See this is the problem! "Not in my backyard!" That is why we haven't built a refinery in 30 years. That is why we can't take advantage of what is in Alsaka. That is why we can't build nuclear power plants. That is the reason that gas is so expensive. People need to realize that for the good of the nation once in while you will have to look at an oil refinery and stop caring so much about the penguins. If something is not done soon then we are going to have major problems. We need to shame the oil companies into not having billion dollar profits every queater, we need to start drilling here and we need to get serious about ethonol and hydrogen.

I think that the blame should go where it belongs, big oil companies & bushtown. Face us dumb ass Americans are to stupid to realize how much power we actually have so they just do as they please. If we could just pull 1/2 of all Americans together and park our gas guzzlers for three days we could tell them how much we would pay. 3/4 for 1 week and we would have them eating out of our hands like the little monkeys that they are, but it would appear that the hispanics are the only bunch who can get their tribes united. Whats wrong with this picture? I'm beginning to think that maybe we need hispanic leadership.

I am begining to think that you are insane. Most of us have jobs that we need to get to. It would not be possible for every American to not drive for three days. If we had Hispanic leadership we would be in the streets drunk, 3/4 of us would be here illegally and we would threaten to topple the government every five seconds. You are insane.

Law of supply and demand; law of supply and demand.

It is quite amazing to sit back and listen to most Americans shiver over the price of a gallon of gas. What is the average now, $3? What they are failing to realize (well, actually with much help from the MSM) is that the prices are doing exactly what they are supposed to be doing.

Did Americans really believe that .99 a gallon of gas was going to last forever? Maybe that is too harsh of a question, because judging by the actions and responses of many, the answer would have to be yes.

With demand from rising powers India and China almost equaling that of our insatiable appetite, its quite obvious that supply will waiver.

Some say it is the oil companies that are manipulating the prices; prove it. All you have to do is prove it, if you can (with verifiable facts of course).

gdfather02 has swallowed the free market kool-aid. What you are doing in Kuwait amounts to subsidizing the oil industry, that is unless your vacationing there. Recent tax breaks to the oil industry amounts to government subsidies. There are companies set up to exploit the natural resources in America and elsewhere. I don't mind $3/gal gasoline, but I'd rather have $3.50/gal sugar ethanol or similar. Then we wouldn't need to have you risking your life to get us $3/gal gas and 80Billion/quarter profit for the execs and stockholders of exxon and the like.

I've been wanting to make this point so let me digress. I think that the recent "nationalization" of oil companies in the Americas is due in large part to the recent RECORD profit being reported by at least the American Oil companies. I'm guessing that these nations are not sharing in this additional monies being collected at the American pump stations and they don't like it considering the oil came out of there territories. Which also makes me wonder about the lease deals our wonderful government hammers out with the oil companies on our behalf. How much money does the American people get out of the oil pumped from underneath the Gulf of Mexico? I think these contracts should be written in such a way that when the price of oil goes up on the "free market" exchange oil companies are not the only ones to benefit on this new gas pump taxation. Even Democrats like to call this a windfall profits tax, but this is a ruse. That Gulf of Mexico oil belonged to the American people first. Rises in oil revenues should benefit the oil owner as well as the oil drillers and oil refiners. Time for new lease agreements or get off our public lands and seas oil companies. America could sure use some of that money to pay off the national debt. Thanks alot US government for getting the shaft from the oil industry. Taxpayers left holding the bag while the shylarks load there pockets.

Thank you for allowing me this diatribe.

Good luck and come home safe.

Okay....

You all want to place blame somewhere, here is an idea. Go to your nearest bathroom, find a mirror, and look directly into it. yep, there you go.... Americans are angry, yet still riding around in their pick ups and SUV; hollywood pimps jetting off to Europe in private jets, while extolling the virtues of conservation and cutting back on material wealth....

Want to talk about price gouging?? Lets look at clothes, shoes, going to a ball game; THAT is price gouging!! Oil, not even close. This current investigation of big oil makes what, the umpteenth time it has occured?? Politicos on the left and right realize that it is mid term election time, and what better way to cover their bases than to put on that brave face and "fight for the little guy."

Riiiiiiight.....

Sorry I missed this earlier Johnny. The no new refineries argument is a false argument. Existing refineries have and are supposedly being expanded to meet the demand. I mentioned earlier, maybe on a different oil thread, that I've heard complaints that the big oil interests have been buying up and driving or have drove independent refiners out of the market. Now on the "Not in my back yard" thing. Putting more oil rigs in the path of hurricanes is an environmentally dangerous proposition. More efficient light trucks can help. Write your congressman and senators. vote independent. Thanks for caring about this issue.

Gee as Iread through this post I could not help but wonder if the people that voted for Bush on the tax cuts feel their $85 tax cut this year helped to offset the high fuel prices in addition to the increased cost of goods. I chose $85 on the income of 90,000 per year.

Bush is not responsible for what private industry does.

He is responsible for giving them an 11 billion dollar tax break and policies that favor the oil industry. I think he has partial responsibility for high prices but the you are right there are a lot of contributing factors. My comment was referring to his defending the high prices and profits in relation to his bragging about the tax savings.

I really do not care if the price of gas goes up to 10$ a gallon. I think it will force our government to do what should have been done 20 years ago with energy policy.