[Mr 5 0]

I see old threads and old arguments really do 'never die'. Very well. My turn at bat.


Unit, please don't tell us you buy into the lame 'conspiracy theory' that gas companies constantly collude to raise prices, screw the consumer, possibly lead the economy into a recession - and it's all connected to the fact that George W. Bush was once a part of the oil business? That would be absurd. You must know better.

Do you wish to deny that hurricane Katrina greatly damaged oil supplies from the Louisiana/Gulf area last year, or was Katrina another Bush 'conspiracy'?

Are you aware that:

India and China, with their recently ramped-up factory production as well as a huge and newly affluent (well, relatively affluent) population have been making unprecedented demands on the world's oil resources?

That there are more cars on the road in America (as well as in China and India) than ever before - and, in the U.S., a lot of them are large, heavy SUV's with big engines that consume more gas than the vehicle they may have replaced -or- in the case of China and India, cars that get terrible gas mileage due to the old technology that powers them?

That there has not been a new oil refinery built in the U.S. for 30 years, making the availability of gasoline finite and so, near-impossible for the supply of gasoline to keep up with the growing demand and that when supply cannot meet demand the price goes up, no matter what the commodity is?


Fortunately, while we all rightly moan about high gas prices and the internet buzzes with 'conspiracy theories' that the eeeeevil oil companies are simply screwing everyone and President Bush is somehow behind it all, the reality is that higher gas prices were almost inevitable, speculators are a big part of the problem and, so far, higher gas prices have not had a major impact on the strong U.S. economy, but they could, eventually.

Then, along with the howling from consumers (us) and scare stories in the left-wing media (blaming Bush, of course) we'll get yet another congressional investigation - as predictable as ticks in the summer - with lots of oil-company bashing by table-pounding, grandstanding poiliticians pretending they can 'do something' when all they can really do is make things worse, as they did in the '70's with stupid government-mandated 'price freezes' on gasoline, which led to severe shortages and huge inconveniences for all drivers as well as having a negative impact on the U.S. economy.

When the ineluctable congressional investigation into the rise in gas prices ends, months later, to absolutely no publicity at all, the conclusion will be, as it has been in previous investigations, that higher prices for gas were/are due to obvious and various well-documented reasons that caused the oil & gas supply to shrink and - predictably - pushed gas prices up. Oil companies benefit from higher prices with higher profits, yes, but as they do not manufacture the shortages, as the conspiracy theorists so desperately want to believe, the higher profits are perfectly legitimate, in my view, despite the ranting of some TV commentators sometimes appearing to be suffering apoplexy over the price of gas as they (millionaires, all) try to prove they 'feel our pain' and are 'looking out for us'. Please.

The gas company 'price-gouging conspiracy' is such an old, discredited argument that I find it surprising you - or anyone would wish to perpetuate it here. Perhaps it's only because of the 'Bush connection' that some folks seem to believe is mysteriously tied to this oil company price gouging 'conspiracy'. I say "mysteriously tied" because no one ever really has any proof of such a 'conspiracy'.

I sometimes have to wonder how those who actually believe this alleged 'Bush connection' is 'behind' high gas prices will explain the motivation and cause of the alleged high gas price 'conspiracy' when Bush and Cheney are retired and out of office in 17 months - and no longer can be justifiably blamed for 'manipulating the price of gas to enrich their alleged'buddies in the oil business'. That should prove a challenge that I'm certain the conspiracy theory buffs will rise to. I hope you are not one of them. I really do.

Meanwhile, we could all drive less and conserve gas, which would take the pressure off of finite gas supplies and likely keep pump prices stable if not bring them down, but that never seems to be a viable option for anyone. Although we all talk a good gasoline conservation game, it's always: 'you first'. So be it.