Remember a year and a half ago when gas was a little over 2 dollars a gallon? We were all worried about the prices rising and whether America could afford to pay more for a resource they rely so heavily upon. Well, the prices did rise and I know personally I paid as much as 4.30 for a gallon of gas this past summer. We saw some cutting back on driving and car sales, but there were still plenty of cars on the highways and roads around the country. We managed.
If you go to your local gas dispensary today, you will notice something odd, yet wonderful. Gas prices have returned to close to where they were 2 years ago! I filled my entire tank yesterday for less than 35 dollars, and I was pumping premium! We have seen the price of a gallon of gas get cut in half over a course of 3 months. Granted, it seems like the entire world's economy is tanking faster than Sarah Palin taking her SATs, but is that the only reason why we are getting this monetary reprieve?
Why was gas 4 dollars a gallon in the first place? I don't think we are consuming significantly more or less gas than we did at any time in the past 3 years, and I am pretty sure there is still an ocean of black goo under all those pumps in the Middle East, Canada and South America. So what gives? Why would something so indispensable to American life be able to have it's price fluctuate and differ so much from year to year? How can the gas that does the same thing for everyone that it did for the past 100 years sell for much more than inflation would dictate, then revert back to prices more in the norm on a whim?
I will grant that I am not an economist or a trader, but I'm pretty sure I have a good idea as to why the gas prices have seen such dramatic changes. It's a common trait among any businessman: greed. Gas sold for what it did this past summer because people will pay for it, no matter what. Gas is so essential to our daily routines that, if economic conditions were not as dire as they are right now, a gallon would still be 4 dollars and could keep on rising. There has to be some moderation just so it is not blatantly obvious that the men behind it all are ripping the consumer off, but they really had a hold on their own future. They can charge whatever they want and reap in the profits. I can't even comment on the 'gas futures' market because my eyeballs would explode from anger. Plus, these oil companies are bringing in record profits, yet the prices continue to rise! It just pisses me off that it takes a global economic crisis in order to bring these gas prices back to normal. Those ass napkins in the middle east (among others) are just raking in cash while they tamper with a resource that is crucial to daily operation. Sure, you may say that if this gas is so valuable, then why not charge as much as you want for it? If you are a capitalist, good point. You should have a right to make money on your product. But this product is used world wide. This product runs everything from transportation to heating. This is a commodity, a part of the globe's functionality. It should be protected from shit like this.
In the end, I can understand how it happened and even why it happened. Greedy oil bastards realized they could be making much more money. Good for them. Exxon makes 10 billion in profits, those retarded wipe-my-ass-with-money fools in Dubai build fake islands, indoor ski slopes, ridiculous theme parks and mile high skyscrapers with all this oil money, and nothings in 'future trading' make money PREDICTING that these people will make money. All I can say is a giant "Fuck You" to all of them. There was no need for that spike in price. Gas is $2 right now. It was $2 3 years ago. I understand increasing with inflation, but doubling price in a year? Ridiculous. You shouldn't be able to mess with gas. It is too imperative to the functionality of our society. Sure, the gas spike was great for the 'green movement', but let's get real; that's not going to change anything for a while. I want my $2 gas now, and I want it kept that way.
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