Citizen Voices

Due to health reasons, I was unable to cover the Libertarian California Convention . As such, I wanted to tackle an issue that is on ALL our minds as of late: gas prices.

As politicians rallied earlier this year for lowering gas prices, the prices fell. But now that the issues have changed, gas prices are through the roof. Never mind that for the past TWO YEARS, gas companies have had record profit years. We are still being fed the same lines that gas prices are being raised due to rising oil barrel prices.

And all the while, oil on shelves is the same price as it was three or so years ago. Please explain this to me, as it does have me confused.

Chris
February 26, 2008 at 07:18 PM
Big Oil knows their time to rack up massive profits expires in November - gas prices are infuriatingly arbitrary. But our 3.50 a gallon still beats the approx 7.00 per gallon that Europeans pay. Incidentally, beer is going for an astounding $32 per gallon at most SD bars - revolt!

Chuck from Escondido, CA
February 26, 2008 at 08:59 PM
Alternative fuels would be nice if someone bought me an alternative car. Similarly, electrics would be nice for a lot of people who have dedicated garages, but I don't think the landlord is running a line out to the street for me. Until the revolution takes place, I'll stick with (or am stuck with) my classic truck. State and federal excise taxes on gas here are 36 cents a gallon, and we pay sales tax on top of that. If any politician were truly serious about reducing the price of gas and helping people during a recession, that would be a good place to start.

Dave from Oceanside
February 27, 2008 at 05:15 AM
This has been happening .. forever... raise the price.. complain.. lower it.. but to a state higher than before the price hike... repeat as needed.. There will be an excuse to raise prices before any "driving" holiday.. and it will be fixed shortly there after.. but the price will only go back 80% of the increase.. Memorial Day to Memorial Day is the gas year.. It's simple.. don't drive as much.. plan.. bike.. or don't whine.. If someone has you by the .. uh.. shorthairs.. you do what they say.. or take away their leverage... You need air, water and food to live... gas helps get food to you.. but other than that.. it's a luxury.. honest.

Bianca
February 29, 2008 at 01:21 AM
I agree 100% that something should be done about oil companies hording their profits... However, we'd really be makin' a stink if our cars were run on milk instead of gasoline. Seems we're still getting off easy by destroying the environment with our oil consumption and the BIG OIL guys are running wild in St. Thomas while milk farmers are barely able to pay rent on the barn (a little outdated, but I'm sure it's still pretty accurate). I wonder if it would be more environmentally sound to run a car on dairy products rather than gasoline ? Quick score: dairy = 787 tons/yr; Avg. US car = ~2200 tons/yr. Moove over Big Oil, there's a new cow in town...

Matthew C. Scallon
February 29, 2008 at 06:35 AM
Excuse me, everyone, but I couldn't help but ask if any of you have ever been to any of the MTS board meetings where they cut back what little public transportation the county has. You haven't? I'm not surprised. Talk all you like of big oil and alternative fuels. Unless we invest in effective public transportation, this is all sound and fury, signifying nothing.

Dave
February 29, 2008 at 10:51 PM
FIRST: Oil Prices are set my average people who buy futures in Chicago commodities market...end of story. It is called speculation on future production. Guess who makes it all possible by limiting supply so prices go up?... you the average person who agrees with the environmentalist that we should not drill for oil in Alaska, the gulf, Colorado etc. SECOND: The population in this country has grown considerable the last 26 years but again you can thank our liberal politicians who did not allow one single refinery in this county to be built in those 26 years. The liberals then passed regulation after regulation forcing oil companies to have different blends of gas for summer and winter. The oil companies have tried to build new refineries to take the load off of production so that supply will be sufficient. Unfortunately the deaf ears of the ignorant, arrogant liberals and their environmental friends stop them. Here we are every year in short supply and prices go up because of the demand all again determined by the investor who is making a fortune on us, oil companies all thanks to ignorant greedy politicians and you who agree with their stupid green policies.. THIRD: Last year the oil’s company’s net profits were 11% and for your information most companies on Wall Street are around 15% to 20%. Microsoft was over 20%. I will be willing bet that all of you crying about these gas prices and blaming oil companies are invested in these companies and don’t even know it. Have you checked your pensions Pensions, IRA, or Mutual funds. Here you are most likely invested in a company who is not making the net profit margins of others and on top of it you are blaming them for making to much money. I bet all of you are for the corn fuel hoax. you don't even have clue of what that thing is going to cost you. It will making rising gass prices look like pocket change. This proves the biggest cost we have in this county is ignorance and people who refuse to let facts interrupt their intellectual process. This is called Pretzel logic it goes no-where!

Dave from Oceanside
March 04, 2008 at 10:44 PM
just to make it clear... the Dave above is definately not me! I find it funny that someone blames me for the high gas prices.. I fill up 'bout every 6 weeks.. I am one of those against drilling in the arctic.. I am one of those that thinks we'd be better off with people not being able to fill up.. and not being able to drive so far to play golf.. or work.. or to get food.. I'm crazy enought to (shudder) say that the economy can go in the crapper for all I care.. The biggest ignorance we have is people believe the malarky spouted out in the comment above.. corn fuel hoax.. Ha! That's getting taken over by big oil.. soon that guy is gonna tout it's worth because whatever crackpot radio station that pipes he beliefs to him will change it's tune due to some change in sponsorship.. Only one thing really gets my blood boiling in politics.. and that is the ignorant calling the informed ignorant.. then smugly putting their fingers in their ears...

Dave
March 04, 2008 at 11:31 PM
To Dave the Liberal. You are the typical liberal Zealot… spending your life telling everyone else how they should live. Where do you find that type of arrogance! Your shallow comment about how you feel and disapprove reality doesn’t surprise anyone.. Please enlighten me and tell me how you are so informed when you could not even answer the facts. That’s the problem facts get in the way of your miniature little world. Explain to me how I am wrong with some factual information not some immature dribble.

Davesnot from Oceanside
March 05, 2008 at 08:17 AM
To Dave the Conservative first..prices are set by the owners of the station based on their wholesale price and what they think they can get from their product.. it you know of a price fixing involving the gas prices.. please tell.. it would be welcome information. If you'd like to know how the price of gas is set according to the US Senate.. click here: http://www.senate.gov/~gov_affairs/042902gasreport/sectionv.pdf second.. I never denied the population was growing.. nor.. did I tell anyone what to do.. at least I never meant to.. I said that the choices were to do something about the problem .. or stop complanining about it... and here's a news flash.. if someone tells you what to do.. you don't have to go do it. I don't care if people complain about the situation or do something about it... because I could care less if there is gas for your car.. or mine.. and thanks to living in the US.. I'm allowed to tell you how I feel. As to Big Oil trying to ease the supply-side problems... lip service only.. come on.. any business wants to keep the supply-demand equation chugging in a manner that keeps it in the black... it's basic economics which can be studied at a number of colleges.. both liberal and conservative. As to refineries.. from the Christian Science Monitor (not very liberal)

Sounds like Big Oil has been planning how to get demand to outpace supply... As to profits.. did I dispute the growth of the industry?? no.. but hey.. if anyone wants some facts.. here's something on record profits of 2007.. which followed record profits of 2006: http://www.latimes.com/business/investing/la-fi-oil2feb02,1,5140747.story?ctrack=1&cset=true In regards to Corn fuel.. here's a link to some facts for you: http://www.foodandfuelamerica.com/2008/02/kernels-of-truth-from-iowa.html Now.. to Citizen Voices... sorry for this hijacking of the comments.. I felt I needed to defend myself.. being the typical liberal Zealot.. and for the record, Dave, I don't even tell my 5-year-old how to live his life.. that's a basic liberal premise.. we don't think people should be told how to live.. we just think they should be allowed to live.. we think everyone has the same right to be treated like a human being.. even conservatives.

Dave
March 05, 2008 at 08:18 PM
I sounds good when you called me Conservative Dave…It’s nice being on the right side! The price fixing is done by punitive regulations placed on the Oil companies by politicians who are in bed with the environmental movement in this country. Proof the same article you source from the Christian Science articles alludes to that fact. I noticed you left that out of your comment...not a surprised! Oh and guess what in the same article they refer to the delays in attempting to get licensed from …guess who the government and the environmentalist. The other point in fact is that the oil companies still only make a 10-11% profit margin...low to corporate standards. Gas station’s use gas as a loss leader in many cases and rely on selling other Items with a high mark up. Also lets factor in the. Guess what government taxes and...oh by the way the government makes more per gallon then the oil companies do and they don’t even have to work they just take it. http://www.wikinvest.com/concept/Oil_Prices However, what no one seems to factor into the gas prices are inflation. If you did then gas prices would be lower today then in 1922. There is one for you to work on for awhile! It would be like saying "Rush hour 2" and "The wedding planners" out grossed "Gone with the wind". All you folks who hate big business and think big government is better tend to report only one side of the story…Like most in the media today (L.A Times, NY times, CNN etc.) http://inflationdata.com/inflation/Inflation_Articles/CalculateInflation.asp Corn Fuel will work but it is not the best use of our natural resources. If it were the government would not have to pump 17 Billion into it this year. Like most government environmental plans it come’s to us without thought it only has to feel good. The corn hoax will force the cost of food to go through the roof. But hey so what it sounds good…that right! Wind Mills already proven to be a useless hoax. It takes over 400 sq miles of those stupid fans to produce energy in a year that it would take one refinery to produce in a single day. And quests what it has to be subsidies by the government and the end product cost so much that it is mandated to be bought by power companies at those higher prices... Walla price fixing again! Their is a law suit in federal court about the amount of raptures that are being killed by those stupid fans. Guess who doesn’t care the enviormentalist and the government…always follow the money and it will end p in Washington and their friends not in big business.

Davesnot from Oceanside
March 06, 2008 at 02:39 AM
You've got me confused with someone else.. I don't hate big business like you say.. though.. I'm prefectly aware that any big business is run by the business moreso than by people.. and i'd go out on a limb to say that any big business isn't going out of their way to make my life easier.. they want to make more money and spend less.. I have no problem with that.. that is what they are supposed to do.. it's called business... I don't hate Wal-mart.. I don't hate big oil.. I don't hate Rush Limburger.. I don't have this huge chip on my shoulder.. The fact of the matter is .. as I said before... If gas prices bother you.. do something about it.. or stop complaining... that was it.. Now you've succeed in sucking me into an argument that I don't have the care to get into.. and the little research I do confirms my later statements.. you can quibble about percentage of profit.. of course.. we could talk about creative accounting.. and how if taken quarterly their pofits look much different.. or.. http://www.usatoday.com/money/companies/earnings/2005-10-27-xom_x.htm but 2005 is soooo long ago... .. they still are making record revenue.. just better at hiding it as a profit.. Like those movies you mention.. hollywood accounting has never been known to be the most above-board method.. funny you compare oil to it.. But my main question to you.. why do you feel some deep seated need to defend Big Oil?.. .. like Exxon.. who's trying to get out of paying restitution for keeping a drunk at the helm of a tanker and dumping it's load on Alaska's shore.. I mean .. sheez.. I'm not complaining about how much it ends up costing to put whatever we end up putting in the tank.. I've driven in England.. mega-bucks per LITER.. but I'm not complaining because I'm not doing anything about it.. except maybe driving a lot less. And... wind mills.. sure.. oil is cheaper.. I'm gonna let you in on a little known secret... Oil is NOT RENEWABLE... that means it will run out.. you could rip all the soil and rock off the planet to get every last drop.. and when it's gone.. it's still gone... and then you won't have petrolium to build any alternative methods of getting energy.. we need to use the oil .. we need oil.. But.. sheez.. if cars burned blood or urine.. I'd fill mine with urine and us my blood for things that urine just can't do... But.. this is an argument I'm ill-prepared to wage.. because I really don't care and have now spent 20-minutes of my life delving into it.. which is way more than I cared in the first place.. So.. to re-itterate.. If you are one that complains about the price of gas (this is not you, Conservative Dave) then I see that you have two choices.. accept it.. or do something about it.