The country's going down the tubes _ Big Oil still wants more money at the pumps

[Imagevision]

Crude oil is getting cheaper — so why isn't gas? America come together? Obama needs to start contemplating multi-tasking if he hasn't already with preparing big oil to start giving some of their record shattering B-I-L-L-I-O-N-S in profits back via umm... winds fall profit tax move.

NEW YORK – Crude oil prices have fallen to new lows for this year. So you'd think gas prices would sink right along with them?! Not so.

On Thursday, for example, crude oil closed just under $34 a barrel, its lowest point for 2009. But the national average price of a gallon of gas rose to $1.95 on the same day, ($2.05 in Fla.) its peak for the year. On Friday gas went a penny higher.

To drivers once again grimacing as they tank up, it sounds like a conspiracy. But it has more to do with an energy market turned upside-down that has left gas cut off from its usual economic moorings.

In Naples Florida gas prices went up .09 cents in 8 days.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090215/ap_on_bi_ge/gas_prices_unhinged

[Trajan]

1. They are manipulating production to restrict supply ....

And hence, they are no better than Enron in how they 'game the markets' ...

It shouldnt be allowed, and, if they cannot be restricted from such predatory actions, they should be nationalized for the sake of the common good ....

[Greyhound]

3. Agreed.

[Trajan]

8. Hey there ...

Kewl name ... ~waggles~ eyebrows ...

So .... I understand you and yours are seeking a change in climate, which is completely understandable, no matter WHICH climate we are speaking of .... You will be greatly missed ....

Let me know what's what ... We need to connect way before then ...

[enlightenment]

4. It also seems like a certain amount of agreement

between the retailers. For the first time that I can recall, prices seem to be going up in absolute lockstep, regardless of the station. Usually (in Las Vegas, anyway) Shell is usually 2 or 3 cents higher than Sinclair and Sinclair is a penny or two higher than AM/PM and AM/PM is a about a penny higher than Citgo.

Not now. They are all the same - at most within a penny of each other. Strange.

[Imagevision]

2. British Oil giant BP generated profits at the rate of £1.3 million an hour this year

[david13]

5. The price of gas is too low

and thus people waste it, buy the biggest most gas guzzling monstrosity they can find, never use public transportation, sit in the car with the motor running, pollute the air, never car pool, ride around just for the hell of it, just for the pollution of it, never use a bicycle, etc.
I think the price should be higher. They also race everywhere they go, which uses (wastes) more gas.
The price of gas in most countries has for many many many years been way higher than here (Los Angeles), like 2 or 3 TIMES more, and thus other places car pool, use small cars, limit their running around, and develop public transportation.
dc

[taterguy]

6. And how am I supposed to get to work?

It's 3 miles for Chrissakes

[Trajan]

9. While I understand your concerns ....

Do you understand that the artificially inflated price of energy also helped create the awful economic circumstance we find ourselves in ? ...

There was a HUGE shift in wealth from you and me to them .... and for what ? .... Profit ? ... Just because they wanted more wealth ?

It would be one thing if the entire financial environment lifted price along with wage, so families would have no problem laying out more for energy, but there is no doubt that the price gouging that has been going on was created intentionally to benefit very few, and it hurt the rest of us pretty badly ...

[SpiralHawk]

7. "Smirk" - Republicon Homelander Oil Cronies

"We hope America fails."

- Republicon Leader Rush 'Draft-Dodger' Limbaugh