The price of oil continues to go down, but the price of gas at the pump has gone up.

[olegramps]

We were told that the price of gas was dependent on the escalating price of oil that was driven by increase demand. However, this has been contradicted by experts who now tell us that it was the result of speculation.

Most of our attention has been directed to the stimulus legislation while this very important issue has received very little attention. The price of gas at the pump has a significant affect of family finances. I am not affect by it as much as most since I am retired. But, the family finances of many in my neighborhood who have to drive long distance to their jobs are seriously affected by the price of gas.

What do you think about this issue?

[AndyA]

1. And in the midst of Q4 2008 company bankruptcies, lay offs, closings, and the like,

ExxonMobile posts yet another huge profit!

How stupid are people to believe they aren't manipulating prices? I mean, come on!! ExxonMobile has made almost enough in profits the last few years to bail out a bank or two on their own.

[Cant trust em]

2. This weekend I saw a guy with one of those "Drill now, pay less" bumper stickers

How does a person still have that up when the idea has been so thoroughly discredited?

[ipfilter]

4. At least it wasn't one of those horrible

"Whip their ass and take their gas" stickers I've seen around here.

[WVRICK13]

6. When They Drilled His Molar

They accidentally left a big hole where his brain used to be.

[ThomWV]

3. Last week Exxon once again announced a new World Record quarterly profit

[onethatcares]

5. the refineries are shutting down for maintenance and upgrades

but of course, any reason to screw the consumer is a good one. Drive less, seriously. Drive less, make circular trips, and walk occassionally. It's the only way to win.

Peace

[theophilus]

9. That might be the excuse given but sources say that they are cutting production

in order to hike prices. They should be put out of business and I hope we replace the dirty old fuels soon. Take a look:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29126567/

[demosincebirth]

7. Smells like price- fixing to me.

[bertman]

8. It does hurt anyone who is financially strapped. However, in the long run, higher gas

prices will benefit us all. We will never wean ourselves off the gasoline economy until the price of gas is high enough to make us reduce the use of our gas-powered vehicles and plan our driving carefully, as Onethatcares said.

Our collective short attention span allows us to forget that gasoline is 1) from the Middle East mostly 2) empowers some of the nastiest human beings on the planet (energy czars) 3) pollutes everything: land, air, water 4) can be conserved by simply reducing our usage by thinking about it.