Pricey gasoline costs U.S. consumers extra $20 bln

[denverbill]

Source: Reuters

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The jump in U.S. gasoline prices this year has so far cost consumers an extra $20 billion, or about $146 for each passenger car in the country, the
Government Accountability Office told Congress on Tuesday.

...

Like many other energy experts, McCool said the GAO has found that current high pump costs are the result of a large amount of oil refining capacity being offline, strong gasoline demand and lower fuel inventories.

Many lawmakers blame the lack of competition in the oil industry from mega oil company mergers for the run-up in gasoline prices.

...



Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070522/ts_nm/usa_congress_gasoline_dc_1;_ylt=ArdwQCd4Ld3Cp5mp7zXjE90E1vAI

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Coincidentally, oil company profits are at record levels, I'd say in the $20 billion range.

[gaspee]

1. Yeah

What a coinky-dink

You would think the people in other industries, like say... Wal-Mart... would put pressure on their bought and paid for pols to do something about it. Pretty soon the oil companies will have all the colorful monopoly money.

Gas prices are killing me. I have a margin now of about 10 bucks a week that is not set aside for something. And I have no health insurance. Sure hope I don't need stitches.

I used to have @60 a week that I could spend/save as I wanted.

Sure glad Exxon and their ilk need the money more than I do. Makes me feel all warm and fuzzy.

And since I make deliveries for a living it's not as if I can use an alternate mode of transport.

[A wise Man]

3. Join the club

The average cost for a quarter of a tank in our "04 Pontiac GRAM" at $3.06 per gal. is $10.00 per quarter or $40.00 to fill up. When we bought it in 2004 it was $25.00 to fill up. Now a fill up last only 4 days. In seven days it cost $70.00 a week. This is nothing but highway robbery.

[Psephos]

10. "This is nothing but highway robbery"

You sure got that right.

If anything good comes from this, it will be the turning point when we all start thinking about life beyond gasoline.

[onehandle]

2. The Oil President. nt

[liberal N proud]

4. That money has to come from somewhere

We all have to cut somewhere else in the budget to pay for our travel.

Us:
We no longer eat out, we used to eat out 2 - 3 times a week because of our hectic schedules. No more movie nights.

No more weekend trips to those short destinations. It was common for us to take a two hour drive one weekend a month. Check out nearby sites, spend some cash at the local establishments. Not any longer.

When we must travel, now only to family events, Our family all live 11 or more hours away. We always had a hotel stay in there both directions. Not now! We will switch drivers and continue driving to our destination.

The lawn will just have to grow a little longer this summer, sorry, that is just a fact of life now. Maybe I will let it go natural?

Other luxuries we are cutting, Pizza delivery, they all are starting to charge. Wine and beer will be cut back.

Glad I bought the complete set of Mash DVD's, it will give me something to watch this summer.

[A wise Man]

5. I went to get gas for my mower yesterday

$1.00 gave me less than 1/3 of a gal. can

[liberal N proud]

6. I filled my 2 cars and 5 gal gas can for lawn mowers yesterday $3.09

Today the price was $3.49
What in the hell justifies $.40 hike in one day?
And Congress sits on their fat ass and funds an illegal war!

[A wise Man]

7. Somethings wrong here

Do these stations get overnight emails or phone calls?

[TheFarseer]

8. SUV sales are up and driving is up

I wonder how this can be true. Are there just more people in the country? I think all the idiots got fooled this winter when gas was going down, of course many just don't care. I was talking gas prices today at work and this girl was telling me about her Trailblazer that got an unbelievably good 20 mpg on the highway! Wow, that's incredible :sarcasm: and she drives an hour to work everyday from way the hell out in the country. Glad I'm not paying for her gas.

[SpiralHawk]

9. "Smirk, smirk, sneer, sneer." - Commander AWOL & republicon oil cronies

"Thank you for you money. All of it."

- Commander AWOL & republicon oil cronies