Am I simply being paranoid?

[rambler_american]

In the weeks before the election the price of gasoline began a dramatic decline. I told everyone I knew that bushco/Big Oil were trying to manipulate the upcoming elections in favor of the Republicans and not to get too excited or trade in their Prius for the Hummer they really wanted because after the election the price would go right back up. Few believed me. Sure enough, election's over and prices are rising at least as fast as they fell. (As I was filling up this week a guy came out of the station with a ladder and raised the price by $.06) I sometimes hate it when I'm right. Will someone please tell me this is just me being paranoid and not yet another example of the cynicism that my wife claims infects my entire waking existence. There must be another explanation that I have overlooked.

No matter how cynical I get I can never keep up
-Lily Tomlin

[no_hypocrisy]

1. Let me put it to you this way: Oil companies do not lose money gratuitously.

They had a lot riding along with republicans on the last election, namely the voters making their decisions based on their wallets. With lower gas prices, people could take vacations, they could spend more money (don't forget they lost their "line of credit" with the Bankruptcy Bill and their reduction of the value of their homes against which to borrow). In short, voters would feel as good as they could spend.

But I suppose this manipulation of gas prices was rather bald and obvious.

The price of gas and oil was slated to increase no matter the outcome of Election Day. But with the democrats taking both Houses, the oil companies made an investment that didn't pay off. Their loss, your gain.

So, to answer your question, you read the tea leaves right. How you want to feel about it is up to you.

[SpiralHawk]

2. Explanation: republicon oil profiteering

End of explanation.

[pretzel4gore]

3. the hatred for our countries is astonishing

the rightwinger's hatred for the democratic- one human one vote- system is transmogrifying even as we speak into a progressive form of insanity (ironicly made possible by liberalism's tendency to forgive/forget)
therefore, we must never forgive, certainly not forget. and the democratic leadership are hinting that (which might be provoking the insanity, bullies being prone to overact when threatened)

[Donnachaidh]

4. gas stations in my area jump prices 20 to 25 cents at a time

They've done this each WEEK since the election. They then s-l-o-w-l-y drop it a cent a night, till the next friday, when it is JUMPED another 20 cents.

They have effectively raised the price about 30 cents a gallon (pre-election price). And the local media has not said anything about this raise.

And it seems all the gas stations are doing the same or similar.

[pretzel4gore]

5. aren't the competetors luring away customers with lower prices?

if i owned a gas station, i'd sell it 1/2 as much as the rest (line ups a mile long, cash rolling in/out by the brinks' truck full!)

[Donnachaidh]

9. nope -- they just jump their prices too

NONE of the competitors do anything except follow the leader.

[rambler_american]

7. Media's lack of interest

in the increase in price of fuel is yet another source of annoyance.
Can you say complicity?

Uh oh. My cynicism is showing again. My wife may be right, but that doesn't mean I'm wrong.

[barbtries]

6. i agree

with you. a. cynical, b. paranoid, or c. realistic? i vote (c)

think about it. almost everything terrible frightening violent, injurious to human life, destructive to the planet, all the greed and all it costs the human family every every day - just so, so much - is based on oil. whole and huge economies. the greed graft warmongering powerbroking despicable people who have nearly stolen the democracy of this once great nation - to my knowledge - are pretty much beholden to oil. and they will take every goddam cent, drop, inch, never mind fairness or humanity or laws, they are without conscience...they will not give up their "privileged" status easily.

[pooja]

8. watch it fly up after x-mas and everyone gets their January c.c.

statements.