Gasoline prices sail past $3, which could hamper recovery

Gasoline prices sail past $3, which could hamper recovery

Ely Portillo
Charlotte Observer
December 30, 2010

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - For the first time in two years, the average gas price is higher than $3 a gallon, sucking money from drivers' wallets and, experts worry, possibly hampering the economy's rebound.

The national average price for a gallon of regular, unleaded gasoline was $3.07 on Thursday, according to AAA's Fuel Gauge Report, the highest since October 2008.

That's 42 cents higher than a year ago, and prices aren't likely to go down significantly anytime soon. Experts offered differing predictions on how high gas could go, with at least one saying prices could hit $5 a gallon by the end of 2012.

"Outrageous," said Joe Tate, putting gas in his Buick at a Shell station in Charlotte. "It makes my head hurt."

Tate, a self-employed auto mechanic, put only 1 gallon of regular gasoline in the car at a cost of $3.06. He thought last year's gas prices of about $2.50 a gallon were reasonable.

"I can handle that," Tate said. When asked what he would do if gas prices keep rising, Tate shook his head.

"I'll be walking or taking the bus," he said.

Tate has it easier than drivers on the West Coast, where gas prices topped $3.55 at some stations in San Francisco on Wednesday.

The average gas price in the Twin Cities is $2.996 per gallon, a bit below the state average of $3.016, according to the website TwinCitiesGasPrices.com.

Gas prices in the Twin Cities have been falling in the past week. On Dec. 22, the average price in the Twin Cities was more than $3.02 -- the highest in the last two years.

Several factors are behind the surging gas prices, which experts said are unusual for this time of year. The recent cold snap in the United States and Europe created more demand for heating oil, which lowers production of gasoline and raises its price.

Oil is also trading above $90 a barrel for the first time since 2008, which experts say is driven by increased demand, a stagnant supply and speculative trading. The weak dollar and an explosion of new automobiles in Asia are also behind the increase.

Rising fuel costs will reduce consumers' disposable income and could dampen a strong economic recovery next year, said retail consultant Britt Beemer, CEO of America's Research Group.

"You'll be saying, 'Last year, I filled up my tank for $40. This year it's costing $60,'" Beemer said. "You really notice that $20. Gas prices are really going to have an impact."

And even if Americans don't drive, they're likely to see higher fuel costs in other places. Pricier gasoline could drive up the cost of groceries and other consumer goods -- which are universally delivered by truck -- and US Airways is joining some other domestic carriers in adding a $20 round-trip surcharge because of rising costs.

$1.52 per gallon. That was the price of gas 2 years ago when Bush was still prez. Gas prices have doubled under Bama. The Dems blamed Bush for high gas prices saying he was 'making his already rich oil buddies even richer.' Amazingly, the Dems and liberals are silent about gas prices now that they control Congress and the presidency. Funny, ain't it?

This is one is on left. They will regulate the US oil and gas industry into $5 a gallon. It's all about control. And liberals say they care about the poor folks.

TexasBlue wrote:$1.52 per gallon. That was the price of gas 2 years ago when Bush was still prez. Gas prices have doubled under Bama. The Dems blamed Bush for high gas prices saying he was 'making his already rich oil buddies even richer.' Amazingly, the Dems and liberals are silent about gas prices now that they control Congress and the presidency. Funny, ain't it?

This is one is on left. They will regulate the US oil and gas industry into $5 a gallon. It's all about control. And liberals say they care about the poor folks.

Liberals on the Hill could give a rat's ass about the "poor folks." Had they cared, they wouldn't have let Obama completely shut down all American drilling in the Gulf, putting countless thousands of people out of a job, reducing our domestic supply of oil, increasing our dependence on foreign sources of oil, and driving up prices at the pump!

Will you two please quit lying! You hate liberals. We get it. STFU about it already!

Under Bush in 2008, gas was over 4 dollars a gallon. That was your guy! Remember?

off topic - you two have turned this forum into a complete joke with your lies.

i_luv_miley wrote:Will you two please quit lying! You hate liberals. We get it. STFU about it already!

I don't hate liberals.

i_luv_miley wrote:Under Bush in 2008, gas was over 4 dollars a gallon.

Man. I just re-read my post. I meant $2.52 a gallon. It was in his last year (along with higher prices).

i_luv_miley wrote:That was your guy! Remember?

That's my point. Your compatriots were livid during those times. Not so at this point in time.

i_luv_miley wrote:off topic - you two have turned this forum into a complete joke with your lies.

That's enough of that shit right there. Nobody peddles lies here. I post my opinion and dig up facts. My statement of $1.52 was wrong... very wrong.

It seems to me that many liked it better when there was one conservative to beat up on in here (me). Another one comes along and now the forum is a joke. Nobody is stopping anyone from posting rebuttals and proving someone wrong. That's the whole point of this place; debating! It's what I like to do. Debate instead of getting pissed off.

Honestly ILM, you need to quit taking everything so personally and relax buddy. We’re just talking here. Join in the conversation if you have a disagreement with the dialogue. But please try to remember that it’s not personal, it’s political debate.

i_luv_miley wrote:Will you two please quit lying!

Perhaps you would be so kind as to point out my lies.

i_luv_miley wrote:You hate liberals. We get it. STFU about it already!

I don’t hate anyone. Hate is a wasteful and even destructive emotion. It is not productive of anything but ulcers. In fact, two of my best friends, two guys that my family actually considers a part of our family, and full on liberals. Many of my friends in LA were liberals, and I’ve worked with liberals all my adult life – not a one which I hated.

i_luv_miley wrote:Under Bush in 2008, gas was over 4 dollars a gallon. That was your guy! Remember?

Hey, I was no Bush fan you might recall. That guy never saw a spending bill he wouldn’t sign. Sure, he was a better choice than Gore or Kerry, but just barely. I had to hold my nose to vote for the guy. But that is sadly what politics is all about, compromise... unless you are a Democrat, then it’s about getting your way no matter what – hence the “health care reform” bill.

i_luv_miley wrote:off topic - you two have turned this forum into a complete joke with your lies.

Again, if you are going to make and accusation like that, you should back that up with something of substance. What lies? What is the proof that they are lies?

Btw ILM, my gas price typo was made at 5:23 am. I don't think (or even type) too good at that time of the day. Had to work at my post office job.

I also want to add here since we're all wound up.... nobody is preventing anyone from posting anything in here. If anybody thinks there's too much conservative stuff being posted, then by all means post some liberal stuff and let's debate it. I welcome it and always have.

I'm not going to change my style or my ideology for anyone. I don't expect anyone who disagrees with me to change theirs either. This isn't an ideology conversion forum. I'm not stopping anyone from posting some liberal stuff. I would actually like it. I post because nobody else does. If I didn't post, then there would be very little going on. In creating a forum, one has to post stuff to draw debate. That's rule number one in creating a forum. I've been doing that since day one in here and will continue to do so until more people post their own stuff. At that point, I would like to step back and just engage in debate. I don't expect anyone to agree with me 100% off the time nor should they expect that out of me regarding others.

Nobody is asking you to change, Tex. We're asking you to quit encouraging dblboggie. Yes, you posted BS and yes, you got caught. It should have ended right there. But no, dblboggie had to add his drivel (again) and push it to a new level (again). It's what he does and unfortunately you encourage it. That's my entire problem. Why do you think nobody else has "debated" with you two for the past month? You can't debate BS, that's why.

Seriously Tex, I liked debating with you when we could actually talk about things. I have no problem with disagreements based on facts. But when the disagreements are based on nothing more than opinion, lies and rhetoric, then I have no time for it.

And why do you think us liberals in here (meaning me - since I'm the only one who hasn't left) won't post anything of our own? You two will simply call me a socialist and say that Obama is a Muslim and that Anderson Cooper is gay - and then gang up on me. Again, I have no time for that.

i_luv_miley wrote:Nobody is asking you to change, Tex. We're asking you to quit encouraging dblboggie. Yes, you posted BS and yes, you got caught.

I'm not encouraging anyone and have no intention of doing so. I make my statements for my own purpose. Whether you chime in or Dbl or Matt... it makes no difference to me.

You didn't catch anything. I made a pure typo early in the morning. I would've caught it had I not had to work today and I would've edited it long before anyone showed up in the forum. I distinctly remember gas being low priced for a couple months during the last year of the Bush era. I also remember the high prices along with it. I also remember folks on your side making silly accusations about it. Now the shoe is on the other foot. Hence my statement.

i_luv_miley wrote:It should have ended right there. But no, dblboggie had to add his drivel (again) and push it to a new level (again). It's what he does and unfortunately you encourage it. That's my entire problem. Why do you think nobody else has "debated" with you two for the past month? You can't debate BS, that's why.

Drivel? As if there's no drivel from you? Or your side? He offers his opinion as you do or any other person does. The problem is that you don't like it.

Again, you make no sense. If you think something is BS, then fucking debate it! Instead, you're go off on a tangent instead of just calmly trying to prove me or Dbl wrong.

i_luv_miley wrote:Seriously Tex, I liked debating with you when we could actually talk about things. I have no problem with disagreements based on facts. But when the disagreements are based on nothing more than opinion, lies and rhetoric, then I have no time for it.

Opinions or facts. It makes no difference. If you spout an opinion about something, I'm going to rebut it. Same goes for you. What it sounds like is that you're trying to set the tone for debate or the manner in which one debates. Nobody is breaking any rules here. It's all fair game. If you post something I think is wrong, I'm going to dig up facts to make my case. You can do the same.

i_luv_miley wrote:And why do you think us liberals in here (meaning me - since I'm the only one who hasn't left) won't post anything of our own? You two will simply call me a socialist and say that Obama is a Muslim and that Anderson Cooper is gay - and then gang up on me. Again, I have no time for that.

I've never called you a socialist. Nobody in here has called you a socialist.... or any other liberal for that matter. That's a backdoor cop-out. I forbid blanket labels of people in here. See rule 2c. If someone has an opinion that they think Obama is a socialist, then that's an opinion. You act as if that word is a swear word. Socialist, conservative, right winger, etc..... they're all ideologies. Big F'n deal.

There hasn't been one person here that has said Obama is a Muslim. Try and find it. In the last 2 years, I have never ever made that accusation to Obama because I don't buy into that silly shit.... same goes for the birth certificate shit.

Cooper might be gay and he might not. Who cares? I don't. What does that matter? In fact, I don't think I've ever mentioned his name on this forum or the other one for that matter. Wanna know something? I think he's a decent journalist.

TexasBlue wrote:What it sounds like is that you're trying to set the tone for debate or the manner in which one debates. Nobody is breaking any rules here. It's all fair game. If you post something I think is wrong, I'm going to dig up facts to make my case. You can do the same.

That is exactly what I'm trying to do. I would love to be able to set the tone for the debates in here. Unfortunately dblboggie's personality prevents that. He is welcome to his opinion, of course. But he should leave his "vociferousness" at the log-in screen. And that is my whole point. Not only does he set the tone, but you encourage him to do so. It may not be breaking the rules per se. But it immediately kills any hope for debate. Hence, why you two are the only ones who "debate" anymore.

So, if Dbl just leaves the forum, then that leaves me here (on the right). Is this what everyone wants?

What I don't get is how he's being "vociferous" about things. Some examples would be in order. Maybe I'm blind.

i_luv_miley wrote:

TexasBlue wrote:What it sounds like is that you're trying to set the tone for debate or the manner in which one debates. Nobody is breaking any rules here. It's all fair game. If you post something I think is wrong, I'm going to dig up facts to make my case. You can do the same.

That is exactly what I'm trying to do. I would love to be able to set the tone for the debates in here. Unfortunately dblboggie's personality prevents that. He is welcome to his opinion, of course. But he should leave his "vociferousness" at the log-in screen. And that is my whole point. Not only does he set the tone, but you encourage him to do so. It may not be breaking the rules per se. But it immediately kills any hope for debate. Hence, why you two are the only ones who "debate" anymore.

And would you like to give me some examples of my "vociferousness" that has been unprovoked?

Look ILM, I am only too happy to debate on a civil level, but when one is calling me a liar amongst many other things, I respond in a manner I consider appropriate. I've worked on the Hill getting real legislation passed. I'm not an armchair debater, I've been in the arena for real. If someone calls me a liar, I am not going to sugarcoat my response. Now that might not be to your liking. You might even disbelieve that I am who I say I am. But I can assure you that I am every bit the person I represent that I am here.

I tire quickly of these unfounded claims of my divisiveness when the posts I respond to are, in and of themselves divisive.

You have to understand that I do not dislike anyone here, not you, not Bubbles, not anyone. I enjoy debating those who disagree with me. Hell, it's useless to debate those who do agree with me... that's not debate, that's singing to the choir. It's no fun at all.

I live for debate. I love debate. I love a challenge. I thrive on challenge. Why do you think that 40 years after I left school, I am now going to college?

Look, we need to leave this bad blood behind us in this new year. Let's debate the facts. Let's debate on one anothers opinions based on those facts we can bring to the table. Let's do it in a civil manner... meaning you and me.

You respect my right to my views, I respect your right to yours. But we both offer evidence that supports our views.

How about it? Can we agree to disagree, while trying to convince one another that one position is more credible than another?

Or are you so opposed to conservative views that you can never accept a conservative who can competently argue the conservative position?