$4 gasoline

[grouch]

Saturday, March 15, gas hit $4.19 a gallon in Central Indiana. It has since dropped to $3.29 but they were testing the waters. One thing about high fuel prices, as long as we pay it, they'll charge it. Exxon and Mobile merged a while back. They were part of Standard Oil back in the early 20th century when the "7 Sisters" were broken up as a monopoly. Personally, if a place around here were to do that, I'd make sure to organize a boycott of that company. Then again, around here we are usually a little below the national average and just a few miles away is Kentucky with lower sales tax on fuel. It's usually a nickle or more cheaper to wait until I'm in Ky. to gas up.

[Eric]

Saturday, March 15, gas hit $4.19 a gallon in Central Indiana. It has since dropped to $3.29 but they were testing the waters. One thing about high fuel prices, as long as we pay it, they'll charge it. Exxon and Mobile merged a while back. They were part of Standard Oil back in the early 20th century when the "7 Sisters" were broken up as a monopoly. Personally, if a place around here were to do that, I'd make sure to organize a boycott of that company. Then again, around here we are usually a little below the national average and just a few miles away is Kentucky with lower sales tax on fuel. It's usually a nickle or more cheaper to wait until I'm in Ky. to gas up.

I also wonder what the "critical mass" will be - the point at which gas prices become intolerable/unsustainable for large numbers of people. My sense of it is we're close; $5 will probably be it. That will mean $75 fill-ups for the average small car; $100-plus for a mid-sized SUV.

[Ken]

I also wonder what the "critical mass" will be - the point at which gas prices become intolerable/unsustainable for large numbers of people. My sense of it is we're close; $5 will probably be it. That will mean $75 fill-ups for the average small car; $100-plus for a mid-sized SUV.

Yep! we said that about the £1 gallon, the £2 gallon, the £3 gallon, the £4 gallon, the £5 gal.... : ....................if you get my drift.

Ken.

[swamprat]

Saturday, March 15, gas hit $4.19 a gallon in Central Indiana. It has since dropped to $3.29 but they were testing the waters. One thing about high fuel prices, as long as we pay it, they'll charge it. Exxon and Mobile merged a while back. They were part of Standard Oil back in the early 20th century when the "7 Sisters" were broken up as a monopoly. Personally, if a place around here were to do that, I'd make sure to organize a boycott of that company. Then again, around here we are usually a little below the national average and just a few miles away is Kentucky with lower sales tax on fuel. It's usually a nickle or more cheaper to wait until I'm in Ky. to gas up.

I also wonder what the "critical mass" will be - the point at which gas prices become intolerable/unsustainable for large numbers of people. My sense of it is we're close; $5 will probably be it. That will mean $75 fill-ups for the average small car; $100-plus for a mid-sized SUV.

I think that you're right.$5.00 will be hard to take even for me.

The question is whether or not the prices will back down after hitting 5 bucks.

[TC]

I think that you're right.$5.00 will be hard to take even for me.

The question is whether or not the prices will back down after hitting 5 bucks.
[/quote]

It seems to me that we haven't yet hit the pain barrier.
Probably the only way for the price to ever reduce, is for us to reduce our use.
We still pay far less than in most parts of the world.
We have had it so good for so many years that we don't know when we are well off.

[Eric]

I think that you're right.$5.00 will be hard to take even for me.

The question is whether or not the prices will back down after hitting 5 bucks.

It seems to me that we haven't yet hit the pain barrier.
Probably the only way for the price to ever reduce, is for us to reduce our use.
We still pay far less than in most parts of the world.
We have had it so good for so many years that we don't know when we are well off.
[/quote]

Yes - but don't forget that the higher prices in Europe, etc. are the result of high taxes; we're experiencing a rapid rise in the price of the fuel itself...

[swamprat]

I think that you're right.$5.00 will be hard to take even for me.

The question is whether or not the prices will back down after hitting 5 bucks.

It seems to me that we haven't yet hit the pain barrier.
Probably the only way for the price to ever reduce, is for us to reduce our use.
We still pay far less than in most parts of the world.
We have had it so good for so many years that we don't know when we are well off.
[/quote]

My assessment is that we are hitting a pain "zone" if you will. Fuel demand in the US is down 1.7 percent despite an increasing population.

The price of gasoline is becoming a significant portion of the family budget, something that people are really concerned about.

I became concerned when the price went above $1.50 per gallon. I don't know what the threshold of pain is for me, but I thnk it's close to $4.00. Already, I limit my driving to commuting. There are weekends I let the car sit in the parking lot.

Sure, the rest of the world does pay more, but that gap is getting smaller as a percentage of peoples' incomes. Our dollar has virtually collapsed since 2001, so in relative terms, the Europeans are paying less than they were years ago.

[Eric]

" Our dollar has virtually collapsed since 2001, so in relative terms, the Europeans are paying less than they were years ago."

Excellent point.

And the weakening dollar has also translated into higher actual costs (since money buys less than it used to) for everything from bread on up.

Meanwhile, The Chimp has put the country in the position of wasting $12 billion (that's 12 thousand million) per month in Iraq - plus a staggering amount of fuel (which increases demand, which increases the cost we pay). If the cost of the eye-rack war had instead gone toward tax rebates for every American, gas would be free instead of going on $4 per gallon.

[swamprat]

" Our dollar has virtually collapsed since 2001, so in relative terms, the Europeans are paying less than they were years ago."

Excellent point.

And the weakening dollar has also translated into higher actual costs (since money buys less than it used to) for everything from bread on up.

Meanwhile, The Chimp has put the country in the position of wasting $12 billion (that's 12 thousand million) per month in Iraq - plus a staggering amount of fuel (which increases demand, which increases the cost we pay). If the cost of the eye-rack war had instead gone toward tax rebates for every American, gas would be free instead of going on $4 per gallon.

Fuel usage is about $4 billion+ per month.

Since we're spending money we don't have in this Irak war, the Irak war is seriously masking at least a percentage point on our unemployment numbers, given the amount of military and civilian salaries paid for contractors over there.

On the other hand, since the Irak war is artifically increasing petroleum demand, we would probably have $2.00 per gallon gas instead of $3.50, which would have partially balanced out the GDP losses through better economic growth. Our trade deficit would be lower, along with resulting borrowing costs (which have been artificially lowered by a reckless Fed)

This is the worst of possible outcomes right here.

[Eric]

" Our dollar has virtually collapsed since 2001, so in relative terms, the Europeans are paying less than they were years ago."

Excellent point.

And the weakening dollar has also translated into higher actual costs (since money buys less than it used to) for everything from bread on up.

Meanwhile, The Chimp has put the country in the position of wasting $12 billion (that's 12 thousand million) per month in Iraq - plus a staggering amount of fuel (which increases demand, which increases the cost we pay). If the cost of the eye-rack war had instead gone toward tax rebates for every American, gas would be free instead of going on $4 per gallon.

Fuel usage is about $4 billion+ per month.

Since we're spending money we don't have in this Irak war, the Irak war is seriously masking at least a percentage point on our unemployment numbers, given the amount of military and civilian salaries paid for contractors over there.

On the other hand, since the Irak war is artifically increasing petroleum demand, we would probably have $2.00 per gallon gas instead of $3.50, which would have partially balanced out the GDP losses through better economic growth. Our trade deficit would be lower, along with resulting borrowing costs (which have been artificially lowered by a reckless Fed)

This is the worst of possible outcomes right here.

Absolutely - and it's a big part of the reason for my Chimp hatred. This smug, monkey-faced load has done staggering damage to the country - yet even now, he clearly is both oblivious and indifferent to the consequences his actions have imposed on ordinary Americans. He'll just mosey on off to his "ranch" and drink himself silly...

[swamprat]

The smirking chimp doesn't even know that gas is nearing 4 bucks.

[J. ZIMM]

;D I don't know how many of you folks were around back in the mid to late '70s. I found it kinda strange that when the boys where brought back from 'nam, the price of fuel jump quite a bit, and continued to climb through the following years.The excuse back then was there was a gas shortage. And that gave the powers to be, a reason it to stick to the poor slob that was having a tough time wondering where in the heck was his pay check going. Then we also had the "ten gallon limit" as well, every other day. It seems that the more we bitch, the higher the cost of fuel goes. and oh yes, don't forget about the fefined fuel we are sending over to nations like China, and other nations that do not have their own refineries.True we are a nation that does have to change our ways. But I don't think we should be the ones to makes all the sacrifices. :

[Eric]

;D I don't know how many of you folks were around back in the mid to late '70s. I found it kinda strange that when the boys where brought back from 'nam, the price of fuel jump quite a bit, and continued to climb through the following years.The excuse back then was there was a gas shortage. And that gave the powers to be, a reason it to stick to the poor slob that was having a tough time wondering where in the heck was his pay check going. Then we also had the "ten gallon limit" as well, every other day. It seems that the more we bitch, the higher the cost of fuel goes. and oh yes, don't forget about the fefined fuel we are sending over to nations like China, and other nations that do not have their own refineries.True we are a nation that does have to change our ways. But I don't think we should be the ones to makes all the sacrifices. :

Part of the problem seems to me to be the weird complacency of the public; we grumble about fuel costs as well as some other things (loss of jobs to so-called "free trade") but basically continue to accept it .... hence, it continues.

Apparently,we're willing(most of us)to endure ever higher cost of living/lower incomes/devaluingdollars....

[swamprat]

Part of the problem seems to me to be the weird complacency of the public; we grumble about fuel costs as well as some other things (loss of jobs to so-called "free trade") but basically continue to accept it .... hence, it continues.

Apparently,we're willing(most of us)to endure ever higher cost of living/lower incomes/devaluingdollars....

Eric -

I would agree with you that the public is a weirdly complacent blob, but on the other hand, what can they do now? The three major candidates for president have either pro free trade positions or are fuzzy on the issue (Clinton, Obama).

I think that the moron voter should have nominated someone like Paul, Duncan Hunter or Dennis Kuchinich. The average democaratic and republican voter has no right to bitch now, although, there is evidence that the votes are being tampered with....

[Eric]

Part of the problem seems to me to be the weird complacency of the public; we grumble about fuel costs as well as some other things (loss of jobs to so-called "free trade") but basically continue to accept it .... hence, it continues.

Apparently,we're willing(most of us)to endure ever higher cost of living/lower incomes/devaluingdollars....

Eric -

I would agree with you that the public is a weirdly complacent blob, but on the other hand, what can they do now? The three major candidates for president have either pro free trade positions or are fuzzy on the issue (Clinton, Obama).

I think that the moron voter should have nominated someone like Paul, Duncan Hunter or Dennis Kuchinich. The average democaratic and republican voter has no right to bitch now, although, there is evidence that the votes are being tampered with....

Agree - but still, it's curious there are no major public protests. These happened during the Robber Baron era as well as the 1960s... but today's crowd seems content to just bend over... or is simply too beaten to attempt any resistance.

[chiph]

$3.499 at the pump yesterday.

Chip H.

[swamprat]

It's a combination of the two.

[Eric]

It's a combination of the two.

Well, at some point, either enough has to be enough - or we will be worthy of the enslavement that appears to be in our future...

[grouch]

$3.499 at the pump yesterday.

Chip H.

Most places around here are about $3.45.9. However, north of town is a Flying J truck stop and they usually have ther lowest prices around. However, Sunday I was out driving and when I went by, they were $3.59.9 a gallon and a Shell station here in town was $3.69.9 a gallon. Didn't see many car at either one though.

[chiph]

Later on this week, I'm going to put some $2.799 gas in the car.

I have a 5 gallon jug in the garage that I filled several months ago, and I need to empty it prior to putting it in storage.


Chip H.