What do you think the reaction is going to be if gas $$ go down

[napi21]

around Sept? Is it Saudi manipulation? Is this proof of the statements in the Woodward book?

[boobooday]

1. How much is it going to go down?

And now, what if we get attacked, after Condi made her prediction? How could they do that?

I smell a major sex scandal or Michael Jackson story coming on . . .

http://www.wgoeshome.com

[napi21]

2. Cute! Gas prices typicaly go down in the fall, all I'm asking is

do you think the "Prince Bandar will try to control oil prices because he knows there's a fall election" statement going to put the doubt in voters minds that this was rigged?

[happyslug]

3. The First Question is why is it going up?????

Now Gasoline generally goes up in the Spring (do to the changeover from making heating fuel to Gasoline, people go out and drive more in the Summer).

This being the case, most Gasoline Companies make adjustments so the change is generally only a few cents (Rarely over a dime) thus what is causing the relatively huge increase we have had (And why has the price NOT dropped).

There are two possible answers to that question, first OPEC fears price will drop once Iraq oil comes back on line and thus keeping prices up while it can. The problem with this is the OPEC members have a long history of cutting each other's throats when it comes to exporting oil (and Russia has a history of undermining OPEC pricing mechanism) so that I can not believe that for the first time since the early 1980s OPEC is capable of keeping prices up. Remember we are Not only talking of Iran but also of Kuwait, United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Saudi Arabia. These last three states are American allies and their leadership (to a degree) are dependent on American support. I can not see these three countries (Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the UAE) doing something against the long term interest of the US (and by definition the leadership of those three countries).

The other answer is more frightening, i.e. Saudi Arabia oil production has peaked and Saudi Arabia is using these OPEC price increases to cover that up. If this is the case the House of Saud can promise Bush all he wants to hear, they can NOT deliver on it. Remember talk is cheap, action requires the expenditure of real money. Here we may have the Saudis trying to cover up a drop in production of their oil fields. If that is the case, the Saudis have lost control over the price of oil (Something the House of Saud has had since the Arab oil embargo of 1973). With the lost of control price will vary greatly but the general trend will be up wards.

[JDPriestly]

4. Prices went up before the 2000 election.

Along about September 23, 2000, Clinton put U.S. reserves on the market to bring the prices down. Candidate Bush criticized Clinton, saying that Clinton should have just called OPEC leaders and asked them to produce more oil.

Maybe the Bush/Saudi game is for OPEC, including the Saudis, to run up U.S. oil prices. Along about August or September, Bush will ask the Saudis to produce more oil so that prices go down and Bush can play the hero just before the election. -- I realize it is just one possible scenario among others, but I kind of like it.

[SoCalDem]

5. Bush will claim it as a victory

and most silly folks will say.. "Thank you, master"...

[VolcanoJen]

6. I'm far more concerned about Saudi heads-of-state interfering...

... with the American election, than I am terrorists interfering with the American election.

Condi is selling fear, and it's working. The White House has yet to come up with a good cover for the Woodward/Prince Bandar story (see today's www.talkingpointsmemo.com for an amazing, and mind-boggling McClellan gaggle), and it seems to me that this Saudi Royal Family/Bush Famiily/Oil Price Fixing thing is about to explode.

When is "Fahrenheit 9/11" scheduled for wide release?

[RummyTheDummy]

7. This will be the Joe Six Pack response......

Uninformed Wife: Honey, gas is down 6 cents today.

Uninformed Husband: Oh that's great honey. Bush fixed those Saudis. Now when does American Idol come on, I need to program the TiVo for it while I take the Suburban to the car wash.