Why is the skyrocketing cost of gas not a bigger issue?

[Armstead]

Really.

Several posts on DU lately bemoaning it -- and with good reason.

So why the hell aren't the media and the politicians (especially thge Democratic ones) pounding on the table and demanding a stop to this extortion?

I got $10 of gas yesterday, and it barely nudged above empty. A year or two ago, it would have been a quarter to a half a tank.

I don't want to hear about how we should be conserving, etc. etc. etc....Right now, gas is a necessity, and we're all over the barrel. You don't teach a non-swimmer how to swim by throwing him over the side of a moving ocean liner and yell "Too bad. You should have learned toi swim earlier."

And if we can't even stop this gouging, how the hell are we ever going to get any kind of alterntive energy/conservation policy?

This is good for no one -- Not even the majority of the business sector.

And yet, we sit back as a nation and keep taking it in the shorts with nary a peep.

[Jazzgirl]

1. I feel your pain.

I wondered the same thing and noticed yesterday the price of regular gas is now over $2.70. I'm not hearing anybody grumble about it and don't understand it. Wish they would say why. Unless they're charging more for processing the required ethanol crap that just went into effect.

JG

[Armstead]

3. Nary a word.

Has the US gone into outrage overload?

[lyonn]

14. "Outrage overload," you got it!

We all know it will stay high all summer. It looks like the bush plan for lots of oil from Iraq has failed miserably. The poor Iraqis are paying dearly for gas too, first time ever. Iran, Venezuela, et al., are pissed at us.

You are doing a good job bushie.

Edited for sloppiness.

[Jazzgirl]

16. I think the US is too burned out on too much shit.

n/t

[proud2BlibKansan]

2. Well haven't you heard?

The Mexicans are invading

a congresswoman assaulted a cop

and

ann coulter's book is coming out in June.

Priorities, man, priorities!!11

[Inland]

4. $2.50/gal would have been Clinton's impeachable offense.

But I too don't care to do anything about it, except tell you to stop buying so much of it. Historically, it's not particulary expensive. I don't think it's "gouging", I think its the market price of something made of something that they are'nt makeing any more of.

If you want to lower prices, you could convince Bush to stop wasting money in the ME making everyone nervous and ruining Iraq's oil rerserves.

[Armstead]

6. This isn;t the way to change policy

For those of us who live in rural or semi-rural areas where you have to drive several miles just to get to the nearest shopping area, gas isn't a luxury. I've already cut back on my driving a lot. Would you prefer that we all become recluses?

[Inland]

10. It's not a luxury for me, either.

But nonetheless, there's nothing to do but buy less of it or less of something else. They ain't making any more oil, so prices aren't going to go down.

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

5. It's good for the war effort.

Shut up, suck it up, and fill that damned tank. You don't want the terraists to WIN, do ya?



Oh, yeah. I almost forgot: :sarcasm:

[Gatchaman]

7. I don't get it either

People bitched and moaned when gas was this high due to hurricane Katrina, when (for once) the price increase was due to a legitimate reason and a measurable disruption of supply. Gas prices are going through the roof due to corporate greed and the ineptitude of the administration to exercise any influence over OPEC, and nobody cares.

[GraysonDave]

8. It sucks, and the prices of many commodities are up

In addition to the price of oil and natural gas, things like gold, orange juice, and sugar have really increased. I'm afraid we're about to see a bad inflationary period.

[BrotherBuzz]

9. I think $3.00 will be the strike point....

The rumble will strart at that point and people will start demanding answers.

[radio4progressives]

11. well you know... the shite just keeps on piling on...

there isn't a single solitary policy in this administration that haven't negatively impacted our lives directly and Constitutionally.

I'm a barely living brathing, driving, walking eating thinking outraged zombie these days. mostly because i'm not seeing people in the streets demanding this white house step down immediately.

Nuke U Larr weapons are about to be launched on Iran, which is going to be responded and reacted to - the $3.00 per gallon gasoline rip off is just another item.

Have you noticed what a loaf of bread is costing now? a box of cereal? a gallon of milk and a 1/4 of jack cheese costs?

but I hear, ya! :hi:

[leftofthedial]

12. because them damned Mexicans are taking all the bad jobs

either that or they are marching around in US cities carrying Mexican flags.

apparently

[Armstead]

18. They won;t be able to afford to drive here either soon

[leftofthedial]

30. don't get me started on their driving!

;-)

[Proud_Democratt]

13. The media

is Repub owned.

[Octafish]

15. Same people own Exxon, etc.

Rockefeller, etc.

BTW: A hearty welcome to DU, Proud_Democratt! I really like your moniker!

Crazy Monkey

[Proud_Democratt]

17. Hopefully....

someday America will come to it's senses and revolt. It's about that time!!!!!
Thanks for the welcome!!!

[spinbaby]

19. MSM has orders not to cover it

If they don't cover it, it never happened.

[warrens]

20. It's like complaining about the weather

But I bet no one is unaware. It goes into the "wrong direction" results in polls. You know, the one where even half of Republicans say we're headed in the wrong direction.

[Initech]

21. Ask the CEO of Exxon/Mobil who makes $13,700 an hour

$13,700 an HOUR!!! I barely make $20 grand a YEAR!!! A YEAR!

We need to keep asking the question - why are we paying so much for gas? Why are we paying so much for gas? Why are we paying so much for gas?

[mduffy31]

31. I always think about people on minimum wage

Now I am a nurse, I make a good living. I am not rich, but I am comfortable, and I don't worry about money all that much. Now I can't imagine the cluster fuck that is paying $3 a gallon for gas to go to my $5.75/hr job. Now that this what is really wrong. I think that the hybrid technology is overrated in places where I live, where there is a lot of driving on the freeway rather than in a city like LA or NY where you would use the battery more. I think that the E-85 is what will be the wave of the near future, but my question is whey the hell is it almost the same price as regular gas? Now the last time I checked E-85 is made with corn, now I live in Minnesota, we have got fields and fields of corn. The government pays people not to grow corn, so we don't have to go over to the ME to ship it back, pipeline it etc. I think that if it was more popular we would see a price drop in E-85, until they figure out a way to gouge us on that. Why hasn't big oil taken up the offer from the president to use old military instillations as a place to build new refineries? It is perfect, no one wants a refinery near them, the old bases are in the middle of nowhere, and they always talk about that there hasn't been any new refineries built in 30 years as another excuse about gas being high. Well that would solve that problem, but then they would not be able to overcharge the way that they do. I would really like to see price controls over oil and gas to make it more affordable for the people that I talked about at the beginning, the people that don't have the earning power of someone like me. That really has to scrimp and save and do without, work three jobs just to drive their goddamn car to work.

[SmokingJacket]

22. They're pushing the price as high as it'll go before people

complain too much, or more likely, actually buy less. At the moment, people are used to it, and probably won't cut back till it hits $3.

As far as the oil/gas companies are concerned, why shouldn't they demand what the market will bear?

Personally, I agree with you -- we ARE over a barrel and people (myself included) are suffering. There are two possible solutions: 1)demand government regulation of gas prices. I'm all for this, but with an oil man in office, pigs will fly sooner. 2) Use less. Not all of us CAN use less, but some of us can.

Those of us who can ride a bike better damn well get out and ride it.

[NNN0LHI]

23. Too preoccupied with hating Mexicans right now to worry about gas prices

Now if someone can figure out a way to blame gas prices on Mexicans Lou Dobbs will be right on it.

Don

[spanone]

24. I rarely hear the word 'conservation'. I don't get it.

Gas prices are rising like the temperature and no one seems to give a hoot. I posted about gouging last week and just got slammed over 'peak oil', and 'it's not gouging, it's supply and demand' blah blah blah. Well this morning on NPR they said the supply was just fine. There was no shortage.

I think the shortage came in lost profits from a mild winter, so Exxon-Mobil and friends are making up for it.

[BlooInBloo]

25. Because it's not a winner for the republicans.

[RB TexLa]

26. Maybe because it's only up 40 cents from a year ago?

[tabasco]

27. Bush condemned Clinton when gas was $1.60 a gallon.

Said he would "jawbone" to get prices under control.

The dumbasses believed him.

The corporate media is the main problem IMO.

They replay republican talking points over and over but when a Dem tries to get the message out, they are flamed.

[Tesha]

29. He did. Gas prices are now "under control".

> Bush condemned Clinton when gas was $1.60 a gallon.
>
> Said he would "jawbone" to get prices under control.

He did. Gas prices are now "under control". But the
dumbasses who voted for him thought that would mean
either "lower" or "their control"; it didn't.

Tesha

[movie_girl99]

28. I have been curious myself

I drive around the burbs and see these people driving these huge -passenger SUV's with one person in them wondering how the hell they afford to fill them up. I have only been putting 10.00 at a time in my car because I keep thinking gas prices will go down. Doesn't look like it's going to be any time soon.

[renate]

32. I think it's because the MSM hasn't told us who to blame

I honestly think that's the reason.

Do we blame Bush? The oil CEOs? Some sheik somewhere?

I think if there were a focus for blame, there would be a lot of anger. Right now there's just worry, because this is REALLY hurting many people. It's not that this isn't a serious problem, we just don't know WHY the hell prices go up 30 cents between morning and afternoon, and there's nothing we can do about it, so we just deal with it.

It's so insane and ridiculous and bizarre that we just don't know what to do. Like if a UFO landed in your downtown but didn't cause any overt trouble--if you looked around you and saw that nobody else was freaking out, everybody was just carrying on as usual, would you just adjust to the situation? People are suffering, but nobody is freaking out in public, therefore it's just one of those things.

[Justice Is Comin]

33. There is so much crap

being revealed on a daily basis about this commune of corrupt carcinogens that there isn't room in the broadcasts for anything else.

And if a cruise missile shows up in Iran, you will be looking back on these prices as the good old days. Iran will push gas to $10 a gallon.