Higher gas prices are a sign of economic recovery

[cthulu2016]

That doesn't make higher gas prices fun. It is just what it is.

Gas prices set their record (nominal) high in July of 2008. When the global economy keeled over a few months later gas prices went down. No surprise there.

(The speculation factor is high today and was high in 2008, but for good or ill, speculative activity is itself a sign of increased economic activity. The 1990s saw strong job growth and one hell of a speculative internet bubble. Better economies see more money flying around, including in highly speculative investments.)

Why, exactly, would anyone expect a return to pre-collapse economy with gas prices magically staying at global-depression levels?

Of course gas was bound to return to pre-collapse levels someday, right?

I swear, this nation is ungovernable.

[Fumesucker]

1. Because wages aren't increasing and people can't afford gas at $4.00 plus a gallon?

[dkf]

4. They'll find the point at which the consumer breaks I imagine.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

2. If only I had an electric car

[dkf]

3. Why wouldn't they charge what the economy can bear?

They don't run a charity after all.

That's why we have to get off our dependency and ramp up renewables. That is our only leverage.