Wednesday, September 20, 2006

Oil prices rigged?

I was asking Gale about what he was hearing about the election here in southern Indiana. He says he thinks Hostettler will win because the Democrats put up a weak candidate.

But....he also says most of the people he has talked to think Hostettler took money from oil companies and that the price of gas will go right back up after the election. It is all a conspiracy. The prices are only down to help them win and then watch out! BAck up they will go.

I think that is nonsense, after all Americans do not control the world price of oil...pity that...but he says it is firmly in people's minds. If those prices stay down will that change minds or are these kinds of views so firmly planted in the psyche of the public that there is no changing them?

12 comments:

Rick Ballard said...

I sure hope no one finds about about the deal the Reps cut with the oil companies for discounts for registered Republicans. .10 per gallon doesn't sound like much but it adds up over the years.

Anonymous said...

It is a conspiracy only if America controls the planetary supply and is the only important region of demand. But lookey here.

truepeers said...

How many of those people would put their money where their mouths are - and speculate on oil futures - if it's such a sure thing? what would they say if you put that question to them?

Unknown said...

truepeers,

That is a great idea, I am going to suggest it and I did mention that we do not actually control the world market on oil but it seems that people just can't get their heads around that.

Unknown said...

fresh air:

Ah you are just one of those poor slobs who believes whatever he is told, these folks know better. How it works is a mystery, but they just know better.

Unknown said...

fresh air:

The ridiculous thing is that this is farm country and these folks know better than anyone that markets have a mind of their own.

Anonymous said...

terrye:

The ridiculous thing is that this is farm country and these folks know better than anyone that markets have a mind of their own.

Yes. I've had lots of contact with farmers over the past 20 years or so. Want to know about soybeans in Brazil and demand for wheat in Egypt and how the Mexicans like Gala apples? Ask an American (or Canadian) farmer.

MeaninglessHotAir said...

One thing I've been wondering. If oil companies are controlling the price of gasoline, why are they leaving the price at a mere $3 or so per gallon? Why not move it on up to $4? Wouldn't that get them more filthy lucre? And why stop there? Why not $5 or $10? Or $100? I just don't understand why they're content with $3. Is it altruism?

cf said...

They want to keep it lower so you don't develop cheap renewable energy resources or perpetual motion machines that keep the earth pristine and power lines and pipelines that are invisible. They keep the price just lower than the alternatives. Gee--I have to explain everything, don't I?

Unknown said...

cf:

yes, and if they got the price too high for too long then someone would eventually catch onto their Enron style scheme.

I do think that Enron had a little something to do with this kind of thinking. The behavior of those executives validated the paranoia.

chuck said...

carburetor?

Charlie Martin said...

Ten cents a gallon? Feh. I get that from Safeway.