Re: Gas prices
The current price increases are being caused by the phase out of MTBE. They want to replace the MTBE with ethanol. The industry that is producing the ethanol says it will be able to meet the increased supply demand, but the people who set the prices say the ethanol supplier won't be able to meet the increased demand. So the prices go up. <br /><br />What I don't understand is, who are these people who set the futures? They base their pricing not on fact or even true prediction, it seems they just throw prices out there and see what sticks. <br /><br />I still believe that the consumer is being taken advantage of. The industry knows most people are not willing to change their driving habits. The industry knows people are not going to run out and get econoboxes because they are too stupid to realize they were suckered by the automobile industry into thinking they need a giant SUV that does the same thing as a vehicle half its size.<br /><br />We are suckers, plain and simple. We all saw when we cut back on usage last fall the prices dropped. What did we do? we ran out and bought more gas suckers and started burning more gas and started crying when the prices went back up. The right answer would be for gas prices to go to a realistic price, whatever that may be, and stay there. Never before has there been such wild fluctuation in prices, it is ridiculous. <br /><br />Is Bush to blame? I suppose it's dumb to blame one man, but it is equally dumb to dismiss the possibility as well. Unless you have been hiding in a box or are too thick-headed to see reality, we are going through this because of choices made by certain people. I suppose we could blame Bin Laden. If he hadn't flown planes into buildings, Bush wouldn't have initiated a series of bad decisions that have done little else but divide the country and seperate us from the rest of the world at the same time. If Bin Laden would have kept to himself, Bush could have just cruised through his presidency at his ranch in Crawford with little complaint from the country.<br /><br />So who do we blame? Bin Laden for starting the whole mess? Bush for reacting poorly to 9/11 and arming the petrolium industry with an ability to jack prices whenever it feels like it? Do we blame ourselves because we can't stand the fact that the guy down the road just bought a crewcab duelly to take his kids to school and we just have to be as cool as he is? Do we blame the automobile industry for creating economical vehicles but making sure they are unappealing in comparison to the gas sucking SUVs and school bus sized pickup trucks?<br /><br />We, as consumers, are as much to blame as the petroleum industry, the automobile industry, and the government. Yes, gas is a necessity in our way of life. We have little choice. We do have a choice in how we use that gas. Buying a Suburban for the wife to get groceries and shuttle the kids to soccer practice and then crying about gas prices is equally as ignorant as invading countries and wasting lives over a vague maybe.<br /><br />I guess what I am saying is, if you are not being responsible in your actions, you should not be complaining. Me, I have a gas sucker, but it is a paid for gas sucker. It is less expensive than financing a fuel efficient vehicle. I also admit that I have this truck because of my boat, another needless luxury, but a paid for luxury. If I don't want to spend money on gas, I can simply use them less. I am not compelled to use them because I am making a giant payment every month. If gas went to $4 a gallon tomorrow, I would leave the boat on its trailer, leave the truck in the driveway, and ride my bike to work. That is how I deal with the gas prices.
