8.30.2005

High Pump Prices Give Me Gas

Gas has gone up once again. This time, presumably, under the pretense that the devastating Hurricane Katrina that has pummeled the southeastern United States has crippled our domestic oil production and therefore is deserving of a .25/gallon raise in price. The oil companies are telling the gas stations and convenience stores that in order to get their new loads of gas, they must raise their prices. So, they are forced to do so in order to even have gas. I'm sorry, but there is no way that the price of gas has been effected so quickly that it has necessitated a quarter per gallon raise in one day. Everyone seems to have their theory as to why this is happening now. Today, on a local radio talk show, I heard one person espouse their theory that gas prices are rising because of the automotive makers latest "employee discount" sales strategy. There are somehow "more cars" now on the road so we need more gas and that supports an upturn in gas prices. At least that theory was good for a laugh. It's about the only laugh I've had regarding the entire issue.

President Bush has stated his interest in exploring the idea of tapping the U.S. oil reserves to take some of the pressure off the American pocketbooks. This is precisely why we have built these reserves in the first place, to my understanding. When an event occurs to disrupt oil production, we have resources to lean upon until the situation can be repaired. To quote the above article, "the reserve was established to cushion oil markets during energy disruptions." Sounds exactly like this is the case. So, why is this even a topic to ponder? We have to think and decide if this is a "natural disaster"? I believe the folks of Louisiana and Mississipi will tell you it certainly is, and would be supported by the rest of the nation. The article also aims to correct the misguided notion that gas prices even should be effected by Hurricane Katrina. Again quoting the article: "The expected move would be designed to give refineries in the area a temporary supply of crude oil to take the place of interrupted shipments from tankers or offshore oil platforms affected by the storm. It would not be intended to keep a lid on soaring gasoline prices." I guarantee if this happened last year at this time, being an election year, we'd be paying just over $2.00 a gallon now, and not closer to $3.00 as a nation, because this is about as "hot-button" of a topic as the war here in America right now.

Anyway, I really dislike being political...but this whole subject has me really agitated right now. I miss living in the northeast where I could make a tank of gas last a week very easily. Living in a big city that is so spread out like the Dallas/Ft. Worth metroplex, I use 4-5 gallons a week easily, and I don't even travel that much right now. *sigh* I guess I can cling to the hope that my favorite fillup station, QuikTrip, will keep the prices low. They're always the lowest price, plus, they have the yummy drinks. Love me some QT drinks! Mmmmmmmm....Orange Cream-Vanilla slushes.

2 comments:

Minerva said...

And your prices are still way lower than ours..*sigh*

Thanks for your comments on my blog - like you, I am not used to being political either, but sometimes, one just has to speak up, doesn't one?

Minerva

Anonymous said...

It's that whole conflict internally over short-term bad or personal bad vs. long-term good. I mean, as much as it makes affording gas a bitch--I hope it will wake some people the fuck up. Peak oil approaches, and whether you're on the train for seven more years or thirty-five...we all know it's coming. Anything that encourages alternative (and more enviro-friendly) fuels is good. I can't afford gas, but maybe the corporate pigs will notice that their slops are being rationed as well.

OF course that's tied to Global climate change just as much as Katrina. So there's another real connection for you.

Can you even beleive the debate on the reserves? As you said that was their intended purpose and the debate highlights some scary thoughts. I mean, in a way the oil reserves represent a monetary hoard...something the government, and especially the republicans in control, don't feel they can let go.

Perhaps because it's like collateral on a sinking ship as they bankrupt our government. Releasing most of the oil is kinda like pawning your TV when things get tight. Perhaps having less leeway with such things makes us even more a pawn of the fascists.

Perhaps they know already that things are getting much much worse and they don't want to use up their stores before they need it. After all, it's in the hands of the few now and if things get nasty those few will have major control.

--Jessica-Conspiracytheorist-Star