Majority in Poll Blame Gouging on Government's Handling of Price Surge

[ECH1969]

An overwhelming majority of Americans believe oil and gas companies are gouging consumers in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina but offer mixed reviews of President Bush and the government's initial response to the deadly storm, according to the latest Washington Post-ABC News poll.

The survey conducted Friday night found that 72 percent of the respondents say oil companies and gas suppliers have taken advantage of the storm emergency by raising gasoline prices, which spiked virtually overnight last week to $3 dollars a gallon or more in many areas. Eight in 10 say the federal government's handling of surging gas prices was "not so good" or "poor," the survey found.

The survey also found that Americans were sharply divided over the performance of Bush and local, state and federal governments in the aftermath of Monday's storm. Slightly less than half -- 46 percent -- approve of the way Bush has handled relief efforts while 47 percent disapprove, a result that might offer some cheer to beleaguered White House staffers who feared a stronger negative reaction.

The early response got equally mixed reviews, with 48 percent rating the federal effort as excellent or good and 51 percent saying it was not so good or poor -- views deeply colored by party affiliation. According to the poll, 68 percent of Democrats rated the government's performance as "not so good" or "poor," while 66 percent of Republicans judged it to be "excellent" or "good." This finding shows this national emergency has not united Americans the way the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, did.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/03/AR2005090301164.html

[ChowChowChow]

1. How could ONE person even dare say

The response was good. Those RePUGS will stand behind that incompetent MORON no matter what he does. How sickening?
OUTRAGEOUS

[drfresh]

8. Because they probably turned on the TV friday -nt

[bluethruandthru]

2. I give up!

With every newspaper, news program, talking head (except the evil Hannity and his mentor Limbaugh) ..and even Faux news blasting shrub and the government's screw up of this crisis...how, how, can 46 percent of Americans think that idiot is doing a good job handling things???

[ECH1969]

3. It would take Shrub admitting he was gay

and sticking a knife in the Pope to get him under 40% and even then he would still be in the mid 30s.

[howmad1]

9. Don't you get it?

46% of the general public are moronic idiots who think the prick is the second coming. What is so hard to understand?

[goforit]

15. Hello!...The Polls are fixed!!

[wanpete]

4. this poll has to be a crock of bull...

I refuse to believe this. Not in light of what I have witnessed with my own eyes for the past five days.

And this national tragedy has not united americans like 9/11 because the victims were black and poor...period.

[ECH1969]

5. What do you think the average Repug cares more about

His gas prices or some black people in NO?

One of them matters to him the other doesn't.

[wanpete]

6. oh, i totally agree about who and what the repugs truly care about

I just don't believe that there is a solid 46% base of that type of frothing from the mouth repugs out there. 30% yes, 46% no, imho...

[Senator Lamb]

7. pure ignorance

[MarkTwain]

10. Just Who the Hell are these...

.... ever present 46% that poll affirmatively over ANYTHING this fucking cabal does?

Are there really a hundred and thirty million plus of our fellow citizens who are THAT dumb with such consistency?

One can only hope that as the investigations begin and the articles and media coverage continues (today's WPost piece on The Cabal's political and selfish gutting of FEMA is devastating), we can drive at least fifteen percent of that forty six off the cliff of stupidity and into some semblance of reality.

[radfringe]

11. heard more than one person

talking abut price gouging yesterday. 99% of gas stations in my area all had the same gas prices. (the other 1% had them higher)

even my partner - who is a self-described political agnostic - said this smelled like price rigging

[HockeyMom]

12. Gas Prices

When the price is $3.09 on Thursday afternoon, $3.29 on Friday morning, and $3.59 on Friday afternoon, that is price gouging. My own observation on just one gas station I passed driving back and forth from work last week.

[radfringe]

13. gas station near my house

yesterday morning $3.19 -- this morning it was up to $3.39

[goforit]

14. Washington Post???..........Propaganda !!!!

[davsand]

16. It is Labor Day weekend--of COURSE it was price gouging!

My buddy the gas station owner (no jokes here--he's a hell of a nice guy) told me late last week that with Labor Day coming he had no doubt in his mind that it was price gouging. People travel over long weekends. When they travel they drive and they burn gas. It is the American way...

I have learned a lot from Terry. He charges whatever he pays for the gas with something like a two cent markup per gallon. Most gas stations, according to him, are counting on volume sales of fuel and all the "quickie mart" item sales to stay profitable. He says others may mark up the gas more than he does, but even those need the volume to stay profitable. He says the only thing that keeps him open is the mechanic work he does.

He told me that once the gas prices jumped above 2.75 per gallon that his sales of gas dropped off a huge amount. He is adamant in his belief that if everybody would take three days and not buy ANY gas or anything from quickie mart gas stations that the gas prices would come back down. "You are paying three dollars a gallon because you are willing to," is his opinion.

I dunno if he's right or not, but I do know he's unhappy with Bush and just about every other elected official right now.



Laura