$3.10 for Republican regular gas, and $3.30 for Republican premium gas

[Submariner]

in my neighborhood. I hope the rest of you aren't getting hit too hard by Republican gas prices in your region. I remember just before the 2000 election-steal when Democratic gas was $1.46 per gallon and the Republicans were pissed that Gore was talking about a 50 cent increase per gallon for energy research. I had no idea the Republicans wanted it to be doubled in price!

[hexola]

1. Bush Juice!

[Dunvegan]

2. Nice. "$3.30 Republican Gas" vs. "$1.46 Democratic Gas"

I think you've got a slogan with legs there.

[bluerum]

3. They doubled the price and it goes into the oil execs pockets -

not to help fund research aimed at reducing our addiction to oil energy.

That's because reducing oil addiction, like reducing sugar addiction, would not en-rich the already rich corporate gluttons.

[Jane Austin]

4. Bravo for framing it this way. Bush isn't running for re-election.

Republicans are.

Make them own this mess they've made.

[lovuian]

5. Ya what a different world it would be if Gore would have been

president!!!

[hexola]

7. Its not too late!!! (nt)

[Mynameissalvatore]

9. This is why Gore isn't president

Do you think the oil companies would have allowed him to be president if they aren't going to make record profits with him in office?

[AllieB]

11. Gore is not president because the election was stolen

his energy policies had nothing to do with it.

[converted_democrat]

14. Just so ya know.. Gore did win the election.. I forget by what margin, it

was like 20,000 to 30,000 votes.. Harpers magazine has a great article on it, if you're not busy sometime google for it.. Gore really did win..

[Mynameissalvatore]

16. My point was

that it was stolen because the powers that be would not allow a Gore victory.

[hexola]

6. Isnt $1.46 a bit high...?

Gas didnt start to go up until late in Clinton 2...correct?

I think it was more like 1.19 before the uptick...

[Submariner]

15. Democratic gasoline might have been $1.19 at the time

and it might have been the post election period too, but definitely before republican gas prices skyrocketed.

[greenbriar]

8. remember this

"In 2000, when gas was selling for $1.60, presidential candidate G. W. Bush said:
'What I think the president ought to do is he ought to get on the phone with the OPEC cartel and say we expect you to open your spigots. One reason why the price is so high is because the price of crude oil has been driven up. OPEC has gotten its supply act together, and it's driving the price, like it did in the past. And the president of the United States must jawbone OPEC members to lower the prices' (The New York Times, 9/29/00; George Bush, Republican Primary Debate, Manchester, NH, 1/26/00)
"Would the president call that statement "inoperative" now?"

[swatterdebattedelune]

10. 50 grades of gasoline, ethanol, a rube-goldberg system

clean air specs, both federal and regional have created over 50 different kinds of gasoline required to meet regulations. this makes it difficult to import gasoline to meet needs and it must be reblended.

the secondary effects of banning MTBE force refiners to meet summer pollution requirements with ethanols, a corrosive alcohol that must be added to gasoline very late in the process, and generally not at the refinery. ethanol tariffs need to be lifted to allow south american ethanol to enter the county now.

another strange effect of the warm winter was that many tank farms still have overhangs of heating oil in tank. since there are a defined number of tanks available, the normal ramping up of gasoline production in Feb and March was much more difficult.

lastly, total refinery capacity is still lower than a year ago because of gulf coast damage from katrina and rita. capacity is running in the high 80%, not the mid 90% it normally is for this time of year.

if you doubt it, look at the price for march and april gasoline futures. you will have seen the march contract go off very cheaply as it was the last of "winter spec" gasoline that must be reblended to meet summer clean air requirements. that is why gas dropped to just below $2/gallon 3 weeks ago.

[DemoTex]

12. Watch for BigOil's 1stQ financial reports in the next few days.

I predict more windfall profits (known as profiteering during times of war) for BigOil. I hope the MSM puts those profit reports on the front burner and turns up the heat. My guess is that they will. This is a hugh story that impacts way too many people (and those peeps are mighty pissed) for the MSM to pooh-pooh it. With proper MSM news coverage, every dime or so increase in gasoline at the pump should drop Bu$hboy's poll numbers by about a point. By the time petrol is $4/gal in the GOP strongholds down south, Bu$h should be polling in the mid-20%s.


I wish Oliphant had put the gas nozzle up Lee Raymonds ass instead of in his ear. But to answer the question: No, I care not to contribute to Chairman Raymond's retirement fund.

[pinto]

13. Saw $3.20 in my neighborhood (Central CA)...

I am driving less. I have that option. I feel for those who don't.