Low Gas Prices: An Election-Year Ploy?

[Greylyn58]

Many Think Politicians Manipulating Gas Prices

POSTED: 8:32 am EDT September 26, 2006

WASHINGTON -- Are oil prices rigged to get you to vote a certain way? Many Americans think so.

A new Gallup poll shows 42 percent of respondents believe current gas prices are being manipulated to influence the November elections. For them, the plunge at the pump is about politics, not economics.

Oil industry analysts have said recent drops in the price of gasoline are the result of growing inventories and slowing economic and market dynamics, not political manipulation.

snip.....


While I don't really trust most polls--so many different results to the same question--I found this article and the poll results interesting.

http://www.wsoctv.com/politics/9935461/detail.html

[OrangeCountyDemocrat]

1. Pure Coincidence...

Next I suppose you're going to tell me that this administration has connections to oil or the saudi's.

It is not an unusual development at all. I'm sure it's only temporary. In fact, I predict it reverts sometime in mid-late November. But that's only a guess, because anything's possible.

Besides, the only way it would matter is if there were a large # of citizens who are MORONS. And we all know the Amerikan public is Much Much smarter than that. Right?

[niallmac]

2. Nah. It's just a quirky zany coinky dinky.

How lucky these darned Republicans are to have gas prices fall like a Cheney hunting buddy
just before the elections.

[Demobrat]

3. Not only are they not much much smarter than that.

They won't even remember it come December when the price of heating oil goes through the roof. Summer = rip off at the gas pump. Winter = rip off at the thermostat.

[muesa]

4. Beautiful Golden NT

[muesa]

5. Bail Out The Auto Industry

The auto industry is really hurting (I think it's their own fault) - but lower gas prices may give Detroit a breathing spell.

Besides - look at the interlocking (incestuous) relationships,

1. "Independent" outside directors
   
2. CPA firms
   
3. Law firms
   
4. Investment bankers

It's a tight little club -- and Big Oil has really screwed the "Big Three."

Record gas prices have moved Toyota and Honda into the ranks of the "Big Three". (okay - almost)

[never_get_over_it]

6. Only 42% ?

Geeeeeez the other 58% are going to feel like dumb shits when the price starts going back up on Nov 8!

[buzzard]

7. While I would love to believe it is politicians manipulating prices I

don't actually believe it is. The levels of stored gas are way up and this is a seasonally slow period before winter comes. There is also the decline in the housing market and the generally pessimistic view of future growth. I think that these factors have more to do with the slump in prices than the upcoming election. In the longterm though I think demand will increase upward as emerging economies expand and compete for scarcer resources.

[Telly Savalas]

8. Agreed.

Furthermore, if Democratic success in November is contigent on high gasoline prices, the party has some serious fucking problems.