Gas prices are highest ever for this time of year (1 Viewer)

[Erod]

News Headlines

NEW YORK - Gasoline prices have never been higher this time of the year.

At $3.53 a gallon, prices are already up 25 cents since Jan. 1. And experts say they could reach a record $4.25 a gallon by late April.

"You're going to see a lot more staycations this year," says Michael Lynch, president of Strategic Energy & Economic Research. "When the price gets anywhere near $4, you really see people react."

Already, W. Howard Coudle, a retired machinist from Crestwood, Mo., has seen his monthly gasoline bill rise to $80 from about $60 in December. The closest service station is selling regular for $3.39 per gallon, the highest he's ever seen.

"I guess we're going to have to drive less, consolidate all our errands into one trip," Coudle says. "It's just oppressive."

I just don't get it.

You build a a new refinery or two, which will directly and indirectly create hundreds of thousands of jobs, and you drive the price down on gasoline, groceries, travel, and everything else. You run that pipleline and you pick up our on- and off-shore drilling production, too

Basically, Obama has extended the social security tax cut so people get to keep another $40 per month, then gas prices spiral upward so all that and more goes back into the gas tank. What is the point?

Why we let this go on, while other countries simply pick up the slack and gouge us on the back end, is completely beyond me.

But I guess the Jedi global-warming mind tricks always work on the weak minded, eh Obi Wan?

 

[sharon]

News Headlines



I just don't get it.

You build a a new refinery or two, which will directly and indirectly create hundreds of thousands of jobs, and you drive the price down on gasoline, groceries, travel, and everything else.

Basically, Obama has extended the social security tax cut so people get to keep another $40 per month, then gas prices spiral upward so all that and more goes back into the gas tank. What is the point?

Why we let this go on, while other countries simply pick up the slack and gouge us on the back end, is completely beyond me.

But I guess the Jedi global-warming mind tricks always work on the weak minded, eh Obi Wan?

This is in part market nerves over Iran.. Brent Crude went to $121 a barrel yesterday.

 

[zgoldsmith23]

News Headlines

I just don't get it.

You build a a new refinery or two, which will directly and indirectly create hundreds of thousands of jobs, and you drive the price down on gasoline, groceries, travel, and everything else.

Basically, Obama has extended the social security tax cut so people get to keep another $40 per month, then gas prices spiral upward so all that and more goes back into the gas tank. What is the point?

Why we let this go on, while other countries simply pick up the slack and gouge us on the back end, is completely beyond me.

But I guess the Jedi global-warming mind tricks always work on the weak minded, eh Obi Wan?

NEW YORK - Gasoline prices have never been higher this time of the year.
At $3.53 a gallon, prices are already up 25 cents since Jan. 1. And experts say they could reach a record $4.25 a gallon by late April.
"You're going to see a lot more staycations this year," says Michael Lynch, president of Strategic Energy & Economic Research. "When the price gets anywhere near $4, you really see people react."
Already, W. Howard Coudle, a retired machinist from Crestwood, Mo., has seen his monthly gasoline bill rise to $80 from about $60 in December. The closest service station is selling regular for $3.39 per gallon, the highest he's ever seen.
"I guess we're going to have to drive less, consolidate all our errands into one trip," Coudle says. "It's just oppressive."

It's "oppressive?" Depressive? Yes. Oppressive? No.

 

[tessaesque]

The most interesting thing for me isn't the price (we saw almost $4 a gallon in 2008 or 2009...can't remember which), it's the huge disparity in pricing. We drove from Austin to Dallas this Sunday (about 280 miles) and saw prices ranging from 3.59 to 3.39. I don't remember a time in all my years of making that trek when I've ever seen that large a variance in the statewide price.

 

[Ockham]

It's an election year you see. Before it was Bush's fault, speculators fault and the media calls for an investigation due to claims of corruption between big Oil Bush and the price of gasoline at the pumps. That was then.

Apparently that only occurs when a President with a (R) next to their names are in office. What you're not getting is the obvious and palpable double standard, driven by the media and organizations like Media Matters. The hypocrisy of our media is so "in your face" it's laughable.

 

[sharon]

It's an election year you see. Before it was Bush's fault, speculators fault and the media calls for an investigation due to claims of corruption between big Oil Bush and the price of gasoline at the pumps. That was then.

Apparently that only occurs when a President with a (R) next to their names are in office. What you're not getting is the obvious and palpable double standard, driven by the media and organizations like Media Matters. The hypocrisy of our media is so "in your face" it's laughable.

Refineries close down twice a year for routine maintenance.. Its that time of year... coupled with nerves over Iraq.....

 

[Erod]

It's "oppressive?" Depressive? Yes. Oppressive? No.

No, it's oppressive. When you feel the added financial pressure from a mandatory commodity, and it starts to make everyday life more difficult to manage, it's oppressive.

Much like they describe a heat wave as "oppressive heat", making daily life more difficult, only this example offers no guarantee of relief in the coming days.

 

[Erod]

Refineries close down twice a year for routine maintenance.. Its that time of year... coupled with nerves over Iraq.....

The vast majority of our oil comes from Canada and elsewhere. Iran has been in this state for over a decade.

I wonder if Obama, privately, loves this. The enviros want us all peddling bikes anyway.

 

[zgoldsmith23]

No, it's oppressive. When you feel the added financial pressure from a mandatory commodity, and it starts to make everyday life more difficult to manage, it's oppressive.

Much like they describe a heat wave as "oppressive heat", making daily life more difficult, only this example offers no guarantee of relief in the coming days.

It makes life a little more difficult, oh no!! :roll:

It has to do with a combination of Iran, Europe, and a higher demand. If more nations demand a good (that has a limited availability), there is less of that good available and the price is driven upwards.

 

[sharon]

The vast majority of our oil comes from Canada and elsewhere. Iran has been in this state for over a decade.

I wonder if Obama, privately, loves this. The enviros want us all peddling bikes anyway.

Canada's production is rather small.. they still import over a million barrels per day from OPEC and North Sea.

Why would you think Obama "loves this".. He doesn't control ANY oil companies or exploration and lift costs.

Iran's production is also quite small and half of it goes to domestic consumption.

The price of gas isn't really every going down again.

 

[1Perry]

This is in part market nerves over Iran.. Brent Crude went to $121 a barrel yesterday.

Why are the markets nervous over Iran?

 

[zgoldsmith23]

Why are the markets nervous over Iran?

Well Iran has threatened to block the Strait of Hormuz and threatened to limit supplies to Europe over the EU's sanctions.

 

[sharon]

Why are the markets nervous over Iran?

Because an attack on Iran by Israel would likely result in either a closure of the Strait of Hormuz (temporary) on an attack on the Saudi Oifields.. that would take about 10 million bpd off the market for up to three years.

And Brent Crude ALWAYS gouges.. they don't follow OPEC rules.

 

[Ockham]

Refineries close down twice a year for routine maintenance.. Its that time of year... coupled with nerves over Iraq.....

I'm sure there are plenty of excuses, but I don't see any excuses for the media coverage in your statement above. How come? If it was speculators before, couldn't it be speculators now? Couldn't it be corruption now? Don't we need an investigation like we had under Bush?


But Obama's on record saying he'd prefer a gradual adjustment on gasoline prices.. so maybe that's what $4+ gasoline is - a gradual adjustment. That fits in nicely with his administrations policies of pushing and gambling on green energy company's.

 

[Erod]

Canada's production is rather small.. they still import over a million barrels per day from OPEC and North Sea.
Why would you think Obama "loves this".. He doesn't control ANY oil companies or exploration and lift costs.

Iran's production is also quite small and half of it goes to domestic consumption.

The price of gas isn't really every going down again.

[First bolded] Canada is the largest supplier of foreign oil to the U.S.

[Second bolded] This is the whole idea, I'm afraid. Run the gas price up to $4, so we'll feel "better" when it goes to $3, which was too high to begin with. Now, run it up to $5 to condition us to accept $4.

As soon as we can get to the European socialistic standards of $6-8 per gallon, the better, right?

And all we have to do is drill our own better, and build some refineries. Why don't we?

 

[sharon]

I'm sure there are plenty of excuses, but I don't see any excuses for the media coverage in your statement above. How come? If it was speculators before, couldn't it be speculators now? Couldn't it be corruption now? Don't we need an investigation like we had under Bush?


But Obama's on record saying he'd prefer a gradual adjustment on gasoline prices.. so maybe that's what $4+ gasoline is - a gradual adjustment. That fits in nicely with his administrations policies of pushing and gambling on green energy company's.

This isn't about pushing green energy.. although some locales would benefit from local solutions.

This is about reducing US consumption.. which we have done... Becoming more efficient... which we are still doing ... and increasing domestic production.. which we have also done.

Refinery maintenance isn't an excuse... its a fact of life twice a year.. every year.

Gasoline isn't going down in cost.. Its costly everywhere in the world UNLESS it is subsidized by the government.

Build more refineries for what? A refinery costs $5 billion dollars.. and if it isn't running to capacity its losing money.

Don't you see that's the issue with the Keystone export pipeline? That oil was formerly refined in the Mid West and those refineries will now be by-passed.

 

[1Perry]

Well Iran has threatened to block the Strait of Hormuz and threatened to limit supplies to Europe over the EU's sanctions.

Why have they threatened to do this?

 

[1Perry]

Because an attack on Iran by Israel would likely result in either a closure of the Strait of Hormuz (temporary) on an attack on the Saudi Oifields.. that would take about 10 million bpd off the market for up to three years.

And Brent Crude ALWAYS gouges.. they don't follow OPEC rules.

It has nothing to do with the threats coming from the U.S.?

 

[zgoldsmith23]

Why have they threatened to do this?

Which one? They threatened to block Hormuz because they feel threatened over the U.S.

 

[sharon]

It has nothing to do with the threats coming from the U.S.?

If you watch the news reports.. the US, UK and France are all calling for a diplomatic solution.

 

[1Perry]

Which one? They threatened to block Hormuz because they feel threatened over the U.S.

Indeed. It would seem that some prefer sabre rattling as opposed to looking after the economy. Obama = Bush.

 

[1Perry]

If you watch the news reports.. the US, UK and France are all calling for a diplomatic solution.

And we are moving battleships.

 

[sharon]

And we are moving battleships.

Meaning what? We have had a US Naval presence in the Med and the Persian Gulf since the British left.

 

[grip]

And we are moving battleships.

Not to be a stickler but the US doesn't have any active battleships.

The US Navy -- The Battleships

 

[zgoldsmith23]

Indeed. It would seem that some prefer sabre rattling as opposed to looking after the economy. Obama = Bush.

I'm not sure I follow your statement. Care to reiterate, please?