Story about gas prices that will make you sick

[liberal N proud]

Local TV station interviewing people at a gas station.
One guy talking about just hoping he can have Christmas for his kids. Said he will make it happen even if he has to re-package their old toys.
:cry:

The Grinch truly has stolen Christmas!

[Why Syzygy]

1. No. It was the Republicans

and half-assed Democrats.

[Odin2005]

9. The republicunts are the Grinch.

:grr:

[Why Syzygy]

10. And the men and women

who write the checks, one after another as quickly as they are asked?
They have to be held responsible too. Anything less is sophomoric.

[graywarrior]

2. Why are we taking this laying down?

[SheilaT]

3. And what kind of a car was that guy filling?

At the risk of being cynical and mean, I don't have any sympathy for someone driving some gas-guzzling monster complaining about gas prices.

However, I was thinking recently about stories I've seen about people in places like California where housing prices are outrageous, who wind up buying homes that require a two-hour commute each way. No matter how good mileage a car gets, that much driving will use up a couple of tankfuls a week. People like that must also be hurting tremendously with higher gas prices.

[liberal N proud]

4. They didn't show the car, but the man looked like a working stiff

He was in an old jacket, and a stocking cap. Nothing fancy at all. Other cars in the background were late model American sedans. No SUV's or luxury cars. My impression was these were the cars these people could afford when gas prices were not so high.

[Richard D]

8. A lot of people . . .

. . . got "gas guzzling monsters" a long time ago and are stuck with them cause they can't afford to go out and buy a new car. Some people don't have credit, some can't afford monthly payments. It's not necessarily their fault.

[SheilaT]

14. How long ago is long ago?

As far back as the 1960's I thought that cars that got low 2 digit miles per gallon were foolish choices, and I started my gas-buying life in a gas-wars environment in which gas was as low as 15 cents per gallon.

But your underlying point that someone who bought a car some years back that seemed to make sense at the time, and who doesn't want to get involved in the purchase of a replacement car (even if purchased used) us a good one. It's all too easy to find yourself living on exactly what you're earning, and not seeing any way to cut back in any area.

And of course the materialism in our culture, especially at holiday time, is truly appalling.

[HughMoran]

5. $48 for 3/4 tank

yikes!

[Imagevision]

6. A coincidence you think? -> with Thanksgiving approaching and the xmas buying season you say

this is equal to the summer season approaching, and we can only thank the leaders of this country.

[fenriswolf]

7. kia spectra

30$ for a full tank and i get 35 miles to the gallon

KIA SPECTRA I CHOOSE YOU

[lectrobyte]

11. That's the thing about the falling dollar. I saw Krugman on the book fair this weekend,

and he was almost like convincing that the falling dollar was good for us. Oops, too bad about that imported oil.

[Raejeanowl]

12. And If That Won't Make You Cry...

...try reading about what the gas companies are doing with the ethanol (corn, mostly) they purchase cheap and sell back to the consumer dear! Lovely little citizens of the world, they are!

[dysfunctional press]

15. got a link...?

that's usually helpful when making a claim.

[Raejeanowl]

17. Yes, Here's A Link

The other factor is that the corn crop, and ethanol refinement/production, are already heavily subsidized by the government. But it is the corporations making profit on it. If that info is not contained elsewhere on this site, you'll just have to verify it yourself-I don't remember where I read everything.

But as to my original statement:

http://www.ethanol.org/news/index.php?newsid=23

[lakeguy]

13. i think they are keeping the price of gas artificially low

and will continue to do so through the election. $3+ gas at almost $100 a barrel for oil? the refineries dont make any profit at all making gas at that price and probably lose money if the oil is low grade. should be closer to 4 or more.

not that i care about how much profit big oil is making, but something is up there.

[Marrah_G]

16. My kids have gone without christmas present (from me) a few times since asshole took office.

Thank goodness for family.

[CRF450]

18. And its only going to get worse untill our "decider" is out of office.

It costs me around $60 to fill up my Dakota.

[EnviroBat]

19. I've had to drive a SUV rental for the last three days...

Took $28 to put half a tank of gas in the thing, and it's one of the mid-sized SUV's, a Suzuki XL-7. I felt like punching myself when I'd look in the rear-view mirror and see 5 empty seats behind me. Mind you, this is a "small" SUV and the little computer thingy was proudly displaying the abysmal average mpg as 17.5. How the hell can people justify driving around in Ford Excretions, Hummers, and Yukon Denali's which are almost twice the size of the shit-box I was driving? How fucking stupid are we becoming as a society? I was so glad to get my little econobox back from the shop. Sad thing is, most people with giant, obnoxious vehicles are stuck with the fucking things. When gas hits $4.00 +, no one is going to want to take them on trade. Yet, we'll see them in traffic, one person behind the wheel, all those empty seats and "cargo" space. It must be a superiority thing I guess. When you sit way up in the air, you're a much better person. :eyes: When I was driving the SUV, I actually drove like a complete moron. It's like I couldn't help it. I pulled out in front of people, changed lanes as soon as I even touched the radio or took my eyes off the road for a second, drove waaayyy to fast, (all that raw horsepower I know). It's like I was being assimilated in to the SUV collective. I'm glad that's over...