Gas prices are insane in Michigan

[Mayhem]

Here in Vegas gas has been at $3.35 (and lower) for a number of weeks. When I saw this thread I double checked....they are holding steady here.

 

[mah1407]

I'm not defending Obama. But he actually never said anything like that, according to an investigation done by Politifact. Apparently the only candidate who spoke of a particular price point with regard to gasoline was Newt Gingrich, who claimed that he would get prices down to $2.50 or less. I'm not sure if that was before or after he talked about starting a colony on the moon.

Voters, and even citizens who don't vote, need to understand what Presidents can and cannot do, what they do and do not have control over. By various fiscal policies, Presidents may be able to indirectly affect gasoline prices and interest rates. But the Executive Branch has no direct control over gasoline prices or interest rates. Even by releasing oil from the strategic oil reserve, that only affects the price of oil (and only then for a short time) - it does not directly affect the price of refined petroleum products like gasoline. Look at our friend Death-Proof. He lives in Alaska... sitting on a sea of oil, and yet he's paying higher prices for gasoline than any of us in the lower 48. We have a refining problem in this country. And the oil companies seem intent on keeping it that way.

I bring this up because there was a poster on FO's who tried to argue that Ronald Reagan raised interest rates to cure inflation back in the 80's. He might as well have given me the credit for raising interest rates and taming inflation... because I had as much to do with that as Reagan did. Paul Volker gets the credit (or the blame) for that. But no, from what's been found by pretty reliable sources, Obama hasn't made any sort of specific claims about gas prices. This was something that a Republican operative claimed that he said, that he apparently didn't say, and people then picked up on it, as if it were true.

The thing is though, votes don't count anyways... there can always be a computer screw up or something like that can happen.

 

[corintiano]

Americans are you guys crying on a full stomach the price of gas here in Brazil is R $ 35.00 Reais more or less than U.S. $ 22.05. I wish gas was the price of Michigan

 

[mah1407]

It's now up to 4.39 in some places. Sorry to hear about the gas prices in Brazil! Sheesh that's high.

 

[Rey C.]

The thing is though, votes don't count anyways... there can always be a computer screw up or something like that can happen.

The only votes that don't count are those that aren't cast. Sadly, the U.S. has relatively low voter participation and that's part of the problem too.

 

[mah1407]

The only votes that don't count are those that aren't cast. Sadly, the U.S. has relatively low voter participation and that's part of the problem too.

Wanna know who I voted for last presidental election? MYSELF! You can even ask my wife. I don't trust any politician. The politician I trust will turn America for the better while he is in his second term and make laws so things will get better after he is out of term.

 

[Rey C.]

Wanna know who I voted for last presidental election? MYSELF! You can even ask my wife. I don't trust any politician. The politician I trust will turn America for the better while he is in his second term and make laws so things will get better after he is out of term.

I don't trust any politician either, to be honest. But then again, I don't expect anyone to be a saint or a savior. And I agree with you that the American political system has become increasingly corrupt. I'm just saying that not participating isn't going to make the situation any better... in fact, it'll make it worse, because the big corporations and special interests won't need to influence as many voters if fewer people participate. Kind of a Catch-22, wouldn't you say?

If we, as American voters, were more knowledgeable and demanding of our politicians, instead of just being sheep and lemmings to party bosses, we could help clean it up. But most people would rather watch sports or American Idol on TV, rather than trying to shape the future of the republic. We have what we have, in part, because we have allowed it to become this way. Walk up to any adult man or woman in your town or city. Ask them who their U.S. Senators are, who the governor is, who their U.S. Congressman is and who their state reps are. If they can get more than 2 or 3 right, hand them some money... because they are uniquely knowledgeable compared to most citizens. I'd say it's much more likely that the average U.S. citizen would know who won the Super Bowl or the World Series than who any of their elected officials are. IMO, that has as much to do with the mess we're in as what the politicians do or don't do. We the people...

 

[bobjustbob]

If you have a problem with anything going on in this country then go out there and vote. Not just once every 4 years like it's the all star game. Every little election that comes up in your district and their propositions and budgets. The stuff that is closest to home. The margins of victory in some of these elections are close enough to sway them with just a few dozen votes. That's just a few families on a few blocks. Get to know who your locals and cut the shit ones out before they begin to rise. School board elections and freeholders are a great place to listen to who has what to offer. These folks want to have control of my tax dollars are the ones that need every single vote. They are willing to answer your questions face to face.

 

[D-rock]

Not only is the gas expensive, but Michigan roads are in crappy shape also. A lot of the time I'm either pot hole dodging while going down the road or driving over places that are more patch than original road.

 

[mah1407]

Not only is the gas expensive, but Michigan roads are in crappy shape also. A lot of the time I'm either pot hole dodging while going down the road or driving over places that are more patch than original road.

And here's the thing though.... since we both are from MI.... you even know they put the barrels up for miles of unused brand new road with no work or construction vehicles for miles....

 

[Maggie Green]

I live in MI and I saw on the news that there was a problem with one of the midwest refineries which is the reason for the price increase. Nothing to do with Obama at all.

 

[Supafly]

It's $3.29 here.

During my Jr. yr of High School gas was .89 cent a gal. and stayed at average .95 cents until we invaded Iraq in 2003.

Guys, you weep over under one dollar per gallon? Here we wept when the litre began to cost more per Deutschmark, which was half of an dollar. Then we wept when it began to cost more than an Euro, which was two Deutschmarks.

Now the average litre cost around 1.60 Euros.

In the USA, we could buy almost 4 litres of gas for that.

You are fine.

 

[Facetious]

...and I have to go fill my tank up tomorrow.

Does that mean you'll be eating cream of wheat for break.- lunch & dindin for the coming week? I hope not.
_________________________________________________

This certainly can't help California gas prices.

Monday fire

 

[vodkazvictim]

Who gives a shit?
Especially about idiots who only get about 12MPG. Poor vehicle choice there, only yourself to blame, idiot.

 

[Facetious]

Who gives a shit?

How do your groceries get to the market place?

Ans: Hydrocarbons/Fossil Fuels

Of course you give a shit.

 

[SabrinaDeep]

Okay.... why the heck did we just have a price increase in gas in Michigan?!?!?!? Anybody else paying insane amounts? We are at $4.09/GALLON when my Ford takes about 12 gallons. Seriously!!!










EDIT Do not bring up another member's name for the purpose of flaming.

Price of gasoline in Italy is 8.6USD per gallon. Have fun.

 

[mah1407]

Price of gasoline in Italy is 8.6USD per gallon. Have fun.

Holy cow!!!!

 

[mah1407]

Guys, you weep over under one dollar per gallon? Here we wept when the litre began to cost more per Deutschmark, which was half of an dollar. Then we wept when it began to cost more than an Euro, which was two Deutschmarks.

Now the average litre cost around 1.60 Euros.

In the USA, we could buy almost 4 litres of gas for that.

You are fine.

Dr. B was talking about back almost 10+ years ago. Now it's $4.00 US Gallon

 

[Facetious]

Guys, you weep over under one dollar per gallon? Here we wept when the litre began to cost more per Deutschmark, which was half of an dollar. Then we wept when it began to cost more than an Euro, which was two Deutschmarks.

Now the average litre cost around 1.60 Euros.

In the USA, we could buy almost 4 litres of gas for that.

You are fine.

Then there's Venezuela at the other end of the spectrum where a gallon of gas costs about .12 per gallon.
Yup, twelve centavos! :eek::eek:

 

[Rey C.]

I think the problem is when gas prices rise dramatically, not so much just the price. That creates shocks to the (any) economy. Even in European economies that have adjusted to price levels much higher than what we have here, if the price of fuel suddenly jumped by 10 or 15%, that would create an economic shock... same as here. From what I read, when the price of heating oil jumped dramatically in the UK/Europe a couple of years ago, that contributed to a downturn in those economies.