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Here in ME, I predict the gas price will be $4.00 by mid-summer. The price always jumps with onset of the tourist season. And by the way, I don't know why people think electric cars are the solution to everything...the majority of power generating plants still burn fossil fuels. Count on your groceries and plastics going up too thanks to the crude oil speculators.
And by the way, I don't know why people think electric cars are the solution to everything...the majority of power generating plants still burn fossil fuels. Count on your groceries and plastics going up too thanks to the crude oil speculators.
Oh absolutely the traders and speculators are behind at least 50% if not more of both the price hikes *and* the price volatility. There really is no sound fundamental reason behind thse day-to-day swings and jumps. There is just as much money to be made in a perpetually rising oil market (50% of the traders) as there is in a perpetual up-down-up-down-up-down market (the other 50% of the traders). This is what those people do becuse that's all they know HOW to do.
These paper pushers (who otherwise really have no skills whatsoever) are both powerful and well connected. No one is ever going to take that punch bowl away from them. Which is why you are going to pay it. You'll scream, *****, complain, and moan about it. But you will still pay either directly (at the pump) or INdirectly (30% higher utility, food, and miscellaneous consoumer goods). Rightly or wrongly, the oil industry is arguably the single most important aspect of the entire economy. Absent it, NONE of the rest exists. Period. Hence why it is entitled to the lions share of the worlds GDP.
Which takes us to the other side of your post.
Most (if not all) folks who drive (or want to drive) electric cars, Hybrids such as the Prius don't do so to save money per se. It has little or nothing to do with any sort of real cost advantage, given the premiums that most folks pay for those vehicles.
The issue is saving money on gasoline.
In their minds, they have already resigned themselves to spending X number of dollars for "green" transportation. Ergo, the "extra" money they spend, they would rather send it to the coffers of said "green" carmaker[s] as opposed to "big evil oil". Sure it's extra money spent. That's not the issue. What matters is where it goes. It's a sort of mystical mindset bordering on the irrational: Spending an extra ten grand on a Socially conspicuous Pruis? Just to save an extra TWO grand on gasoline?
Here's a point that tends to get lost over time...... The buying power,i.e. the value of a dollar....is the same as it was in 1965 (used a baseline) so there is no real change in prices even tho it sure as hell feels like it!!
Example...... $3.50 in 2010 had about the same buying power as .051 in 1965!!!!!!!!!
Annual inflation over this period was about 4.39%.
Here's a point that tends to get lost over time...... The buying power,i.e. the value of a dollar....is the same as it was in 1965 (used a baseline) so there is no real change in prices even tho it sure as hell feels like it!!
Example...... $3.50 in 2010 had about the same buying power as .051 in 1965!!!!!!!!!
Annual inflation over this period was about 4.39%.
I don't agree. The Inflation Calculator shows it would require 7 (2010 dollars ) to buy what 1 dollar in 1965 would buy. For example, in 1965 you could buy a top of the line Cadillac for just over $5,000 and buy a new 3 bedroom split level ranch house for $35,000 in California! Back then you were pulling down good wages if you made $25,000/year. Today that $25,000/year would qualify you for section 8 housing and food stamps and in many states Medicaid. Today we don't bat an eye paying $35,000 for that Caddy or Lexus. Don't get me going about how much houses cost in California even after knocking 30% off the price.
The rotten egg in this is that shortage WILL develop over time that no amount of money can fix.
This country merely floats along on its short-sightedness, waiting for the next fire and then hoping there'll be enough fire trucks to put the fire out.
One can only imagine, if a volcano blew its top out here in the Southwest with the lack of European's infrastructure, high speed trains.
Back with the first oil crisis we had in this country, we should have instituted a big gas tax, the minute the gas prices fell again. Same in 2008, and funneled that money into infrastructure.
Meanwhile, we await the next fire. And let's hope the fire trucks don't cross a bridge, getting to the fire, that crumbles like the I-35W bridge in Minneapolis.
This country merely floats along on its short-sightedness, waiting for the next fire and then hoping there'll be enough fire trucks to put the fire out.
One can only imagine, if a volcano blew its top out here in the Southwest with the lack of European's infrastructure, high speed trains.
Back with the first oil crisis we had in this country, we should have instituted a big gas tax, the minute the gas prices fell again. Same in 2008, and funneled that money into infrastructure.
Meanwhile, we await the next fire. And let's hope the fire trucks don't cross a bridge, getting to the fire, that crumbles like the I-35W bridge in Minneapolis.
Honestly I wouldn't mind spending more on Taxes as long as it wasn't going to reliefers and wars.
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Today we don't bat an eye paying $35,000 for that Caddy or Lexus. 
Don't get me going about how much houses cost in California even after knocking 30% off the price.
