This week I am appalled by the actions of Congress both Senate and House, although I should not be surprised by it. The members of Congress have grilled the oil company executives on the gas prices. Congress has once again blamed someone else for their doing. Representative Maxine Waters even want the government to take over the oil companies…well that would be a REAL STUPID idea, going from high gas prices to no gas at all. Whenever the government gets involved something get screwed up.
The high gas prices are a result of high demand and limited supply. The United States is the biggest consumer of oil but China and India is quickly catching up. The US and China together are practically sucking up most of the available gas making prices world wide prices shoot skyward and it will only get worse. What has the US Government done to help? NOTHING! The US Government has only passed legislation that has increased the price of gasoline. The Democrats in Congress are looking at a windfall tax against the oil companies…again a stupid idea. Windfall tax will not bring down gas prices. How about windfall taxes against the US government who steal a portion of everyone’s paycheck (they call it taxes)…object, you go to jail…they want “their” money. How about a windfall tax on the members of Congress? They get insane and unworthy benefits as well as monetary “gifts” and then they vote themselves a raise…HOW STUPID…of course, the members of Congress work for themselves and the government NOT their constituents.
I think 80% of the cause of gas price increases is the US government . The US government has restricted the exploration of oil and the building of refineries in this country. Liberals have consistently fought against drilling in a small portion of ANWR. This portion of ANWR is a treeless, barren, wasteland full of permafrost and is totally flat. This area is very similar to Prudhoe Bay, AK, where the oil companies have been drilling for years without hurting the environment. Since we consume so much we might as well help increase world supply of gasoline with American gasoline. The government forced the oil companies to have different blends of gasoline at different times of year, increasing costs. Starting in 2007 the government also forced the oil companies to include more ethanol in gasoline to decrease oil imports but also increased the price even more. The government is also forcing the oil companies to make cleaner burning gasoline in certain areas of the country which makes gasoline even more expensive. All these different blends of gasoline at different times of the year and in different regions of the country on top of the limited refinery capacity does not help the gas prices. I also think 15% of the problem can be blamed on the American consumer, me included. As Americans we want big gas guzzling cars, SUV’s, and trucks and on top of that we think that gas prices should never rise no matter how much we use. Even at $4 a gallon I see plenty of cars, trucks, and SUV’s going at high speeds on the roads…a lot of gas is wasted at high speeds. The last 5% is reserved for the American auto companies and oil companies. American auto companies are extremely slow at getting more fuel efficiency in their autos HERE in the US…they sell more efficient cars in Europe not here. Toyota is now going into their 11th year with the hybrid prius and Honda had hybrids in this country for almost as long. Yet, for some reason Ford, Chrysler and GM have yet to get a real hybrid car out on the market and looks like maybe not for another 2 years…I guess they want Honda and Toyota to beat them. As for oil companies, they are terrible at defending themselves…not telling people what is going on with gas prices and their profits and allowing the hypocritical members of Congress smack them around.
The only way to lower gas prices is for the US to consume less, that is it. More government restrictions and taxes will only make it worse.
http://auto.howstuffworks.com/gas-price.htm
