Rising Gas Prices Hurt Poor Americans Most

[NVMojo]

AP-For most Americans, today's rising gasoline prices are an annoyance, not a serious financial hardship.

Then there are people like Kenneth and Edith Taylor of Baltimore, who already struggle to make their monthly social security checks of less than $1,700 last by cooking casseroles and soups at home instead of eating out and forgoing new clothes for as long as possible. Now, with neighborhood pump prices averaging $2.85 a gallon, the Taylors say they simply cannot afford the 80-mile roundtrip to visit their daughter more than once a month.

"There and back is $10 worth of gasoline," said 84-year-old Kenneth, who used to make the trip in his Buick LeSabre at least every other week.

The Taylor family's increasing frugality may be a drop in the bucket for the world's most voracious energy consuming nation, but it is not inconsequential and could be the start of a broader trend.

Recent government and industry data show that America's consumption of gasoline is not rising as rapidly as it was this time last year, and analysts say families living on fixed or modest incomes usually are the first to cut back. If prices continue to rise, other demographic groups expected to trim their gasoline consumption are young adults, who tend to have less pocket change than their elders, and people living in rural parts of Texas and Wyoming, where long drives are a routine part of life.

more...

http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/invest-corp/2006/apr/21/042107246.html

[savemefromdumbya]

1. We should have gone green long before this

People do think it is Bush's fault that gas prices have gone up

[ClintonTyree]

6. It IS his damned fault!

By invading Iraq and posturing about Iran he's created so much unrest in the Middle-East that it's a perfect ruse for the oil producing countries and BIG OIL to push the price sky high. If Bush doesn't invade Iraq we're paying $2.00 a gallon right now, TOPS!

[Bluzmann57]

2. Oh it's starting a broader trend all right

This is nuts, what's going on with gas prices. The high cost of fuel drives the price of EVERYTHING up, except maybe cars. So yeah, people are going to walk when neccessary, people aren't going to eat out as often, people are going to stay closer to home, etc. etc. Hell, I never went to economics school and I know that much. Goopd point brought up about rural people as well. They have longer drives to get to work, stores and everything else. But as long as Exxon/Mobil is happy...

[brmdp3123]

3. It's unfortunate, but we'd better get used to.

We're using more and more of a resource that can't be replaced, and it's getting harder, and more expensive, to get what there is. Don't get me wrong-I'm not defending the current prices, but price increases, large ones, are inevitable. We have to develop alternatives.

[Skittles]

10. yup

yeah, I'm sure the two oil men in charge will get right on it

[Poppyseedman]

4. At what retail price at the pump does the environmental lobby lose their

political influence and we start drilling like crazy in the gulf and and in ANWR?

My guess is we are getting close.

[ClintonTyree]

5. And I have to drive from New York to Louisiana and back...

in 2 weeks. Bringing all my daughter's stuff back from College. :cry: I'm going to have to take out a second mortgage just to pay for the damned gas! That's just my luck though, or LACK of luck I should say. If it weren't for bad luck I'd have no luck at all. :banghead:

[badgerpup]

7. This 'trend' has been going on for a while...

If you meet certain criteria, you can sell your blood plasma twice a week. Price varies, but in my neck of the woods, it was $40 a week at that time.
Talking to some of the people who were doing so, they weren't doing this for that new pair of Nike's or a CD player or other luxury items.
They were doing it so they could afford to put gas in the car, so they could get to work, pick up their kids, go to the doctor, frivolous things like that...and I did not see a SINGLE SUV in the parking lot.
Most of the vehicles were older models (I don't know cars for beans, but I can tell old from new) and they weren't the luxury models either.
Emailed my alleged Congress-critters about this...:banghead: for all the good it doesn't...

[NMMNG]

8. $40 a week you say?

They were doing it so they could afford to put gas in the car, so they could get to work, pick up their kids, go to the doctor, frivolous things like that


There people go with those recreational visits to the doctor again (you know, the stuff Bush says people will stop doing if they have to pick up the tab instead of having their insurance do it).


This whole mess is insane. The powers that be give lip-service to "alternative fuels" while continuing to invest in Big Oil. We're getting nowhere, fast.

[hadrons]

9. "people living in rural parts of Texas and Wyoming" ....

most of these people voted for who again????