Taxes and Gas

OK, so gas prices are up over $3 per gallon and everyone is complaining. I don't like it either since I drive an SUV that gets 16 mpg in the city when I drive very carefully.

But do I get mad at the oil companies? No.

Do I get mad that the oil companies made record profits? No

This is free market society. Read this article http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2007/06/why_is_profit_a_dirty_word.html

There is a very simple reason that gas prices are up: supply is outracing supply. China is demanding more oil, the US needs more oil, Europe is using more oil. But there is something else that is not being put out there...refineries are not converting the oil into gas quickly enough because there are many refineries that are damaged and not running at 100%.

There hasn't been a new refinery built in the US since Garyville, LA in 1976. So every refinery working in the US is at least THIRTY years old. Why no new refineries? Can you say environmentalists? I knew you could. They are the same people who say no to nuclear power because it is dangerous then bitch and moan that there is too much reliance on products that produce CO2. Uh, you mean like burning coal for electricity? So you can't have a nuclear power plant which has close to no emissions but you can burn coal that adds to the so-called "greenhouse" effect.

OK, so no new refineries and no nuclear plants. Hmmm. OK, so what is the average person going to do about the price of gas? Well, first and foremost we need to stop driving like maniacs. Driving your car at 65 mph wastes 15% more gas than at 55 mph. Can't do that? How about keeping your vehicle in order with things like tune ups and correct tire pressure? But most importantly don't be an ass and drive like you are part of NASCAR. You don't need to race off the line when the light turns green. You don't need to get from your home to the market by driving fast and furious when you probably saved 30 seconds by driving like that.

So when everyone is doing the right things with their cars and the gas prices are high because the oil companies are doing something illegal or price gouging, then complain. Until then, just suck it up.