'Splain something to me, Lucy. When I bought my little Audi five years ago the difference between 87 octane "regular" gas and the 93 octane "premium" that I use was $0.20 a gallon. A couple of years later the difference was $0.30 per gallon. Yesterday I paid $3.95 a gallon, while regular was $3.59. That's $0.36 a gallon difference. Why? Somethin' smells.
Remember back in early '08 when oil hit $147 a barrel? I was one of those early ones screaming "speculators!" while our government, who's supposed to be looking out for our best interests by insisting on a level playing field, said, "Huh? We don't see nuthin'. Yuck, yuck." As it turned out it was speculators who ran the price up and got filthy rich(er) at our expense. It's one thing to add something to the economy and make a profit, but when you just skim off a fat profit without adding anything, well...that's called stealing as far as I'm concerned.
I'm seeing things right now with the price of oil that don't seem right. The supply / demand equation doesn't sync. I'm not ready to attribute it all to speculators just yet, but my antennae are up. As Inspector Clouseau was fond of saying, "I'm on zee case."
S
In these time of record profit's for the oil companies, why are they still getting four billion dollars a year in government subsidies? Of course I know why, but it's got to stop.
ReplyDeleteOf course you know why, Stephen, and I know and everyone else knows, too. Do you think the voters will remember come election time? I doubt it. They haven't for the last 40 years, so why remember now?
ReplyDeleteS
My husband never believes that the price of gas has anything to do with market forces - his opinion is that it's pure greed. I just wish we weren't so dependent on it.
ReplyDelete1 gallon = 3,78 liters; we are now paying about €1.60 per liter for premium, regular is no longer available! €1 = $1,34 (today); do the math *cry*
ReplyDeleteThere seems to be no rhyme or reason for the escalating price of gasoline. There was a story on the news the other day of an oilman in Oklahoma who has drilled 100 wells and the oil boom just keeps booming along.
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