6 a gallon, alternative fuels are about 10 to 15 years away so invest in a small car or bike

Answer 11

The price is being driven by investment speculation!  Don't believe the hype about supply and demand.  Contact you Congressperson or senator and encourage them to draft legislation that mandates if a person purchases oil futures they must accept delivery and watch prices plummet!

Answer 12

We must all pay for the sins of the SUV.

Answer 13

No, your not alone.

The problem is with the current administration who hasn't done F-all about leading us into alternative technology and instead has continued to encourage Americans to stay addicted to oil by giving tax subsidies to oil companies, pushing to open up national treasures to dirty oil development and even fight a trillion dollar war on their behalf.

The oil companies are sticking it to us and President Bush is an oil man...so they both could careless about what you pay at the pump.

The key is encouraging alternative technology that DOES EXIST and can sold to the masses within a matter of a few years.

The Air pressurized car going on sale in Europe this decade runs on compressed air, gets up to 180 miles a tank, speeds up to 90 miles an hour (yes, it's fast!), and takes only 3 1/2 minutes to fill....and best of all, the cheapest model is $5000 because of its simple design.  BEST OF ALL ----Costs only $3 a tank! Depending on electricity rates of course, you could also power this thing with solar panels and wind mills....and you would be driving for free. FREE. Oil companies HATE that word, lol.

Then there is hybrids, electric cars, mass transportation, solar wind mills which could run 1/3 of Americas energy as a stable supplier, there is new solar technology available that can be put on your roof and run most appliances in your house.

There is so much exisiting and new promising technology out there to severe our ties with dirty polluting fossil fuels, it's crazy!

Yet what is the answer from McCain?? "Drill more oil".

Translation: Keep us addicted to expensive oil.

Answer 14

Israel threatens Iran, Iran punishes us, We put sanctions on Iran, they punish us again.