Posted on 09/22/2005 3:01:48 AM PDT by grundle
What test did she have to fail to get elected, anyway?
“Production costs haven’t gone up in Alaska, so why are we paying more? There could be a lot of stuff going on.”
That sounds like it came straight from a third grader.
Spell "FUNGABLE," stupid lady.
Sorry but the futures traders that I know are not "piggish explioters," they are typical businessmen risking their very own money in hopes of a return.
They are in no way a "cartel," nor are they "thugs."
You've nailed it.
Every time we try to move into a 21st century method of energy production and supply, we get hammered with these endless luddite attacks against progress.
They need to be swept aside.
It's much easier to look like you're doing what your constiuents want you to do, even if you know it'll never happen. Then you can always blame someone else.
How many different blends of gas are we having to produce?
Thanks to the EPA courtesy of Mr. Nixon ...
It's not exploitation when the supply is going down. Maybe you should read an economics book also. I recommend Thomas Sowell's, Basic Economics.
Exactly- a consumer-driven economy like ours depends on plentiful, reliable energy. We could drop all the high-tech stuff and return to simpler times, but I really don't want to do that. I can remember when a "state of the art" family had one car- Dad drove it to work 5 days a week. One, dial-type phone in the middle of the house, one TV set in the living room.
And no air conditioning, so when the heat index was 110 degrees, you couldn't get a decent night's sleep, despite attic fans, sea breezes, and no clothes on.
We got by OK, but today is just easier and better- and it all hinges on a steady supply of power.
I can remember when not long ago, only the very well-heeled had cell phones, and now, when I drive down the street, the waiters wander out of restaurants, yakking away on their cell phones- like it or not, it is a type of progress. And it depends on power.
The FTC already has federal power to investigate and report price gouging to Congress and the Justice Department. All anyone need do is note the facts and contact them. They don't need a bloviating U.S. Senator to do that. Which makes a lie of Cantwell's next comment:
“No one now has clear oversight to protect consumers,” the Edmonds Democrat said Tuesday during a congressional hearing on the run-up in gasoline prices.
Cantwell said her bill, to be filed this week, would reinstate many of the powers granted President Nixon to deal with the oil and gas shortages of the 1970s.
Bob Slaughter, president of the National Petrochemical and Refiners Association, told the committee that price controls in the 1970s resulted in a shortage of gasoline and long lines at the pump. “Price caps and other forms of price regulation are no more effective in the 21st century than they turned out to be in the 1970s,” Slaughter said. “Interference in market forces always creates inefficiencies in the marketplace and extra costs for consumers.”
So I guess the Senator ditched classes during her history, social studies and current events classes in the 1970s.
In the week since Hurricane Katrina hit, gasoline prices in Washington have increased an average of 19 cents, even though the state’s five refineries are primarily supplied with crude from Alaska’s North Slope, with some imports from Canada.
I see. So if Dell computer pays 30% more for a part from Singapore, that it uses in its plant in Malaysia, that makes 60% of Dell's products and that reduces the profit margin on its Malaysia-produced products by 15%, she thinks Dell is not going to raise its prices on its products from its plant in the Philippines, by even 1%? The Senator ignores the fact that the refineries in Washington are NOT run for THE STATE OF WASHINGTON. They are part of an international business and the ROI and profit margins of the entire corporation is what is weighed in making pricing decisions. The productivity or extra costs from any one production source are going to affect the general pricing of the product line every where. Local conditions and local markets will go into the consideration, but those factors alone do not drive the price decision, all by themselves.
Overall, gasoline prices in the state average 90 cents more per gallon than they did a year ago, Cantwell said. “My constituents are very frustrated,” the senator said. “They want to know who is in charge.”
Yes Senator. And world crude oil prices have gone up how much in the past year? Is she an Ostrich?
Cantwell said she was not sure at what point price controls might be needed. “I don’t know what the level should be,” Cantwell said. “But I know consumers should not be paying $5 a gallon for gas.”
And she "knows" this to be true and factual, because.....??
Cantwell, who is up for re-election next year, bristled when asked whether her legislation was politically motivated.
Her printers are already doing the proofs on her campaign posters: "I fought for lower gas prices for you." Is there enough idiots in her district to believe (1) she was right and (2) her "fight" was not a Don Quixote venture?
And from our "zulu"
Not in this case. Prices are driven by speculation and profiteers who raise gasoline prices as soon as any possibility of a supply disruption is on the horizon, no matter how remote, and then take forever to lower them again, but never to the level they were at formerly.
And the production costs that created the higher prices, did they come down to "the level they were at formerly"?
Unlike corn, oats, or most other commodities, EVERY other economic factor is somehow tied to the price of gasoline and fuel - and if these piggish exploiters aren't called to acount and stopped, the ramifications of the increased costs will have a ripple effect on all other commodities and generate a world-wide recession - just as they did in the mid 1970s.
Yes Zulu, those "piggish exploiters", the Chinese and the Indians should give up their economic ambitions and quit draining the Middle East oil supplies that our technology and our oil companies built. Why its just unfair that they should be allowed to increase world oil demand like that. And who in the hell do these hurricanes think they are anyway? They should all be diverted to China. Why I think I'll ask Senator Cantwell to start getting a bill prepared right now to do just that. We'll show 'em, won't we zulu?
And from our "shuckmaster"
If the government is going to regulate what kind of vehicles and what quality of fuel citizens must use to transport on the governments highways then it's the government's responsibility to see that people can get the fuel a reasonable price without being gouged by an unscrupulous segment of the private sector every time the wind blows. There's laws against collusion to fix prices and using inevitable hurricane warnings as a code signal to simultaneously gouge is collusion.
So it is "collusion" when frost warnings in Florida cause the frozen orange juice concentrate futures market to go up and its "collusion" when orange juice producers then raise the wholesale price of orange juice? Or how about South America drought warnings and the price of coffee? Or how about Midwest drought warnings and the price of corn? Or southern drought warnings and the price of cotton? The fact is that Americans have been lulled into the misguided belief that gas should always be cheap.
And from our "mewzilla"
“Most likely Congress will do little or nothing but talk a great deal and hold hearings,” said Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.) said.
Thank God.
And from our "backhoe"
"We should be drilling for oil & gas, onshore, offshore, and in Alaska, like there were no tomorrow."
"We should rescind Jimmy Carter's muddle-headed EO forbidding the recycling of nuclear waste-- Europe's done it safely for decades."
"We should be building next-generation nuclear plants ( and not just for electricity- any plant that needs heat, steam, or power coud use them ) all over the country.
We ought to pursue clean coal technology-- we have a 300-500 year supply of the stuff right under out feet.
Thanks backhoe, finally a voice of sanity.
And finally from our "bill1952"
"What a crock of sh*t. I am constantly appalled at the stupidity displayed by our public officials. What test did she have to fail to get elected, anyway?"
Need we say more?
I'm certainly not joking! It's past time for the government to take pure speculators out of the oil and gas market chain. Given the proven greedy track record of commodities traders and the severe strain that individualist greed is putting on the rest of the economy, there's absolutely no reason why the government should allow the oil or gas in any one static tank to change hands more than once.
You get a chance in '06 and another in '08, it doesn't require much investigation. What will you do? Vote for the same idiots that have us where we are today? You and I have ultimate control, will we excercise it? I will! Blackbird.
One would have to possess a touch of morality. Greed and lack of morality go hand in hand. Blackbird.
I see no reason to discuss what you deem "speculation" since what you describe is not "speculation" and without futures traders, you would be paying over 50 dollars per gallon, if you could even get gasoline at all
When you graduate from college level business courses, then email me and we can talk.
Until then, you and Lenin can have a great life.
No, I'm perfectly aware of how it works and have contacted my congressmen to put an end to unscrupulous price gouging and encourage every one else to do the same.
Until then, you and Lenin can have a great life.
Do you believe that petty insults advance your position?
A superior idea except the Enviros would find that the west Texas green scorpion or some such would be threatened by a refinery.
Maria - drill for oil in the US, you complete dumbass. And while you're at it, lose some weight and get a makeover - you are butt ugly.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.