Gasoline at an all-time high in eastern Ohio--consumers are ignorant

[ohio_liberal]

Yesterday at one of five gas stations in my city the price was $2.589 per gallon. The owner was inside the gas station telling the folks who were paying for their purchases that we should expect $3.00 within a couple of months, maybe sooner. He also said that we shouldn't be surprised if gas hits $5.00 a gallon within a year.

Now, he's not saying anything that I don't already know, but the level of complete ignorance by the average consumer is astounding. There were two people who said they'd starting riding the bus and/or just stay home as much as possible. But these two comments just slayed me:

"Surely the federal government will step in soon and stop this."

"Our wages will have to be raised so we can pay for gas."

I can't even imagine being so naive to believe that your employer is going to raise your wages just so you can pay for a gallon of gasoline, or even believing that George Bush is going to step in and put a stop to it all.

And they don't want to hear the truth, you know. I tried to explain supply and demand and increasing oil profits, but they don't want to know about it.

[yardwork]

1. I grew up in eastern Ohio and I hear you!

The Republican Party makes sure that people stay ignorant (no funding for schools - pushing creationism over science) and sick (no health insurance) so that they will be easily manipulated.

You saw two examples of the brain-washed kool-aid drinking masses.

[ohio_liberal]

4. The majority of people here are 'Walmart Dems'

I think my neighbor Julius and I are the only liberal/progressive Democrats in the county. Yes, the majority are brainwashed and ill-informed.

[zanne]

11. The best excuse I've heard so far...

"Gas prices are high because we don't have enough refineries". Leave it to the Bushies to cause a big problem, then try to turn it to their own advantage.

[DeepModem Mom]

2. I am constantly amazed that no one ever connects a problem to Bush's...

leadership unless they are staunchly on our side. It just doesn't seem to occur to them. It's the press, I guess -- a big change from the heat Jimmy Carter took over gas, for example, when he was beaten up by both press and public.

[yardwork]

17. I know. Bill Clinton is to blame for teenage sex

but Bush has nothing to do with the price of oil, the economy, or anything else.

How stupid can be people be?

[Pepperbelly]

3. I paid $2.469 yesterday and was almost grateful.

Is that some bullshit or what?

[ohio_liberal]

5. Yeah, it is eye-opening, eh?

Gas prices go up for a couple of weeks, and then they slide down to about $2.25/gallon. And people here think they're getting a deal. It's amazing.

[RC]

7. I heard that a few congress critters were calling for a inquiry into

the high gas prices just before the prices slipped down a bit. This has happened before.

[ohio_liberal]

9. I heard on the news a couple of days ago...

..that the state of WV is going to jump in and make sure nobody is gouged by higher prices than the state average. I'm guessing this is intended to help people in areas without much competition between gas companies/stations. That's all fine and good, but of course it's not going to halt rising prices.

[Maestro]

6. Texas is the same way.

It's around $2.60 for mid-grade unleaded. Disgusting!

[geomon666]

8. Back where I used to live...

there was a lovely reminder of pre Bush times. There were two gas stations at an intersection, opposite of each other. One had closed down but the price on the marquee is still up. So now you have one station advertising 2.60 for regular and the other advertising 1.18 for regular. :)

Eat that bushbots.

[smbolisnch]

10. 2.67 here in WV.

I am so disgusted. Even those of us who drive small cars are feeling it bad. My little Nissan costs almost $30.00 to fill up. :cry:

[ohio_liberal]

12. I hear you

I bought my son a used Honda Civic for his first car (we just got it last week) and it cost $25.00 to fill it up.

Almost everyone I know who has an SUV or full-sized truck is using a second, smaller car for day-to-day travel now. My neighbors just bought a Chrysler 300m and they are bitching because it only gets 22mpg average. I said to them that they shouldn't complain because they chose a car with crappy gas mileage. Their excuse is that they just don't like small cars. :eyes:

Why are people so unwilling to make such a small sacrafice?

[smbolisnch]

15. I don't understand it either.

My husband owns a GMC Yukon. My car was lost in the flood we had last year, and rather than selling the Yukon and buying a new vehicle, he wanted me to drive that. Well, I would ride the bus first. His mom decided she wanted to drive the Yukon and I am driving her car, the nissan.

We went to the beach last week, and she drove that truck. It cost her almost 90.00 to fill it up. I wish he would just get rid of that thing. :eyes:

[sexybomber]

13. $2.58? Geez, that's nothing

I paid $2.69 yesterday.

[ohio_liberal]

14. I know there are higher prices in other places

For some reason we've always been well below the national average. But apparently we're catching up now.

[yardwork]

18. It's true that Ohio is often below the national average

I noticed that during the gas shortages in the 1970s. I think it's because Ohio has natural gas as one of its resources. In eastern Ohio one can still see little gas pumps going in the middle of fields.

[leesa]

16. Big Daddy Bush will save them. He must laugh his guts out at these

silly people while he busily stuffs their cash into his pockets.