Gas Prices Are Seen Rising Even Higher [Whatever happened to Bush's Energy Plan?]

The New York Times ^ | 3/18/2004 | SIMON ROMERO

[freethistle]

"Technical" problems causing shutting down of refineries yield bigger profits in the short run.

As long as customers keep spending on gasoline the prices will rise or stay high. When and if customers decrease spending, the technical problems will be magically resolved and prices will drop.

Unfortunately a lot of customers including lots of businesses will get hurt in the short run, and school boards and local governments will cry for tax increases to pay for increased transportation costs.

Hate to be cynical but similar thing happened in the 1970s-
Middle East unrest (OPEC) created artificial shortages and then oil industry created additional shortages.

If we are seen as dependent on gasoline because of the way we live, we are going to be targets for periodic gouging.

[FITZ]

This guy wants the US to support and coddle Chavez

Which is exactly what we are doing to Fox and the Mexican government but we never ask for or get anything in return.

[1066AD]

Just maybe Uncle Sam should encourage domestic exploration, onshore and offshore including Alaska.
Just maybe Uncle Sam should build some refineries.
Just maybe Uncle Sam should formulate one gasoline so any refinery can supply any state.

Oh, and don't we get this "crisis" every spring ?

[bereanway]

Chavez is a Castro wannabe who deserves nothing but contempt.

I say we keep building the SOR as it's the only insurance we have against possible supply disruptions. Given the tinderbox much of the oil producing world operates in a supply disruption is a real possiblility.

Also, why do these guys keep quoting non inflation adujusted fuel prices? That's meaningless, just a number when it's taken out of context of the overall purchasing power of the dollar. Fuel prices have risen quite a bit over the past several months, but they're not at historic highs when you make inflation adjustments. And the CPI seriously understates inflation to boot.

Open up ANNWAR and our western coastal areas for drilling and cut down on the number of formulations these refineries are forced to produce. A few more new refineries wouldn't hurt either.

[WhiteGuy]

[Whatever happened to Bush's Energy Plan?]

Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh..................................

This IS the bush energy plan.

You were thinking he meant energy costs were going down?

[Fiddlstix]

Wasn't John F. Kerry primarily responsible for blocking the Bush Energy Plan?

Among others, Yes!
And, by the way, what's the latest on ANWAR?
Or how about the "no offshore drilling" crap?
The wacko enviros in concert with the Dims are responsible for this crap more than anyone else.
(BTW, my family owns some property that was surveyed by Western Geco back in 1996. It was determined in that survey that there is a very large, deep pool down there. It can't be drilled however because of some kind of EPA crap. Don't ask me just what. I don't understand it all. I'm still trying to future it out! We have oil and yet it can't be drilled. Wooo Boy!)

[mrsmith]

Editor: "Hey it's spring! There's been no change in our energy policy, so who wants to write the usual high gas price article and then take the rest of the day off!"

03/05/2003 SF Bay area gas prices reach new record

03/12/2002 Drivers hit by gas prices

02/08/2001 Gas Prices Could Surge This Summer ~ $3-a-gallon price expected by panel

3/2/2000 Pumped-up gas prices could hit $2

03/12/99 Gas Prices Soon To Increase

[freethistle]

..And how much is that ANWR drilling supposed to prove. I heard it was a six-month supply.

The Alaska issue is interesting because Alaska has semi-socialized their industry. I understand that every adult and child who is a resident of Alaska get a nice fat check every year based upon the energy drilling or profits. Some families are thought to have more kids to get more checks.

How did Alaskans figure out that deal?

[Dane]

Mexico has the second highest oil reserves in this hemisphere --- we should be getting something in exchange for all the jobs and money we send --- and they should be paying for the costs of their citizens --- healthcare, education etc --- they've got plenty of oil and ability to pay

Your talk is cheap. Do you have an answer to break the Mexican oil union, who are basically PRI(not Fox) stooges, just like the unions in the US are demo stooges.

Also if they would let foreign investment in they could develop their oil reserves even faster, but the socialist PRI stooges hate gringo.

Also for all lurkers here is very interesting article.

The Saudi War on George Bush

[Dane]

This IS the bush energy plan.

You were thinking he meant energy costs were going down?

Huh, I guess you know nothing of your buddies the demos filabustering Bush's energy plan for three years in the Senate.

Well actually you do, but you could never criticize your friends Kerry and Daschle.

[YourtaxCutMan]

why are rising gas prices a bad thing? price goes up, demand goes down, problem solved ... or all of you a bunch of PEAKers and think this means the end of civilization as we know it. People who can't afford to Europe are too poor to drive around the Us instead? how stupid is that?

[Dane]

Also for Iraq to take full advantage of its oil resources will take years since saddam was building palaces rather than an oil infrastructure.

Iraq is still a member of OPEC, but is exempt from the production quotas.

This just my specualtion and take it for what its worth.

The house of saud does not want to see the new Iraq suceed for two reasons.

One they don't want a prosperous democray next door and second they don't want a competitor in the oil business, who will challenge them as the "swing" producer in the world.

[bereanway]

I haven't read that link yet, but there's no question the Saudis are out to sabotage the upcoming Bush election. OPEC is supposed to cut production by another million barrels on 4/1, at a time when oil prices are already well above the band that OPEC has publicly stated numerous times in the past is a benefical range for all parties. Bush has really ruffled some feathers in that part of the world.

[StriperSniper]

[Whatever happened to Bush's Energy Plan?]

[WhiteGuy]

How did the democrats prevent anything from happening? the gop is in charge, the adults remember?

Let's just consider for a moment that there is enough "politics" being played that might hold up legislation that would promote energy independence.

Why didn't mr. straight talking, straight shooting cowboy president at least threaten to veto teddy keg's education pig roast? Or something else, anything else?

The answer is, no matter how much anyone dislikes it, president bush is having everything his way.

This IS his agenda this IS his policy.

Cynically yours

[expat_panama]

"Without adjusting for inflation, prices are at a record"

This will always be the case.   We all need to get used to the fact that as long as we have inflation,  no matter how low, prices will keep rising until the sun explodes and we all die.  

This a typical liberal hit piece-- it even included the mandatory "our cowboy mentality has failed us miserably"  bit.  All that was missing was the 'barf alert'.  The only good thing is the fact that it proves we're in the latter part of the economic cycle and the rants are shifting from "unemployment-were-all-doomed" to "inflation-we're-all-doomed".

[federal]

[The Saudi War on George Bush]

I read that article and I believe it. It is obvious the Saudi's would prefer John Kerry, yet one of the rats favorite mantras is that the Bush's, the house of Saud and the Bin Laden's are in bed together.

There is no doubt the Saudi's and Bin Laden's are pulling and contributing to Kerry. Just another case of democRATs hypocrisy..

[steve50]

Being that we only went to Iraq for the oil, as some left-wingers claim. The price if gas should be down to 4.050 or below per gallon, whouldn't you think?

Why would you think that? If it was for oil it was for oil profits. Those who control it wouldn't be against higher prices.

[.38sw]

...warned that gasoline prices might rise to a nationwide average of $1.83 a gallon in April, well past the previous record

That's be a bargain around here. I paid $1.92 at Costco a couple of days ago, and it's running around $2.05/gal at the discount stations like ARCO. But then, California has it's "special" blend.

[kenth]

One more example of wanting to regain power at any cost. Who was screaming about the proposed drilling in ANWR and blocking the energy plan? This 'outrage' is no different than the gleeful 'outrage' they exhibit everytime one of our guys dies in Iraq or Afghanistan.

The democrats don't take and hold on to power through merit. They do it through taking advantage of other people's suffering and hardship.