Gas Prices Rise For Five Reasons (PHOTOS/VIDEO)

From Jim Motavalli and Mother Nature Network:

As I write this, regular gasoline is at 2008 levels, more than $4 a gallon, in California, Hawaii and Alaska, and pretty darn close to that ($3.94) at stations down the street from where I live in Connecticut. Gas prices have risen 29 cents a gallon since December.

Pain at the pumps is very real, but can we attribute it to President Obama’s “radical environmentalism,” to use Rick Santorum’s catchy phrase? Nah. As the Washington Post put it, “Readers should immediately discount anything politicians say about gas prices.” And that includes Newt saying, “If you would like to have an American energy policy, never again bow to a Saudi king and pay $2.50 a gallon, Newt Gingrich will be your candidate.” And House Speaker John Boehner pointing out that “gas prices have more than doubled since the president took office.” Here are five real reasons why fuel prices are climbing, and Obama’s stalling of the Keystone XL pipeline isn’t on the list.

List and captions courtesy of Mother Nature Network

Comments

[Y3rMawm]

01:32 AM on 03/08/2012

6 - Currency Strength/Destruction.

[vmf211]

01:24 AM on 03/08/2012

The left says the demand is down so shouldn't the prices drop to get you to use it?

[jbtex]

07:18 PM on 03/08/2012

news to me.
Lefty said that? What did Poncho say?

[milehighview]

10:11 AM on 03/05/2012

This article and its implications was about as helpful and educating as a high hurdle at a senior citizens' convention. You don't think additional drilling will help? Nothing like increasing supply more to bring down prices.

[jbtex]

07:20 PM on 03/08/2012

Not unless it's your oil well and you get to keep the oil. Otherwise in a world market it goes to the highest bidder.

[milehighview]

11:10 AM on 03/10/2012

Back to basic economics: Supply and Demand.

More drilling will increase the supply (yes, even worldwide supply) which will have a downward effect on price. And more drilling in the US will increase US output which will mean we have less dependence on oil from producing countries that don't like us. Yes, worldwide price is what we pay, but much better to have it going to US producers than others. If the output is from the US, in a time of world crisis, we do not have to be under the thumb more of foreign countries. And we do have enough reserves in oil, oil sands and natural gas to have an impact on the worldwide price of energy!

[luigijustice]

01:58 AM on 03/11/2012

Supply is already up and demand down, which supposedly should drive prices down. Not happening. And US production has increased significantly. Still, prices going down? Not happening. Do some research and stop repeating by rote things you hear politicians say. They're just trying to sell you something.

[hpycmpr155]

02:00 PM on 03/04/2012

They forgot the #1 reason: Corporate Greed

[Y3rMawm]

01:32 AM on 03/08/2012

Define please.

[jbtex]

07:21 PM on 03/08/2012

That's personal greed now, since corporations are people.

[energydem]

05:11 PM on 03/13/2012

I was so pleased to see that stupid things like "corporate greed" were not included in the list. Get a grip

[hpycmpr155]

05:55 PM on 03/13/2012

Okay Got it.
Sorry.

[jrh46]

11:37 AM on 03/04/2012

there is no reason for gas prices to be this high you cant explian it away i saw on the military chaneel a tank that can go 25 miles on water and another 200 miles on land before it has to be refueled we saved that country and have had no thanks in any form from saudi ara how rich do you have to be before you say hey lets price down our prices it will be good for all fellow man

[jbtex]

07:22 PM on 03/08/2012

It burns water and land?

[Bullitt08]

11:27 AM on 03/04/2012

The only way mass transit can work is if most employers are located in city down town locations.
Unfortunately, big cities have stupidly chased employers away with high property taxes and wage taxes.

High speed rail can work in densely populated areas, but really isn't economically viable for long distance travel.

[jbtex]

07:23 PM on 03/08/2012

In China you sleep at the factory, 8 to a room.

[SevenHmongHeroes]

09:52 AM on 03/04/2012

How about the oil speculators? They hold trillions of dollars worth of oil to jack up the price; they need to be reigned in!

[Y3rMawm]

01:34 AM on 03/08/2012

How?

[jbtex]

07:24 PM on 03/08/2012

Well we're "at war" aren't we? WW2 had rationing.

[SevenHmongHeroes]

08:58 AM on 03/10/2012

"hen someone leaked confidential documents detailing the positions of Wall Street speculators—including Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, JPMorgan Chase, Deutsche Bank, and Barclays—from a single day that fateful summer, June 30, 2008. More than 200 companies held investments in millions of barrels of oil that day, many of them companies that neither produce nor use oil.

The documents laid bare the extent to which big banks' speculating has begun to affect oil prices: Traditionally, those who produce and buy oil have been the big players in the futures market, making calculations about how much oil will cost in the future and drafting contracts to provide that oil at a set price down the line. But now financial players are also in the game, bidding on oil that they'll never make or use—a development that many say is artificially raising the price of crude."- source Mother Jones

[garygkennedy]

08:06 AM on 03/04/2012

We better vote this idiot out of office before we are totaly destroyed. He has made a product Oil that the world has to much of and made it a valuable item and raised the price because everyone in the world knows we are not drilling, not going to produce it or search for it, so they know they can charge anything they want.

[SevenHmongHeroes]

09:58 AM on 03/04/2012

Let me guess. . .you're the same folks who don't support high speed train that would take millions of cars out of the highway. You are probably part of the same folks that won't support green energy- like electric cars, buses, and trucks. And, you are the same folks that won't help fund green energy like wind, solar and thermal.

So there you have it! You are the one destroying America! Don't blame anyone else. . .

[garygkennedy]

11:07 AM on 03/04/2012

Let guess your the same people that think mass transit will work, it wont in the US we are far apart its not like europe where major cities and poplulation are within a few hundred miles. its cost prohibited. Also green energy wind solar are usless they dont work on any scale for the US every this has been tried in other counties and failed just like it will be here. Waste of money. I will bet your life we will in the future never rely on wind or solar. We will be jumping in technology from oil to some form of fusion or nucular, its the only thinkg that will work. Oil does not destroy america only idiot and folks that cant face the truth are.

[milehighview]

10:25 AM on 03/05/2012

How does the cool-aid taste today? It seems like you have had several glasses today (and full to the brim). Do you know the total carbon footprint of an electric car? Have you noticed that the US solar companies are going bankrupt? Did you see T Boone Pickens drop out of the national wind power project? Or do you have your green eye blinders on so tight it is impairing you thinking processes?

[opus1dog]

07:28 PM on 03/04/2012

Which idiot are you referring? The same idiots that vote down funding for new mass transit initiatives - the 11% Congress? I totally agree with you, they need to go.

[garygkennedy]

08:05 AM on 03/05/2012

You people need to study business Mass transit is a waste of money there is not one system in the US that can stand on its on finacialy they have all been a huge failure. When things are cost prohibited you just dont do them. Simple economics stop with kept trying we need it why cars are just fine there is no global warming as a result of cars its all a fantacy lie. When you can control the sun and earths orbit then talk to me about controling the atmospher. Otherewise give it up.

[bynddrvn5]

07:59 AM on 03/04/2012

Too bad we haven't built up our public transportation or built roads to accommodate cyclists and pedestrians.

I remember when I was touring around Sweden, most of the roads had one or two lanes for auto/truck traffic, a completely separate lane for bicycles, and another lane for pedestrians. The cycling and pedestrian lanes were separated from the auto/truck lanes by either a curb or a concrete barrier, none of this ridiculous painted white line stuff we do here.

We could easily reduce our dependance on oil if we either walked or bicycled short distances. Good exercise and you save money, definitely a win - win.

[garygkennedy]

08:10 AM on 03/04/2012

What a itdiot bikes or mass transportaon give me a break. You cant compair european countries which are size of ct. Ya 300 miles in europe and you can be in 4 differecnt counties in America you cant get to the other side of the state. Wake up people the US uses cars for a reason it has to. Plus the fact there is more oil in the world than we can posibly us, and there is no global warming, when we can control the sun then you can say something. Thats why temp increase and decrease thoughout time.

[bynddrvn5]

09:32 AM on 03/04/2012

Fox News talking points.

Most people in the USA make many short trips of less than 5 miles.

Your grammar is so bad, I don't think you are qualified to work in fast food.

[netexas121]

06:31 AM on 03/04/2012

The average person even with oil and energy stocks has nothing to gain by increase of prices in oil and at the pump which you pay for fuel. Reason being is that when the economy tanks because small and meduim businesses cannot afford to operate and we cannot afford to purchase or use those products and services so does your investments....so we can eliminate several millions of American citizens that do benefit. The number of people that do benefit are limited in the grand scale of the American population....those that gain royalties (and then screw the rest of us on taxes with loop holes), the energy services employees including third party resources and then all the foreign owners of the oil companies . Americans if we continue to let the prices increase we will see another 2007-2009. Contact your state and federal representatives and let them know that we are tired of these increases and they need to take action NOW!

[liarfire]

01:00 AM on 03/04/2012

I had to buy a motorcycle...i was paying 20 dollars a day gas to go to work. and that was cheep for most people...the Oligarchy is causing people to suffer for profits.. they have NO obligation to the people of the planet only stock holders and now that the corporate model of rip off everyone all the time is common place as well as infected the halls of government this will never get better until we finally collapse under the weight of greed! Or revolt!

[BlueMojo]

02:09 AM on 03/04/2012

I'm beginning to lean towards getting one myself. I don't want to be a "biker" but the economic advantage is too pragmatic.

[liarfire]

02:04 PM on 03/04/2012

It can be dangerous too...you must drive as if no one sees you....But hay a lot of people today are not traditionaly a bicker....i have many friends that are into the cafe racers or bobbers..i have one myself its way cool and people allways ask me what is that!...google bobber.....you dont have to ride a gaudy chopper HA!

[liarfire]

12:41 AM on 03/04/2012

The Oligarchy figured out that all they had to do is continuously lie to the people until they have become incapable of discerning truth from fiction..they have trained them to be trainable..they can lie lie lie and the people are used to lies so much now that they just accept the lies as OK Its from an Official take it at face value...

[liarfire]

12:37 AM on 03/04/2012

Here is how this is so much BS...."As the global recovery takes hold, more people are working""

SOOO before the downturn all these folks HAD been working and the price of gas was much lower....

they pull these kind of justifications out of their rears and make these "plausible" statements that defies logic reason and history....

[SevenHmongHeroes]

10:00 AM on 03/04/2012

The problem is most people believe it!

[liarfire]

01:55 PM on 03/04/2012

And it has been proven to the Oligarchy so they just keep doing it.....Americasn have proven themselves stupid

[white41990]

10:51 PM on 03/03/2012

This is what happens when you have low interest rates, and a de-regulated market that allows speculation, it's like mixing oil and water it doesn't work, if we could get Ben Bernake out and stop all that QE3 and just raise interest rates to prevent inflation, oil would drop in price 3x as fast as it went up with regulation in place to prevent investors from the ability to trade on oil futures contracts they don't own for profit.

[Sunwyn Ravenwood]

06:37 PM on 03/03/2012

Oil is steadily becoming more expensive because oil companies can charge more for it. They raise prices. Then they lower them a bit, then rise them even more. Whenever it looks like people will wean their industries off gasoline they lower prices so they can undercut the competition. When the competition goes out of business they raise prices again. They've been doing this for the last 50 years. They will keep on doing this until all the oil is gone or our civilization collapses, whichever comes first.

[WESmith]

08:23 PM on 03/03/2012

Oil companies have zero control over oil prices. They don't even own oil. It is against the law. The oil in the ground belongs to the person(s) owning the mineral rights. They contract oil companies to produce their oil. Oil companies are required to sell oil they produce to speculators. Oil companies pay lease and royalties to the owners of the oil. They pay taxes to the government. If they are lucky, they get 8% profit margin.
In the 1980s, an oil company used oil from their own oil wells in their refineries and sold the gasoline in their own gas stations (for 10% less than everyone else). The US Government fined them $5 billion for tax evasion, made them pay taxes as if they had charged the going price for gasoline and rmade them raise their gasoline to the same as everyone else. Everyone was happy the Evil Oil Company was punished for their sins.

[Sunwyn Ravenwood]

11:02 PM on 03/03/2012

Apr 28, 2011 – Exxon Mobil reports a first-quarter profit of $10.7 billion, a 69 percent jump from the year before.

In 2008, Exxon Mobil became the world's most profitable corporation with earnings over $45 billion as oil averaged $100 a barrel.

BP returned to profit with a bang in 2011, revealing Tuesday that it made $24 billion last year as the British energy giant prepares for a criminal trial over the US Gulf of Mexico oil spill disaster

For the three months ending Dec. 31, BP reported a profit of $7.69 billion, up 38 percent from the $5.57 billion posted a year earlier. Revenue was up 15 percent at $96.3 billion.

Shell profits jump 54pc despite tough fourth quarter
Royal Dutch Shell's reported a 54pc jump in full-year profits to $28.6bn (£18.1bn) last year, despite a tough fourth quarter in which the oil giant reported a loss in its "downstream" refining and marketing division.

The sound you hear playing is the world's smallest violin.

[liarfire]

12:54 AM on 03/04/2012

Bankers again manipulating prices to enslave the people as resource....