Exactly. Sure, I could take public transportation. I would have to leave the house at 6am and would not get home until 8 pm, but sure, I could take it. Of course, then how I would get the kids to and from school and daycare would be a good question...

And the biggest problem is that the people who are supposed to protect us from these price gouging assholes are, most likely, making a killing off the stock they own... so really, why would they try to stop it?

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The blame is on the consumers because had they made better decisions, producers would not be in a position to exploit them now. You paint a picture of victimized children, well when do people need to start growing up and SURVIVING?

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"Bring me that horizon".

Exactly what other choices should consumers have made? How can you blame $4.00 a gallon gas on consumers?

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Oh, puh-leeze! What could consumers have done to fight the price of gas? We have ample supply, no shortages, and demand is soft; yet the price is skyrocketing.

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January 20, 2009 - The end of an error.

I blame gas prices on consumers and the government jointly for their insatiable desire to purchase SUV's and pick-up trucks (and no, they are not essential, SUV's least of all) whilst denying themselves the opportunity to drill domestically. Now that China and India are moderninizing and the supply is constricted, oil companies are charging more for a good that was originally cheaper.

Had consumers purchased better mpg-rated cars, car companies would've followed the trend and made more fuel efficient cars BEFORE this crisis occured. Instead, everybody went out and bought an Expedition to drive to and from the office because they look cool and feel powerful. Well America, you made your bed, now sleep in it.

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"Bring me that horizon".

Demand is anything but soft. China and India are cutting into the global supply more and more each year (China's GDP growth is at 13% annually). Couple that with America's historic love of petroleum, and you've got constricted supply. Had Americans been more responsible in the past, this could've been avoided.

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"Bring me that horizon".

You forgot to mention speculation, which is artificially driving up "demand." But then, in rightwingfantasyland, greed is good, and greed is always justified as "success."

Some of us, however, actually were raised with a certain thing called "values." Greed, I was taught, was one of the cardinal sins. Making a modest profit is OK, but gouging customers is not.

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January 20, 2009 - The end of an error.

So why the hell should I as a taxpayer be expected to bail out these financial companies when they act stupidly? Better get yourself a new talking point quick.

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Words mean nothing to today's conservatives. They say whatever will help advance their cause at the moment, switch talking points in a heartbeat, and then act indignant if anyone uses the exact same argument they were using five minutes ago.
Dinner Table Politics

You talk as if everyone went out and purchased an expidition, when actually very few (% wise) were purchased. If you want to blame people that drive SUV's that is a mistake on your part. Many of the people that drive them, actually need the space, like parents that have 3 kids, or people that have family members in wheelchairs (wheelchairs don't exactly fit into the 14 cu in trunk of a tiny toyota). Or you have contractors that to do their job and keep america running need something that can pull their needed materials to their work site.

The Oil companies are gouging beyond what is the demand, as seeing as Chevron issued an over 75% increase in their SMG funds (which pays the exec's saleries and write offs) from 2006 to 2007. They saw a gross profit increase of 100% in one year.

India recently desided to stop subsidies to oil and thier prices skyrocketed over night. That means that there demand would fall, opening more oil to the rest of the world. The market would dictate that prices would then fall for us as a competitor fell, but prices didn't fall, they shot up 8% in one day.

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Set your destination with your heart, get there with your mind.

"The wisest men follow their own direction." - Euripides

Amen OE. I drive a Jeep Cherokee... hardly a huge car. I need it to haul my kids, my groceries and my dog around. It is 10 years old and we own it fully. Sure, I can downsize (we are thinking of getting some kind of 4-door), but I would have to still have the Jeep for outings with the dog, or trips to the vet with two cats, etc etc.

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