On Tue, 8 May 2007 12:28:04 -0400, "Eisboch" wrote:


Do you know what cracks me up about some of the various views expressed
about fuel prices?

It wasn't too many years ago that those with more left leaning political
views were concerned about the high consumption rate of gasoline in the USA,
it's continued supply and it's artificially low price per gallon compared to
the rest of the world.

What was or is "artificial" about US gasoline prices compared to the
rest of the world? Our prices, absent taxes, have always been about
the same as everyone elses as far as I know. The only reason we were
paying $1 per gallon while Europe was paying the equivalent of $5 per
gallon was the $4 in extra taxes that they were paying - either as
direct gasoline/energy taxes or the extra income and VAT tax burden on
the refiners and sellers that were reflected into the base fuel
prices. Theirs was and is the "artificial" price.


Dave hall

Conservation was preached, encouraged and some even
advocated raising the price of gas to force further conservation and the use
of smaller, fuel efficient autos in order to reduce demand.


Fast forward to today and it seems that the same people are now blaming big
business greed and politicians lining their pockets for the natural increase
in prices.

Can't win.

Eisboch