Senate panel calls hearing on high US pump prices

[sabra]

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N19389537.htm

Senate panel calls hearing on high US pump prices

WASHINGTON, Aug 19 (Reuters) - The Senate Energy Committee will hold a hearing next month on what's behind record-high U.S. gasoline prices, the panel said on Friday.

Driven by tight supplies and U.S. crude prices near $70 a barrel, average retail gasoline prices hit a record $2.55 a gallon this week, according to government data.

...

Lawmakers admit there is no short-term fix to pain at the pump, but are nervous about political fall-out.

...

"Clearly, we need to have the very best advice and counsel on what actions can be taken to help lower the cost of gasoline," said New Mexico Sen. Jeff Bingaman, the panel's senior Democrat.

[nickinSTL]

1. about time

someone decided to at least LOOK like they're concerned.

[unhappycamper]

2. A suggestion to our lawmakers:

Stop the fucking war!

That may help a little.

[leftylady]

4. We could increase our refining capactiy.

Something like 60% of the increase is due to our lack of refining capactiy.

[Javaman]

13. Remember when moron* talked about converting old military bases...

to refineries? That seems to have selectively fallen down the memory hole. Why is that? Because all the senators that have bases closing in their states went ape shit. That would basically reduce their reelectability to zero. Who wants to live next to a refinery? So rather than come up with an alternative, moron* just let that one slip away.

Welcome to DU!!

[Missy M]

3. Gee guys, couldn't you make it a little sooner than next month....

or are you waiting for the vacation season to be over before you try to do something about it. After all maybe you could make the profits for the oil companies climb to a trillion instead of billions.

[Javaman]

14. That would be "unpossible", why?

1) it would require moron* to be answerable for his inactions
2) it wouldn't give moron* enough time to come up with a convincing spin. Or counter story to effectively bury this.

[RamboLiberal]

5. Hey AHoles - you need to call an emergency session

And get your butts back to DC now - not next month! We're friggin' hurtin' out here!

And our kid Pretzeldent needs to get off his tricycle and get back to DC as well!

You freakin' Repukes made fun of Jimmy Carter in his sweater - but at least he was trying to do something! If you had done what he asked and gotten this country to energy independence we wouldn't be in this freakin' situation!

Even your voters might wake up when they can't afford to buy the koolaid anymore!

Can you tell I just filled up my Vibe - $28 friggin' dollars - for the 2+ years I've had it I didn't even hit $20 on a fillup till this summer!

[Name removed]

6. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Iowa]

15. Yep...

Most Dems are props. They exist to create the illusion of the existence of an opposing party. By doing so they enable the neocons to commit crimes against humanity in our name, destroy our standard of living, and strip us of our basic rights. There are a few notable exceptions, but by and large, and depending on the day, the Dems have been complicit in the treason of the neocons. History will mark them as self-serving, opportunistic, lap-dogs.

[bleedingheart]

7. Why it is the "Great Free Market Economy"!!!!

why even hold a senate panel....

[Horse with no Name]

8. Gas prices are so high because our government is laundering money through

them by subsidizing gas in Iraq (which our government probably uses the majority of) at .08 gallon.
That way, for all of the gasoline that is used, it's not coming out of the military budget, it is coming directly out of our pocket.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=4397725&mesg_id=4397725

[Burried News]

9. Blaablaablaa YadaYadaYada Hhrrumf Hhrumff Hrummff

Mr. Speaker, Mr. President, resolution, American People deserve, my distinguished colleagues, as my friend Mr. Delay points out, long overdue, unfair, we must head the warnings,

Useless gas bags. They'll be about as effective as they were after 9/11.

Endeaver to persevere, you must endeaver to persevere - we thought about it for awhile, we couldn't figure out what it meant - so we declared war - Chief Dan George in the Outlaw Josey Wales

[Dhalgren]

10. There is no "tight supply"!

Every analyst I've read has said that everyone is surprised that the level of gasoline sales have not dropped. That means that the supply is the same as before the price gouging and there have been no closed pumps or long lines or any kind of rationing, at all! There is no supply problem! This is gouging and profiteering - period!

[Deja Q]

11. How about regulation of the oil companies?

The system HAS to be fixed.

Either regulate the oil companies, tell companies to pay their workers adn adjustment, or do nothing and then not complain when suicides or violent crimes inrease. After all, George needs his army and if people are blowing their heads off, it's kinda hard to use them as an army...

[jpak]

12. Didn't these assholes just pass a so-called "Energy Bill"

that gave billions in tax breaks to the oil and gas industries at a time of record high oil prices and petroindustry profits???

and allowed US fuel economy standards to erode over the last 15 years????

and ignored mass transit in favor of gold-plated pet-pork highway projects????

If they really want to help us - they should help municipalities fund new and/or expanded bus and trolley services.

Every urban/suburban American should have to walk no longer than 5 minutes to a bus/trolley stop, wait no longer than 15 minutes for one to arrive and travel no longer than one hour to their final (local) destinations.

[Carla in Ca]

19. I posted this yesterday

From an article by Public Citizen, March 2004:

Because of the oil company mergers, it created just a handful of oil monopolies that control significant chunks of the market. That has created price-gouging. The lack of investigation may be explained by the more than $67 million the industry has contributed to politicians since 1999-with 79% going to republicans. They also spend $50 million lobbying Congress and the WH each year.
Gasoline prices are rising because of uncompetitive actions, not environmental regulations, as the WH likes to argue.
So, the industry is consolidating and since 2001, * has been moving more than 100,000 barrels of oil a day from the market to stock the SPR pushing it to 90% capacity.

Would it be worth pursuing oil company contributions to R's, showing them as complicit? Allowing the mergers, not investigating price-gouging?
All Dem candidates should hit hard on this.

[Brundle_Fly]

16. woosies

here in canada it is almost $4.22 for a gallon.

its not just you that's suffering under Shrub.

[meow2u3]

17. Tight supplies, my @$$

It's criminal greed, pure and simple!

[joanski0]

18. Senator Pete Domenici is the Chairman

of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. This hearing will be just a show to pretend they are doing something about it. What a bunch of gasbags!!!

[Orsino]

20. And how many will ride to the hearings...

...in limos?