[NEWARKCATHOLICFAN]

A House subcommittee held a hearing on "The American Energy Initiative" Wednesday morning that focused solely on rising pump prices. Seventy members of Congress signed a letter this week to regulators at the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), urging immediate action on oil speculation by enacting "strong position limits to eliminate excessive oil speculation" and to "utilize all authorities available to…make sure that the price of oil and gasoline reflects the fundamentals of supply and demand."

http://finance.yahoo.com/blogs/daily-tic...03332.html

[Hoot Gibson]

Another ridiculous attempt by the omnipotent federal government to direct blame away from itself. If Washington had an energy policy focused on aggressively on increasing oil production in this country speculators would be selling oil as fast as possible to avoid losing their collective shirt.

Wake up, people! The more that Obama talks about replacing gasoline with wind, solar, and algae power, the higher oil prices will go. Ask yourselves if speculators are responsible for high prices, then why did prices drop to an average of $1.87/gal. in early 2009? Why would speculators let the price drop at all?

The article that was posted did not list the party of the 70 House members who signed the letter to regulators but the only member quoted in the article is socialist Bernie Sanders. Would anybody like to guess the party affiliation of the other signers?

This is just part of the Democratic Party's continuing attempt to blame somebody else for high gas prices in an election year.

Reelect Obama and give Democrats control of Congress again and we will all be longing for the good ole days when gas was only $4/gal. This administration wants high gas prices to force Americans to look for alternatives. Those alternatives are not available because they cannot compete with the price of gasoline.

Furthermore, there is no guarantee that alternatives will become affordable even if gasoline rises to $8.00/gal. Europe has paid much higher prices for gas than Americans have and where are their alternative fuels? People there have been shoehorned into the tiny cars that Obama wants all of us driving but they are still filling up their tanks with gasoline.

[Wildcatk23]

Why was gas prices ever high before obama? Was i dreaming. Must have been a mistake bye my eyes. Gas prices only rose until obama became president. I have seen the light.

Why was gas 4$ a gallon with bush Hoot?

[Hoot Gibson]

Why was gas prices ever high before obama? Was i dreaming. Must have been a mistake bye my eyes. Gas prices only rose until obama became president. I have seen the light.

Why was gas 4$ a gallon with bush Hoot?

I have already given my theory in other posts and I am not going to make another long post explaining it again. In that same thread I challenged liberals to answer why Obama did not do the things that he urged Bush to do to lower prices like impose a "windfall profits" tax when Democrats had control of both houses of Congress.

We have an extremely sluggish economy and yet gas prices are soaring to record levels. They have risen by more than 200 percent since Obama took office.

There were some gasoline prices during part of the Bush years but the price plummeted toward the end of 2008 and through Feb. 2009. Since that time, gas prices have risen steadily.

Do you buy the attempt by liberal Democrats to blame speculators for the current soaring prices? Did you learn anything in college about what has happened in the past when the federal government tried to impose artificial price controls on products and wages?

All I can say is that if you think that the federal government should control gas prices, then get ready to wait in line at the gas station, assuming that they can get enough gas to stay open.

[Wildcatk23]

I have already given my theory in other posts and I am not going to make another long post explaining it again. In that same thread I challenged liberals to answer why Obama did not do the things that he urged Bush to do to lower prices like impose a "windfall profits" tax when Democrats had control of both houses of Congress.

We have an extremely sluggish economy and yet gas prices are soaring to record levels. They have risen by more than 200 percent since Obama took office.

There were some gasoline prices during part of the Bush years but the price plummeted toward the end of 2008 and through Feb. 2009. Since that time, gas prices have risen steadily.

Do you buy the attempt by liberal Democrats to blame speculators for the current soaring prices? Did you learn anything in college about what has happened in the past when the federal government tried to impose artificial price controls on products and wages?

All I can say is that if you think that the federal government should control gas prices, then get ready to wait in line at the gas station, assuming that they can get enough gas to stay open.

AS usual you didn't even answer my questions at all.

[Image: http://66.70.86.64/ChartServer/ch.gascha...t=US%20$/G]

Lol, Nice Try.

[Hoot Gibson]

AS usual you didn't even answer my questions at all.

I thought that being fresh out of college, you would be able to use the forum's search feature. Besides, I did explain the difference to you, just in less detail. Gas prices peaked during a booming economy during the Bush years and they plummeted during the recession. That is the law of supply and demand at work.

Gas prices are soaring under Obama during a weak economy. That is Obama's energy policy at work.

[Image: http://66.70.86.64/ChartServer/ch.gascha...t=US%20$/G]

Lol, Nice Try.[/QUOTE]Read the chart. Gas prices peaked under Bush during the summer and they will peak under Obama during the summer. Gas prices are higher today than they were during any corresponding March day during the Bush years. Ditto for February. Gas prices have risen for 27 of the past 28 days.

I doubt that you will be laughing when you fill up your tank during June and July. Those gas prices will just be a glimpse of what awaits you under a second Obama term. There is still plenty of time to decide to vote in your own (and everybody else's) best interests.

[Wildcatk23]

[quote=Hoot Gibson]I thought that being fresh out of college, you would be able to use the forum's search feature. Besides, I did explain the difference to you, just in less detail. Gas prices peaked during a booming economy during the Bush years and they plummeted during the recession. That is the law of supply and demand at work.

Gas prices are soaring under Obama during a weak economy. That is Obama's energy policy at work.

[Image: http://66.70.86.64/ChartServer/ch.gascha...t=US%20$/G]




So gas prices rose during 2 different presidents, but one is the presidents fault and the other wasnt? Hoot. Gas prices are rising consistently on both sides of that Graph.

[Hoot Gibson]

[quote=Hoot Gibson]I thought that being fresh out of college, you would be able to use the forum's search feature. Besides, I did explain the difference to you, just in less detail. Gas prices peaked during a booming economy during the Bush years and they plummeted during the recession. That is the law of supply and demand at work.

Gas prices are soaring under Obama during a weak economy. That is Obama's energy policy at work.

[Image: http://66.70.86.64/ChartServer/ch.gascha...t=US%20$/G]




So gas prices rose during 2 different presidents, but one is the presidents fault and the other wasnt? Hoot. Gas prices are rising consistently on both sides of that Graph.

Can you not see how gas prices responded to the deepening recession and economic collapse? Do you not recall that the unemployment rate was no higher than 5.5% during the period gas prices spiked under Bush? Gas prices are not rising consistently on both sides of the graph.

Take another look at the graph and notice where the price was in February and March in each of the years Bush was in office. Then do the same for Obama. Prices were never this high at this time of year in the past. Project the current upward slope through July and what kind of price do you expect for gas sold in July?

Now consider how much higher the price of gasoline would be if the recovery from the recession had really been strong and demand for gasoline was higher. Are you really so far left that you do not believe Obama's own Sec. of Energy when he says lowering gasoline prices are not a priority for the administration? Why would he lie?

There is no reason for gas prices in February and March setting record highs. The economy is not doing well and gasoline demand is low in this country. Did you take any economics classes in college that covered supply and demand curves? Obama's irresponsible energy policy is warping that curve for gasoline. Consequently, speculators, like most other people, expect higher gasoline prices in the future and prices are reflecting that expectation.

[Wildcatk23]

[quote=Wildcatk23]Can you not see how gas prices responded to the deepening recession and economic collapse? Do you not recall that the unemployment rate was no higher than 5.5% during the period gas prices spiked under Bush? Gas prices are not rising consistently on both sides of the graph.

Take another look at the graph and notice where the price was in February and March in each of the years Bush was in office. Then do the same for Obama. Prices were never this high at this time of year in the past. Project the current upward slope through July and what kind of price do you expect for gas sold in July?

Now consider how much higher the price of gasoline would be if the recovery from the recession had really been strong and demand for gasoline was higher. Are you really so far left that you do not believe Obama's own Sec. of Energy when he says lowering gasoline prices are not a priority for the administration? Why would he lie?

There is no reason for gas prices in February and March setting record highs. The economy is not doing well and gasoline demand is low in this country. Did you take any economics classes in college that covered supply and demand curves? Obama's irresponsible energy policy is warping that curve for gasoline. Consequently, speculators, like most other people, expect higher gasoline prices in the future and prices are reflecting that expectation.

All i have heard in the past few weeks is how the economy is doing far better than Experts have predicted. You said it yourself in plenty other post how when the economy starts to improve gas prices will rise.

[Hoot Gibson]

[quote=Hoot Gibson]

All i have heard in the past few weeks is how the economy is doing far better than Experts have predicted. You said it yourself in plenty other post how when the economy starts to improve gas prices will rise.

Unemployment is over 8 percent, in large part because the number of people who the federal government considers part of the workforce has dropped sharply. The economy is nowhere near as it was 5 to 10 years ago. Gasoline demand is much lower and we are even exporting gasoline because of the low domestic demand. Whoever has told you that the economy is doing far better than experts expected has lied to you. This is the weakest recovery since the Great Depression. There is no reason that gasoline prices should be as high as they are and the blame Democrats are placing on oil companies and speculators is a tactic known as scapegoating.

Do you realize what the unemployment rate is for your own age group? Research that statistic and try to find another period of American history when so many young people were jobless. Then tell me how well the economy is doing. Young adults should be very anger at this administration's job killing policies and eventually they will be if their prospects do not begin improving drastically.

[MustangSally]

Stabilize the dollar. It's nothing more than supple and demand. And it's not oil that's driving up the cost of gas. It's the over printing of the US dollar that's causing the inflating gas prices

[TheRealVille]

[quote=Wildcatk23]Can you not see how gas prices responded to the deepening recession and economic collapse? Do you not recall that the unemployment rate was no higher than 5.5% during the period gas prices spiked under Bush? Gas prices are not rising consistently on both sides of the graph.

Take another look at the graph and notice where the price was in February and March in each of the years Bush was in office. Then do the same for Obama. Prices were never this high at this time of year in the past. Project the current upward slope through July and what kind of price do you expect for gas sold in July?

Now consider how much higher the price of gasoline would be if the recovery from the recession had really been strong and demand for gasoline was higher. Are you really so far left that you do not believe Obama's own Sec. of Energy when he says lowering gasoline prices are not a priority for the administration? Why would he lie?

There is no reason for gas prices in February and March setting record highs. The economy is not doing well and gasoline demand is low in this country. Did you take any economics classes in college that covered supply and demand curves? Obama's irresponsible energy policy is warping that curve for gasoline. Consequently, speculators, like most other people, expect higher gasoline prices in the future and prices are reflecting that expectation.

But, look at the year long trends between the two Presidents during their terms. They are almost identical as a yearly thing.
If we just get to pick months, go with June and July between the two guys.

[Hoot Gibson]

Stabilize the dollar. It's nothing more than supple and demand. And it's not oil that's driving up the cost of gas. It's the over printing of the US dollar that's causing the inflating gas prices

I agree that the intentional inflating of the dollar by the Fed is a factor in rising gas prices. If they continue to pump extra money into the economy and do not get federal spending under control, we will soon see the worst inflation in this country's history.

[Wildcatk23]

[quote=Wildcatk23]Unemployment is over 8 percent, in large part because the number of people who the federal government considers part of the workforce has dropped sharply. The economy is nowhere near as it was 5 to 10 years ago. Gasoline demand is much lower and we are even exporting gasoline because of the low domestic demand. Whoever has told you that the economy is doing far better than experts expected has lied to you. This is the weakest recovery since the Great Depression. There is no reason that gasoline prices should be as high as they are and the blame Democrats are placing on oil companies and speculators is a tactic known as scapegoating.

Do you realize what the unemployment rate is for your own age group? Research that statistic and try to find another period of American history when so many young people were jobless. Then tell me how well the economy is doing. Young adults should be very anger at this administration's job killing policies and eventually they will be if their prospects do not begin improving drastically.

If you knew younger people you would know why none of them work. Because none of them want to. With a few exceptions.

[TheRealVille]

I don't know how your name got on Hoot's post Wildcat, but I was quoting his post.

[Hoot Gibson]

If you knew younger people you would know why none of them work. Because none of them want to. With a few exceptions.

I know many young people but most of them do work. But you do have a point. Too many American college students seem to avoid going into challenging majors that lead to good paying careers. I have several good friends from India and I hope that they all become American citizens someday (a couple already are), but more Americans should be filling these jobs.

[Hoot Gibson]

[quote=Hoot Gibson]But, look at the year long trends between the two Presidents during their terms. They are almost identical as a yearly thing.
If we just get to pick months, go with June and July between the two guys.

Why pick June and July? There are more Jan., Feb., and Marches to compare. Experts are predicting that gas prices will reach historic highs this June and July - some are predicting prices near $5/gal. as refineries start producing the summer blends. Except for the last half of 2008, prices should have been much higher during the Bush years than they are now because demand was higher.

[Wildcatk23]

I know many young people but most of them do work. But you do have a point. Too many American college students seem to avoid going into challenging majors that lead to good paying careers. I have several good friends from India and I hope that they all become American citizens someday (a couple already are), but more Americans should be filling these jobs.

Many Young and even older people here stick to there checks and drug habits.

[Hoot Gibson]

Many Young and even older people here stick to there checks and drug habits.

If you really believe that, then how can you possibly be a liberal who supports Obama? You must have friends or family who can tell you how it was before the entitlement mentality took hold in eastern Kentucky. I have family all over Ohio and Michigan who migrated north in search of work and so do most people who have deep roots in eastern Kentucky.

The Great Society programs began to change the culture and now many people see drawing a government check in eastern Kentucky to be a better option than moving to take a job elsewhere. So, I know that there is some truth in what you are saying about young people in eastern Kentucky and it is sad. When my father and other relatives walked into factories up north, they quickly found jobs because the work ethic of young people from our area was prized by manufacturers.

Now, when people from other areas think of eastern Kentucky, they think welfare and meth labs. The stereotype of Kentuckians when I was a boy among northerners was bare footed hillbillies who needed northerners to donate them used shoes and books - but our young men were always respected for their strong work ethic. Losing that reputation has hurt eastern Kentucky far more than the poverty that existed prior to the 1960s did - and it is not unlike what has happened to young people living in America's inner cities.

[TheRealVille]

Why pick June and July? There are more Jan., Feb., and Marches to compare. Experts are predicting that gas prices will reach historic highs this June and July - some are predicting prices near $5/gal. as refineries start producing the summer blends. Except for the last half of 2008, prices should have been much higher during the Bush years than they are now because demand was higher.

Even going with your months, prices aren't drastically different. I'll post them below. I also notice that the highest price gas we have had since you chart starts, is under your guy. The reason that I picked June or July, is that on the chart, prices are higher under Bush. If gas prices are higher under Obama in Feb. March, they are higher under Bush in June and July. If we are handpicking high months for Obama, let's hand pick high months for Bush. It's also handy that the chart allows 3 years for Bush, and 4 for Obama, under your Feb/Mar method. I also notice that you are saying they are predicting $5 dollar gas in July, yet gas was 4.12 in June of 08 under Bush.


3/06 2.36
3/07 2.61
3/08 2.95


3/09 2.00
3/10 2.75
3/11 3.40
3/12 3.62

Btw, I straightened out your quote. We don't need to get screwed up quotes going again.

[Hoot Gibson]

Even going with your months, prices aren't drastically different. I'll post them below. I also notice that the highest price gas we have had since you chart starts, is under your guy. The reason that I picked June or July, is that on the chart, prices are higher under Bush. If gas prices are higher under Obama in Feb. March, they are higher under Bush in June and July. If we are handpicking high months for Obama, let's hand pick high months for Bush. It's also handy that the chart allows 3 years for Bush, and 4 for Obama, under your Feb/Mar method.


3/06 2.36
3/07 2.61
3/08 2.95


3/09 2.00
3/10 2.75
3/11 3.40
3/12 3.62

It's not my chart WC23 posted it. The difference between this March (prices are still rising and the current average price is $3.76 not $3.62) and March 07, when Bush was in office is $1.15/gal. I disagree that this is not a drastic difference in price.

I understand why you want to compare Obama's high months to Bush's high months but all of the experts are forecasting that prices will easily surpass the highest prices during the Bush years. There is no reason to expect that prices will stop rising anytime soon because of the cost of refineries producing additional blends of gasoline for the summer.

Prices should be much lower than they are because employment is lower and the demand for gasoline is much lower. If war breaks out in Israel, there is no telling how high prices will go. If that happens, Obama's mishandling of the Iranian nuclear program will be a contributing factor - and he will regret not having treated Netanyahu with the respect a loyal ally that he deserved.

[TheRealVille]

It's not my chart WC23 posted it. The difference between this March (prices are still rising and the current average price is $3.76 not $3.62) and March 07, when Bush was in office is $1.15/gal. I disagree that this is not a drastic difference in price.

I understand why you want to compare Obama's high months to Bush's high months but all of the experts are forecasting that prices will easily surpass the highest prices during the Bush years. There is no reason to expect that prices will stop rising anytime soon because of the cost of refineries producing additional blends of gasoline for the summer.

Prices should be much lower than they are because employment is lower and the demand for gasoline is much lower. If war breaks out in Israel, there is no telling how high prices will go. If that happens, Obama's mishandling of the Iranian nuclear program will be a contributing factor - and he will regret not having treated Netanyahu with the respect a loyal ally that he deserved.

It's not real drastic when you take it over the course of the chart, between the two Presidents. You pick one year, and you can make a lot of drastics in the chart. I can pull a major drastic if we are just using one year. I'm sure the bold was just a typo. Follow the line up to where they cross in March of 07, Hoot. On 3/20/2007, it was 2.61. I'll give you 2.50 for a little earlier in the month, though. Can we go back and compare some March prices when Clinton was in office? Why stop with Bush and Obama? See where I'm going here?

[Hoot Gibson]

I'm sure the bold was just a typo. Follow the line up to where they cross in March of 07, Hoot. On 3/20/2007, it was 2.61. Can we go back and compare some March prices when Clinton was in office? Why stop with Bush and Obama? See where I'm going here?

It was not a typo: $3.76-2.61=$1.15 difference. (The average national price today is $3.76.)

I only commented on the chart that WC posted, which did not cover the Clinton years. Adjusting for inflation, I am sure that prices were still lower during the Clinton years than they are now and like Bush, for most of Clinton's two terms, the economy performed well. Prices in a weak economy should be lower than they were during a rapidly expanding economy but under Obama, they are higher. That means that unless something changes, prices are likely to skyrocket if the GDP ever resumes growing at a decent clip.

[TheRealVille]

It was not a typo: $3.76-2.61=$1.15 difference. (The average national price today is $3.76.)

I only commented on the chart that WC posted, which did not cover the Clinton years. Adjusting for inflation, I am sure that prices were still lower during the Clinton years than they are now and like Bush, for most of Clinton's two terms, the economy performed well. Prices in a weak economy should be lower than they were during a rapidly expanding economy but under Obama, they are higher. That means that unless something changes, prices are likely to skyrocket if the GDP ever resumes growing at a decent clip.

I didn't see the difference part. If we pick and choose parts of that chart to suit our argument, bot of us can come up with figures to suit our case. You have to compare the chart as a whole for both Administrations. You keep bringing up todays prices, how much is oil at the present time?

[judgementday]

It would be interesting to see what the gas price trend was during the Clinton administration. I myself recall noticing gas prices rising back in 2001.

[RunItUpTheGut]

Gas price too high? Thank the greens, Dems, and Clinton

By Henry Lamb

In December, 1996 Bill Clinton vetoed legislation that would have added more than a million barrels of domestic oil per day to help reduce America's dependence on foreign oil. His reasoning at the time was that ANWR could not produce oil for ten years, a laughable excuse.

For years, responsible Congressmen fought to open ANWR (Arctic National Wildlife Refuge).

The real reason ANWR remains closed to needed domestic oil production is the relentless propaganda campaign waged by green organizations that preach the now-discredited gospel of global warming. These organizations contribute heavily to Democratic candidates, and, during the Clinton administration, occupied the White House and management positions of federal agencies. (See this report and especially endnote #30.)

The Bush administration tried again to expand domestic oil production. Congressional Democrats would not allow it. They filibustered Senator Ted Stevens' bill to open ANWR in 2005, and in 2008 killed a bill to expand off-shore drilling. Had the greens, the Dems, and Clinton not conspired to prevent the expansion of domestic oil production nearly two decades ago, America could be nearly self-sufficient in energy production today.

Obama may be worse than all of the above. Van Jones, his first energy czar is a self-proclaimed communist. His "Green Collar Economy" cannot exist unless carbon-based energy is either outlawed or taxed to a price point beyond the price of his proposed alternative energy. Carol Browner, his choice for global warming czar, is a socialist. She served as Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency during the Clinton administration, and hates the use of carbon-based energy in America.

There is no reason to force an already stressed economy into a "green" economy where, for example, a Chevy Volt costs $41,000 (before the $7,500 tax credit) for a mid-size hatchback that's rated 40 mpg highway. Dozens of mid-size cars are available for half the price with mpg ratings in the mid or high 30s. A "green" economy requires massive subsidies from government and/or increased taxes on carbon-based energy to equalize the playing field. This kind of manipulation is not a free market economy. It is a major factor in rising gas prices and other energy costs.

What's happening in the Obama administration may be much worse than the price of gasoline. His admission to Joe the Plumber that he wants to "spread the wealth around" is a goal that is not limited to the United States. Even in defiance of a court order, Obama refuses to allow off-shore drilling for domestic energy. He has no reluctance, however, to provide $2 billion in funding for drilling off the Brazilian coastline. He is trying to spread the wealth to Brazil, while preventing wealth creation in U.S. oil fields.

Obama's desire to spread the wealth around includes spreading American-generated wealth to foreign countries. It was Obama who pushed his "Global Poverty Act" (S.2433) to increase foreign aid to the level dictated by the U.N.

What's worse, the Obama administration appears to be doing all it can do to weaken the U.S. dollar printing more and more greenbacks, each of which reduces the value of all greenbacks. One way to "spread the wealth around" is to take wealth away from those who have it and give it to those who do not. By reducing the value of the U.S. dollar, the value of most other currencies increases.

Moreover, Obama is cooperating fully with the G-20, a group of financial officers from 20 nations, along with the executives of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank and the heads of certain central banks, who are working to equalize the global economy. G-20 meetings are private and their work is intended to strengthen "global governance."

On top of all this, consider that China and India are increasing their use of carbon-based fuels to expand their economies dramatically. They are using cheap carbon energy to manufacture solar panels and wind turbines for use in America to generate energy that is outrageously expensive. What sense does this make? It certainly "spreads the wealth around" at the expense of Americans.

The only way to stop this nonsense is to continue the revolution started in November, 2010 and intensify efforts to put a majority in the Senate who understand and respect the U.S. Constitution and value a free market economy. If the current administration can be replaced with a President who believes government has no business spreading around other people's wealth, and that the U.S. must become self-sufficient in energy production, while defending our borders at home and our interests abroad, then we can open ANWR, drill offshore, and use the resources within our own nation.

Those who object to this goal should be re-tested.

http://www.renewamerica.com/columns/lamb/110313

[Wildcatk23]

Damn you clinton!

[NEWARKCATHOLICFAN]

It is funny
When Clinton was in charge all of his good depending who you hear talk came from what the president did before him(NO MATTER HOW BAD THINGS WERE)

NOW THAT OB. IS IN THERE ALL OF THE BAD HE IS DOING IS ON HIM, NOT THE GUY(WhO WAS IN CHARGE BEFORE HIM, THAT TOOK THIS COUNTRY TO A POINT SO LOW, WE MIGHT NOT EVER RECOVER)

When the Next R party guy gets in there I am already sure the horrible job he does will all be OB's fault.

[RunItUpTheGut]

^
Who's OB?

Barrack Obama? That's BO....

[RunItUpTheGut]

This green shit has to end.
It's a major problem and nothing more than a scam to get people who are naive enough in believing there actually helping the world.

To fix the economy is simple, lower gas prices and all will be fixed.
Now, find a Pres whos willing to do that so everyone can be happy.