Can anyone explain to me why gas is still rising?

[superjames1992]

Re: Can anyone explain to me why gas is still rising?

let me cut and paste this for some of yall that dont understand what is going on. Ive worked in the oil/gas business for quite a while.

Gas companies might raise prices somewhat here and there, but they have ALWAYS done that. It is no different. It's all of the other factors stacked on top of the usual from gas companies that allows it to be high.

do you think world demand is increasing or decreasing?...At the same time, do you think all of the restrictions in this country is decreasing supply from our domestic oil companies?

of course there are a million factors (value of the US dollar, oil futures trading, unstable world events, etc..), but good old fashioned supply and demand is absolutely a main factor. We dont have a shortage right now, but oil is not a renewable resource, and demand is doing nothing but increasing...so a shortage is inevitable.

btw, domestic oil companies do not control everything, and they are not the enemy. While the government talks, Oil companies actually work and increase supply. Getting "tough" on them, and adding more restrictions for them (environmental or not) is not the way to increase supply, or lessen the dependence on foreign oil.

we cant be environmentally responsible, AND have cheap gas. We cant have it both ways right now. Folks dont even want to let people drill in Anwar, or even much in the Gulf of Mexico, etc. Yet, many of the same people complaining about drilling act like it's their God given right to have cheap gas lol.

another btw, the government could lower the price immediately quite a bit if they lessened the size of their pie and lowered their federal gas tax...but of course they arent touching that. They talk and act like oil companies are the enemy, while they make money from the people they are criticizing...but most of the people in govt talking dont actually do crap. Most of them act like they have no idea about energy...and it's been getting worse since '06.

I agree with everything you said here! It's nice to hear from someone that has been inside the industry.

That's the way I see it. The oil companies are not the ones controlling the price for the most part. The government certainly does not help. The federal government places an 18 cent tax per gallon and the states add even more taxes. In West Virginia, I remember the federal and state taxes combined was 44 cents per gallon. In California, I believe it is 60 cents. No wonder they have such high gas prices. The government is hypocritical, as usual...

As usual, people want to blame the supposedly "evil" oil companies who are making all this money. However, if I am correct, weren't many of these same companies struggling not too long ago when the price of gas was low? Now the government wants to steal the oil companies' money via a windfall profits tax because they are supposedly making too much money. How much is too much? Next thing you know, they'll be saying Wal-Mart, McDonalds, ect. are making too much money and the government will control everthing. It's a slippery slope fellas.

Let's face it though, it's not just the government getting tough on oil companies. And the govt has had to get tough on those companies for a reason. However it does provide a good excuse for the big companies like Exxon to gouge us.

Imo, it's only a matter of time before price regulation hits. What oil companies are doing is borderline criminal. That being said, it's the consumer's fault for being so oil dependent, and also for allowing the oil lobby to be so powerful.

No, it's not criminal. They aren't gouging us. The government is gouging us.

Did you know that you work from January to May each year JUST TO PAY THE FEDERAL INCOME TAX? The government steals 38% of your income just like that. And they had to amend the Constitution to make the income tax even legal, since it was not originally. It was supposed to be a temporary tax during World War I. It's really been temporary now that it is nearly 100 years later, LOL!

[bkrich83]

Re: Can anyone explain to me why gas is still rising?

I agree with everything you said here! It's nice to hear from someone that has been inside the industry.

That's the way I see it. The oil companies are not the ones controlling the price for the most part. The government certainly does not help. The federal government places an 18 cent tax per gallon and the states add even more taxes. In West Virginia, I remember the federal and state taxes combined was 44 cents per gallon. In California, I believe it is 60 cents. No wonder they have such high gas prices. The government is hypocritical, as usual...

As usual, people want to blame the supposedly "evil" oil companies who are making all this money. However, if I am correct, weren't many of these same companies struggling not too long ago when the price of gas was low? Now the government wants to steal the oil companies' money via a windfall profits tax because they are supposedly making too much money. How much is too much? Next thing you know, they'll be saying Wal-Mart, McDonalds, ect. are making too much money and the government will control everthing. It's a slippery slope fellas.

You don't find it peculiar that the Oil companies are recording record profits while the prices are rising at unprecedented rates? You don't think there's a concerted effort to price gouge? Can you explain why so many refineries go offline at peak demand times, thus boosting the prices even more? You believe it's the govt's fault for rising gas prices and the oil companies bear no blame?

Please. Talk to me in 15 years when you've been around the block a few times.

[superjames1992]

Re: Can anyone explain to me why gas is still rising?

You don't find it peculiar that the Oil companies are recording record profits while the prices are rising at unprecedented rates? You don't think there's a concerted effort to price gouge? Can you explain why so many refineries go offline at peak demand times, thus boosting the prices even more? You believe it's the govt's fault for rising gas prices and the oil companies bear no blame?

Please. Talk to me in 15 years when you've been around the block a few times.

Oil companies don't control the price largely, though. It's all about the markets. Basically, it is how ZP9 said it, because he knows more about this than you and I do.

[bkrich83]

Re: Can anyone explain to me why gas is still rising?

No, it's not criminal. They aren't gouging us. The government is gouging us.

Did you know that you work from January to May each year JUST TO PAY THE FEDERAL INCOME TAX? The government steals 38% of your income just like that. And they had to amend the Constitution to make the income tax even legal, since it was not originally. It was supposed to be a temporary tax during World War I. It's really been temporary now that it is nearly 100 years later, LOL!

I guarantee you, you would crap yourself if you saw how much money I get taxed. While I have some serious issues with the tax code, and how certain people get off scott free and how the money is distributed, you realize why there is an income tax right? OR a property tax, or any other tax, right? And you realize how you, especially someone of your age benefits from taxes.

What do you think would happen to the country if there were no taxes? How would we pay for governent programs, grants and services? Do you think they would just magically still happen?

How would we pay for our military that protects our foreign oil interests? You know the interests of those oil companies you are so desperate to defend.

[bkrich83]

Re: Can anyone explain to me why gas is still rising?

Oil companies don't control the price largely, though. It's all about the markets. Basically, it is how ZP9 said it, because he knows more about this than you and I do.

Yeah actually they do. And he pretty much admitted my points were pretty valid, nor is anything I said much of a secret. It's pretty much common knowledge. It's just we the consumer is at the mercy of a massive oil consortium, and it's our own hunger for that oil, that won't let us do anything about it. That and the oil lobby, making sure alternative fuel technology never arrives.

Like I said, in about 15 years, when you've actually been part of the real world, let me know.

[superjames1992]

Re: Can anyone explain to me why gas is still rising?

I guarantee you, you would crap yourself if you saw how much money I get taxed. While I have some serious issues with the tax code, and how certain people get off scott free, you realize why there is an income tax right? And you realize how you, especially someone of your age benefits from taxes.

What do you think would happen to the country if there were no taxes? How would we pay for governent programs, grants and services? Do you think they would just magically still happen?

How would we pay for our military that protects our foreign oil interests? You know the interests of those oil companies you are so desperate to defend.

We wouldn't need such large taxes if it was a small federal government like it was 200 years ago, which is how I think it should be. No welfare, no medicare, no social security, none of that. Taxes would be dramatically lower, then. The government wastes tons and tons of money all the time on stupid stuff, too, like that $250 million bridge in Alaska to get to like 50 people.

I have not really benefited from that tax money as much, either, until this year. I've gone to private school all my life until we moved, and public schools suck my the way.

EDIT: Let's just end it here before the thread gets locked since we are getting into political talk now. We won't agree, so there is no point in trying to convince the other party.

[bkrich83]

Re: Can anyone explain to me why gas is still rising?

We wouldn't need such large taxes if it was a small federal government like it was 200 years ago, which is how I think it should be. No welfare, no medicare, no social security, none of that. Taxes would be dramatically lower, then. The government wastes tons and tons of money all the time on stupid stuff, too, like that $250 million bridge in Alaska to get to like 50 people.

I have not really benefited from that tax money as much, either, until this year. I've gone to private school all my life until we moved, and public schools suck my the way.

Which would be feasible if we were simply a non-industrialized nation of 10 million people in one small geographical area. We wouldn't have to worry about taxes or education, because we'd all be working on farms for pennies a day.

It's time to step back in to reality now. You can't compare 1700 and early 1800's America with today.

You haven't benefited? Really? You have a lot to learn apparently.

[bkrich83]

Re: Can anyone explain to me why gas is still rising?

We won't agree, so there is no point in trying to convince the other party.

Like I said, when you've been around the block, and have actually lived in reality, come back and let me know, we'll talk.

[Registered_Again]

Re: Can anyone explain to me why gas is still rising?

Like I said, when you've been around the block, and have actually lived in reality, come back and let me know, we'll talk.

Because you have been around the block does not mean you have all the answers, pal. There have been many people who have "been around the block" and still do not get it.

[bkrich83]

Re: Can anyone explain to me why gas is still rising?

Because you have been around the block does not mean you have all the answers, pal. There have been many people who have "been around the block" and still do not get it.

Ok pal. And a 15 year old kid that has never paid a dime of taxes, and thinks we would be better off if the country was run like it was 200 years ago, get's it?

Move on.

[Double Eights]

Re: Can anyone explain to me why gas is still rising?

you realize why there is an income tax right?

bk, the reason we have an income tax is so we can pay back the debt we create when the Federal Reserve prints money and loans it to us with interest.

What did you think the income tax was for?

Also note that the Supreme Court ruled the income tax unconstitutional in 1895, but the government bypassed that and ratified the 16th Amendment, making the Supreme Court's ruling null and void.

"The income tax isn't necessary to pay for government services. Few people know that every penny of the income tax is used to service federal debt, a large percentage of which is held by foreign investors and governments. Our government is borrowing nearly three billion dollars a day in order to perpetuate the welfare state and an international war-making empire. The fruits of your labor are going directly to Saudi millionaires and Chinese communist officials."

- Ron Paul

(I wouldn't really consider this political discussion)

[bkrich83]

Re: Can anyone explain to me why gas is still rising?

bk, the reason we have an income tax, is so we can pay back the debt we create when the Federal Reserve prints money and loans it to us with interest.

What did you think the income tax was for?

Also note that the Supreme Court ruled the income tax unconstitutional in 1895, but the government bypassed that and ratified the 16th Amendment, making the Supreme Court's ruling null and void.

"The income tax isn't necessary to pay for government services. Few people know that every penny of the income tax is used to service federal debt, a large percentage of which is held by foreign investors and governments. Our government is borrowing nearly three billion dollars a day in order to perpetuate the welfare state and an international war-making empire. The fruits of your labor are going directly to Saudi millionaires and Chinese communist officials."

- Ron Paul

(I wouldn't really consider this political discussion)

It's borderline political. At least in the way OS takes it.

Now quoting Ron Paul, imo is sort of like quoting The Onion, but I digress.

If you want to believe the nation's services wouldn't suffer if we repealed income tax. Feel free. I find that as difficult to believe as SJ saying he's never benefited from people paying taxes simply because he went to private school.

[Registered_Again]

Re: Can anyone explain to me why gas is still rising?

Ok pal. And a 15 year old kid that has never paid a dime of taxes, and thinks we would be better off if the country was run like it was 200 years ago, get's it?

Move on.

Well, this 35 year old man, that pays taxes, thinks this country would be better off if this country was run the way it was before the unconstitutional socialist income tax was invoked. And I'll move on when I damn well please.

[bkrich83]

Re: Can anyone explain to me why gas is still rising?

Well, this 35 year old man, that pays taxes, thinks this country would be better off if this country was run the way it was before the unconstitutional socialist income tax was invoked.

Great. Run for office then. I mean how hard could it be to run the country like we were an un-industrialized 3rd world country, located in one small region of North America, right? That seems totally feasible.

And I'll move on when I damn well please.

Yes you are quite the tough guy.

[Registered_Again]

Re: Can anyone explain to me why gas is still rising?

Yes you are quite the tough guy.

Yes ma'am, I am.