$ 4.00 gas now in some places, all places by May 1st.. $5.00 by Summer.

[Stuart G]

..4.00 gas will become the norm across the country by the end of April. Why? That is really only a ten percent increase in the price of oil on the world market. This type of increase is very very common. The falling dollar along with over all increased demand has caused the price of gas to become stable over 100 dollars a barrel. That was just at the end of last month.
..Now the price seems stable at $110 a barrel. So a ten percent increase to 120 is likely if any minor glitch occurs. And most of the world is already paying 5 to 6 dollars a gallon.

This is important to all of us because even at three fifty we are having trouble paying for it. At 4.00 it will be much worse, and at $5.00 a gallon we will be wondering, "What happened?"
..I believe there has been no leadership in the U.S.A. for the past 7 years on trying to reduce gas consumption. In fact, Big Oil has been encouraged to sell more, and make more money. Guess who caused this?

[dkf]

1. Its the dollar...blame Bush.

[Stuart G]

5. Yes, this is true..

The producers wish to keep their profits stable too. So as the dollar falls, and since oil is sold in dollars, producers raise prices to compensate for lower income. So producer's react to lower dollar by raising prices.
So, dkf in the post above is correct. Who is responsible for our dollar being worth less? Mr. Bush. Although I doubt that he will ever admit to causing any problems through is incompetence and let us say, "Lack of intelligence."

[Xenotime]

33. The dollar has been the cause of almost all of it...

Executives are getting richer
Politicians are getting richer
Traders are getting richer

All at the expense of the common person.

[Delphinus]

2. Hi Stuart,

In a story I read the other day, the news article stated it had been an 80% increase. This was what I highlighted out of the article:

Oil's 80 percent gain during the past yearis the second biggest among 19 commodities on the Reuters/Jefferies CRB Index, trailing only wheat, which doubled. Rising global demand for raw materials and a weakening dollar have led to records this year for raw materials including corn, soybeans, rice and gold.

And, again, I state that it's no wonder regular folk are not able to keep up. There's only so much we can cut back - and if we're already there, where do we go?

This was the original article from Bloomberg: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=akOno6jSgdpo&refer=news

[CountAllVotes]

3. it is already $3.89 here

:hi: here in NW California that is. I saw diesel for $4.29 the other day. I afraid to go out to see how much it is now.

The last time I filled up I thought I got at deal at $3.74 with 5% off thanks to my Discover Card.

:scared:

People around here aren't rich at all and cannot afford it. Period.

:dem:

[Eric Condon]

43. "People around here aren't rich at all..."

And since this administration has such a great history of listening to the needs of those of us who aren't rich, I'm sure they'll get right on it and address this problem. :sarcasm:

[Marrah_G]

4. I have nothing left to cut back...besides tv and intenet. Those may go soon also.

The working class is suffocating. I'll have to take on a second job to heat the house next year so the pipes don't burst. The kids will just have to raise themselves.

[CountAllVotes]

6. my tv just went up

another $5.00 a month; internet too - another $5.00 a month. Everything is another $5.00+++++ a month!!! :argh:

:kick:

[Stuart G]

7. I don't have cable, and lately I have wanted it because..

I would like to get Olbermann, and some of the other news shows. (also, some great films on cable too) But at 40 -50 dollars a month, that is almost a tank of gas. And I need the money to get around. So no cable.

[CountAllVotes]

9. I would like to get rid of it personally

Thanks to the nonstop sports on the damn thing, I cannot get rid of it thanks to husband the sports freak. I could change it to "basic service" for $50 and I'd get 7 channels for abt. $20.00 a month. However, there would be no 100 channels of crap to look at.

Personally, I don't watch a whole lot of TV. I like Olbermann, yes I do. Comedy Central helps too.

Luckily I do not drive much. I have a 2002 Honda Accord with 16,000 miles on it so that should give you a clue.

I am glad I don't have to drive a whole lot. That is the only thing saving me at this point. I had a job that was a 100 mile a day commute for $8.00 an hr. part-time which I was very lucky to find (this place sucks for employment; always has and always will). Luckily that job is in the past. It would not be doable these days that is for sure. :(

[newmajority]

11. Maybe that's part of Chimpy's overall strategy?

If people are forced to cut off the internet and/or cable TV (at least MSNBC) in order to keep gas in the tank, they are left with nothing but the corporate media for information. And that's assuming you can even get TV with an antenna in your area.

A misinformed or uninformed public is necessary for fascism. And they rake in the profits on top of it. I could actually admire the genius of the plan, if it wasn't destroying my country. :evilfrown:

[CountAllVotes]

12. an antenna would not help me

so without cable of some sort I get NO channels. Maybe that IS the plan! :scared:

:kick:

[Stuart G]

15. I am very lucky, My antenna helps me a lot...

With it, I can get 14 stations. Enough to know what is going on. But most of my news I get here and other places on the net. The net provides more up to date, and more complete news (if I look for it) than most TV most of the time.

[Robb]

38. Antenna no good next May

...Full-power analog broadcasts stop. All digital. So either a new digital antenna/setup, or sat/cable.

[backscatter712]

8. Exxon-Mobil's CEO needs a new Airbus 380.

How's he going to have a decent entourage if he's limited to a narrow-body airliner?

After all, the little people have to make sacrifices so he can get his new jet.

[taterguy]

10. Exxon's CEO won't even buy an American jet?

That really sticks in my craw

[SammyWinstonJack]

14. Big oil needs to make $$$ while they still can. Dubai needs more luxury man made islands.

And the *marinated in oil* BFEE hasn't maxed out their profits, yet.

[MidwestTransplant]

13. When the bombing starts in Iran it will go to $8.

[Ikonoklast]

44. When the bombing starts in Iran

The first thing they will do is block the Straits of Hormuz.

It would be the first thing I would do, if I was them.

And I would do what I could to disrupt the production in the Emirates and Kingdoms that helped facilitate the U.S. to attack me.

By military means, or otherwise.

Might as well go down swinging.



Oil would be whatever you could get for it, if you could even find any.

[stubtoe]

16. Wonder how that will affect the summer travel season?

Are people still planning on taking driving vacations this summer? I haven't seen any analysis (or speculation) on this topic lately.

[Stuart G]

18. My guess is that big resort places, like Disneyworld,...

will be in trouble. At five a gallon, people are going to think twice about long trips. Especially if their main car is an SUV. Shorter vacations will be what most families take.

[CountAllVotes]

19. the RW talking heads say there will be no change

and that everyone should go on vacation as usual and oh yeah, keep on shopping too! :argh: :mad:

:kick:

[SammyWinstonJack]

20. Apparently this coupled with the economic downturn will equate to the worst summer travel season in

17 years, according to the Dept of Transportation. Who was president 17 years ago? :evilgrin:

[kineneb]

25. well, there goes our local economy. bummer

Scenic Lake County, CA.: Boating, camping, water skiing, wine tasting.
45 minutes from nearest freeway.
Oops, now no one can afford to get here.
Thank goodness it is still an agricultural area... wonder if some of those vineyards will be plowed under for food crops?

[mrcheerful]

27. Oh didn't you know? According to one member of the fighting keyboard brigrade

who lives by I-75 in michigan says he see's no change in the traffic on I-75. Never mind the fact that more and more people are taking 75 to avoid traffic lights on surface streets to get back and forth to their jobs or to the stores, oh no its people going on trips because high gas prices mean nothing to americans when it comes to waste. Btw, same guy was bitching about the EPA because it cost him $150 to fill his Hummer.

[Miss Carly]

41. I am flying across the country, and really glad I bought my tickets a couple of months ago

the tickets went up in price more per ticket than when I got them...whew....

[The2ndWheel]

17. Economically cheap energy

Not environmentally cheap, obviously. No increasingly concentrated form of energy is environmentally cheap. There is a reason the "cost of living" seems to go up every year. That cheap energy though, that certainly has built an interesting world.

"I believe there has been no leadership in the U.S.A. for the past 7 years on trying to reduce gas consumption"

See, the way I see it is energy consumption. It doesn't matter what the source is, it's the activity we do with it. The cheaper the energy, the more we do, with more people, in more ways, which increases our impact, resulting in cost of living increases(for humans, and anything unfortunate enough to stand in the way of our machine).

It's not about 7 years, and gas consumption. It's thousands of years, and energy consumption. Which is why the problem is so large, so complex, and not anywhere near easy enough to dump onto Bush, the Republicans, America, or even Big Oil.

[taught_me_patience]

21. I hope it gets to $6 soon

so that big SUVs start getting off the road. Then I can buy a nice small Yaris, Golf, Smart, Mini, Fit, Versa and tool around in relative safety.

[newmajority]

23. That's fine, if you can actually fit in a small car.

Some of us who are well over 6' tall just ain't so lucky. Hell, even some trucks and SUV's have a lot less legroom than you would think.

[taught_me_patience]

28. Try a Honda Fit

there is a lot of headroom. Ironically, I had a Crown Victoria and the back seat was small.

[bullwinkle428]

34. I'm 6'2", and a Fit feels as roomy as a school bus inside!

I sat in one at a car show recently, and couldn't believe how comfortable the interior was...

[SammyWinstonJack]

24. This isn't just about the price at the pump you know? Everything costs more because of higher oil

prices. Unless you grow all of your food, etc., you can take the bus, buy more fuel efficient vehicle and you will still screwed!

[taterguy]

26. When it hits $100 I can ride a bicycle and not worry about being run over by someone in a Golf

Or I can do what I do now: Use common sense and safety and not let fear run my life.

I'm no economist but I suspect that rising gas prices will hurt poor people a lot more than they'll discourage rich people from trashing the planet.

[taught_me_patience]

29. Maybe it'll hurt enough

that people will rise up and kick this cabal out of office. Until then, there is too much complacency.

[bdamomma]

35. what more abuse can the American people take, killing our

sons and daughters, drowning people in the Gulf States, killing people abroad, kicking people out of their houses, high gas prices, as the rich get richer, when does it stop??? these SOB's need to get their a$$es kicked.

sometimes "the tree of liberty needs the blood of tyrants and patriots".

[taterguy]

40. Remember what happened the last time gas prices were sky high?

Ronald Fucking Reagan got elected.

So maybe your theory could use a little work.

[Marrah_G]

30. Thanks-

I don't have the money for a new efficient car (like most working class families). Pay for college....with what? blood? My daughter is stuck with community college while I struggle to save the money for the things grants won't cover. Since I am barely making it and the cost of fuel also ups my heat and food bills, this single mom of three would like to say:

Fuck you!

This year one delivery of 100 gals of heating oil was 350 dollars. YOU would like to see that go up to 600.

Again:

FUCK YOU!

Your elitist bullshit attitude hurt those of us who struggle the most. So while you are cruising around in your nifty little Prius you can wave you my family as we search for a place to sleep at night.

On edit: Perhaps you never thought of the consequences for the working poor. If that is the case I apologise. If you do know it and just don't care then my "fuck you's" stand. Either way I hope you understand now how offbase you are in thinking that way.

[taught_me_patience]

31. Why are you paying for your daughter's college?

There are federal loans the are easily accessible, which she can pay off herself?

I am a free market economist. There will always be a lot of pain that occurs when a market corrects itself and changes happen. I believe that the pain is worth it, though, as, in the long run, we will be much better off as a society.

[Marrah_G]

36. Wow...just wow.

I really don't have anything else to say to you that won't be deleted, so I am going to walk away from this conversation.

[Robb]

39. Easy to say

...Much harder to live, looking at food vs. rent. Or did you think milk and bread would be delivered in a fuel-efficient subcompact?

[LSK]

42. why are you a free market economist when that has proven to be a failed theory?

We have tried free markets under the Bushies and where are we? Europe has gone the route of regulation and look what their dollar is worth versus ours?

Please explain to me how trade deals like NAFTA, CAFTA, etc benefit us? So we open up our businesses to 3rd world countries? How much can poor people in these countries buy from us? Yet its easier to ship our jobs to them.

Why on earth would you be in favor of free markets?? Its mindboggling that someone would admit that here.

Please read some Hartmann and Krugman ASAP.

One more thing, THESE ARE PEOPLES LIVES WE ARE TALKING ABOUT HERE, FUCK THE IDEOLOGY PLEASE.

[SammyWinstonJack]

45. Free enterprise Dude! Price at the pump is bad enough. Prices elsewhere will hurt even those who

don't drive! Don't you get that?

[lumberjack_jeff]

22. Could it be the guy who said; "We need an energy policy which encourages consumption" n/t

[bdamomma]

32. this despicable regime we have is also bombing us

into the dark age. When is enough enough??? Bush and co. deserve every stinking bad thing that should be coming to them.

[Initech]

37. This means we'll have to tighten our belts.

You know what would be great? Is if I could tighten my belt around Dick Cheney's fat fucking neck. I'd feel much better about that sacrifice! I'll you know, take the bus to work for a couple weeks if that were to happen.