Question: why has gas in Europe always been more expensive?

[LSK]

My brother-in law was talking to his sister in Greece and she says gas prices havnt gone up much over there lately. Which got us to wondering, why has gas always been cheaper in the US than in Europe and other parts of the world???

[BuyingThyme]

1. It's not. We just pay for our gas via defense spending.

[Initech]

4. And the obscene salaries of oil company CEOs

[LSK]

6. i mean historically we pay less at the pump than they do

You are disputing that now?? :wtf:

[etherealtruth]

10. Defense spending is the answer

We maintain strong ties (military support and presence) in the region. At the end of the day, we collectively spend as much as they do ... we pay for it in taxes w/out regard to person usage, they pay at the pump.

[baldguy]

11. Right. How many Aircraft Carrier Battle Groups does Germany have?

We've got, what? 15? 17? I've lost count.

[LSK]

12. i dont understand

They dont have the military budgets that we have, so wouldnt that make their tax burden (and gas prices) cheaper???

What am I missing?

:shrug:

[etherealtruth]

13. Try reading through this ...

... it gives good historical perspective and may give better insight.
http://www.google.com/search?q=US+presence+in+middle+east+and+gas+prices&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&start=10&sa=N
Hope this helps (at least explaining my perspective)

Please accept my apologies, I can't copy the link correctly and (yes, I am a computer imbecile) can't copy from a PDF document (I sort of can, but it's a long cicuitous story that makes me look even stupider)

[LSK]

20. thanks, I will look through that.

[etherealtruth]

21. Try this

http://www.commondreams.org/views04/1008-23.htm

[rustydog]

24. Actually, it helps support their national health plan

I wouldn't mind paying 3 or more a gallon if it went to national health instead of the pockets of filthy rich investors.

[bullimiami]

2. taxes, which they use to help pay for infrastucture and social services.

[Deja Q]

9. In theory. These days it's for tax cuts, most of which go to Big Energy...

[iconoclastNYC]

3. Taxes.

[0007]

5. When I lived in Canada I was told it was because the US bought

in larger quantities. :shrug:

[tocqueville]

8. discount oil ?

never heard of that

[tocqueville]

7. because it's taxed much more heavily

about 70% of the gas price in Europe is tax. The tax goes to the infrastructure maintenance of roads. It has inconvenients of course but some advantages :

it indirectly sponsors building of mass commutation (trains, trolleys, busses)
it leads to the construction of far more energy efficient cars

in time of crises, the state can always lower the tax, letting people drive at about the same cost. The European industry can survive a $100 the barrel oil price, even if it would put a general strain.

[mr blur]

14. Exactly.

Succinctly put!

[napi21]

16. That's absolutely right. They do however seem to spend their

tax money more wisely than the US does!

[Vetinarii]

17. Also, this is why Europeans

take fuel efficiency much more seriously. Europeans are much more likely to drive cars that are small and fuel-efficient, rather than unfeasibly vast gas-guzzling SUVs.

[tammywammy]

23. And diesels

Europeans love diesel, because it's cheaper than gas.

[KT2000]

18. Yes - Taxes

On the news we are always told the price of European gas as if we should be grateful, but it is really apples and oranges.
This is a non sequitur that placates the people here.
Comparing prices in the various states is too as taxes are often added for transportation budgets, at varying rates.

[cliss]

15. The US has had cheap gas for about

6 decades now. It's because of our cozy relationship with Saudi Arabia. They've been out puppet state for a long time.

...however, that's about to come to an end. Saudi Arabia's magnificent Ghawar oil field is starting to run out of oil.

...that's why we invaded Iraq (oil). Iran is next on our shopping list (more oil).

[raysr]

19. Imperial gallon 5 quarts

[leeroysphitz]

22. Answer: Because they hate our freedom.

:banghead:

[sweetheart]

25. Why is petrol in America so cheap.

public subsidy, invisible military subsidies, energy subsidies,
drilling subsidies, free land rents, protection subsidies,
road and transport subsidies. Petrol is cheap, we're on
the cow's teet.

Though there is no direct reliationsip between revenue
and expenditure, the tax drawn on petrol, that makes uk
"gas" over 5 dollars per gallon, pays for a giant bloated
government welfare system, free colonial wars for king
bush whenever he wants a tool, and fat subsidies for
a national health service that needs reforms no politican
has the balls to install.

[paparush]

26. Um..'cause they don't subsidize the crap out of petroleum???

[LSK]

27. kick for the morning crowd