Weekly Retail Premium Gasoline Prices (Including Taxes) - Select Countries

[Chico Man]

Date Belgium France Germany Italy Netherlands U.K. U.S.

3/27/06 5.76 5.62 5.75 5.73 6.41 6.00 2.70
4/3/06 6.04 5.77 6.00 5.91 6.48 6.05 2.79
4/10/06 6.10 5.80 5.96 5.91 6.73 6.13 2.88

http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/international/gas1.html

Is there any reason why I should not think gas is still cheap, when compared to the rest of the world?

Thanks.

[AX10]

1. Most other countries have massive public transportation...

systems that we don't have. Americans are heavily dependent on automotive transporation.

[Chico Man]

3. There is plenty of public transportation around here (the Boston area)

And I still see plenty of folks driving the gas guzzling machines to work polluting the air I breathe..

because gas is cheap.

[AX10]

4. America has much more affluence than these other nations do.

For the time, America can absorb the higher cost of oil. It won't be like that forever.

Also, the government places high taxes on oil to pay for government services such as healthcare.

[Chico Man]

7. Should we raise the price of gasoline to pay for healthcare?

Or would this cause too many problems with middle / lower class budgets?

[Nickster]

10. I think plenty of people would be happy to pay an extra dollar or two at

the pump if they could save the hundreds of dollars a month they pay for healthcare. Maybe not, just my thought.

[LostinVA]

18. Not if you live in a rural area

In most other countries you've quoted, I can live 25 miles outside of town and take a train or bus in. Not here. Plus, they add huge taxes that help pay for their social infrastructure.

Apples and oranges.

[Chico Man]

20. Apples and oranges?

Don't take the easy way out. If you are really that upset about gas prices, what are you doing besides venting on DU to do something about it?

In America, nothing the govt nor corps do shocks me anymore. They get away with so much, and the most people will do is vent on a discussion board. I mean, half of them won't even vote! Ot if they do, they won't even spend 15 minutes researching the candidates.

I hate to say it, but until their is a major shift in this country towards responsible citizenship, the corps and the govt are going to continue to rape us, and we actually get what we deserve.

[Name removed]

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[Chico Man]

27. Luckily I don't take posts here personally

But I just had to point out that you have no idea if I am struggling to pay my own heating and gasoline bills

Just because I'm taking a different approach to solve the problem doesn't mean I'm some uppity rich intellectual stomping all over the poor hard working folks feeling the pain from the gas prices

No, I'm just not one that like to feel bad for myself given the fact that there are people all over this world feeling far more pain than we are over this rise in gas prices that is due to the fact that we, collectively, as American Citizens, have FAILED MISERABLY ON A MASSIVE SCALE and any pain we experience due to the greed of corporations and the govt alike is due to this failure. Not your failure, not the failure of the member of DU, but the failure of the AMERICAN CITIZEN. Just so you know, I am an american citizen, so yes, I too have FAILED.

[Nickster]

6. Don't forget, they get national healthcare as well. n/t

[MisterP]

2. our "surcharge" (that is, taxes), used to pay the military and CIA to beat

up other countries for "cheap" oil?
Other countries don't have nosebleed-inducing black-bag budgets...

[uppityperson]

5. other countries money goes to taxes, not co profit.

gas is taxed more in other countries, the money goes to taxes not to corp profits

[Chico Man]

8. So you would support a massive increase in gasoline tax if it were

to be used for healthcare?

[uppityperson]

9. moreso than if it were to be used to fill pockets of CEOs, yes

yes, I would. Healthcare, public transportation, education, housing.

[patdem]

12. Not just YES....SHIT YES...why should the CEO of Exxon get

1/2 billion and no health care for Americans...AND IN THOSE COUNTRIES THE PRICE OF GAS IS NOT INCREASING LIKE HERE!

[Chico Man]

19. The price would have to be $20 a gallon in the US to get some to vote

Maybe that would get them off their lazy behinds and actually become responsible citizens.

[muriel_volestrangler]

29. Look at the OP - prices have gone up in all countries

The price difference in the two weeks:

Belgium France Germany Italy Netherlands U.K. U.S.

.34 .18 .21 .18 .32 .13 .18

Only the UK has had a smaller price increase than the US.

[patdem]

11. THEIR costs go to GIVE THEM HEALTH INSURANCE

and other benefits...not to enrich ONE CEO! And their costs are not going UP BY 20/30/50%...why is that?

[Chico Man]

13. An added benefit of higher costs is that it forces people to drive less

Create less pollution, build fantastic public transportation systems, and build communities that do not revolve around consuming our worlds scare resources.

Perhaps the European example is something we should strive to follow in this country?

I would also assume that if Europeans felt as passionately about an issue as we seem to here, they would not be sitting on the PC complaining and moaning... they would be out in the streets showing the Govt who is the boss. I believe we recently saw this in France?

[LostinVA]

21. What do we go now???

I only drive if I have to. But, I -- along with many, many other people -- have a big commute to work. Housing is too expensive to live in town.

I would love taking public transportation, but that isn't going to happen because the states have NO money... because the Feds no longer have their revenue sharing. Even if the Feds did it, it would be years.

Something needs to be done, but NOT on the backs of those of us who aren't rich -- which is most of us. It is unrealistic.

I do my part. I have a car that gets 50+ mpg. But at $3.00+, so fucking what.

This is price gouging, and the government needs to stop it ASAP.

[Chico Man]

23. The govt is not going to stop it

The people have to stop it.

The people need to take some resonsibility and first realize they are being wholeheartedly taken advantage of. Not only by Republicans and corporations, but also by Democrats that are going to use this issue for all of the tremendous political capital it is worth, and do the exact opposite of what they say behind closed doors. They are all politicians, after all.

Realistically, this may wake some more of the people up, but it is far from the straw that breaks the camels back. There will be a time when the power returns to the people in this country, but for now, we are being help in a head lock by the govt and the corporations.

With the technology at the govts disposal, and a handy crew of brown shirts ready to follow any govt or corporate order, I have no idea what it will actually take to bring the power back to the people in the United States.

In most Eurpoean countries, the people never became complacent. They take their duties seriously as citizens. They never let the divide become as far reaching as it has become in the United States. The people of this country are weaker than perhaps any onther time in our great history, are getting weaker by the day.

[bullimiami]

14. our government gets plenty of our money, and they waste it and

turn it around to fill their cronies pockets.
they just dont take as much in gas taxes as other countries, but they take it.

where do you think 400 billion for the military and another 100 billion for the iraq adventure have been coming from every year.

These republican liars want to tell you they are for small government but they exist ON the government, there wouldnt be republicons and corporate thieves if not for the blood they suck off the backs of the working people.

[Chico Man]

15. So why don't we do something about it

I mean seriously, if this were France, people would be in the streets burning and looting. I'm not saying this is what we should be doing, but the govt and corporations are going to continuously try to get away with as much as the people will allow before they start taking real significant action..

Not only do we just sit here and complain, half of us don't even vote, still support the corporations every chance we get, and we get fatter and lazier and stupider each and every day.

Unless I actually see some action in this country, I say we get what we deserve. The govt and corps are going to continue to rape the country until we finally get enough balls to put an end to it. Europeans seem to have them.. we recently saw this in France. Unfortunately, I don't see any progress in this area happening any time soon in the us...

[bullimiami]

28. good damn question.

[napi21]

16. European gas prices are very heavily taxed to provide Health care,

road maintenance, infrastructure, and many other services that THE US DOESN'T DO!!!!!!!!!

You need to go back farther than March 27th to see the whole story. When the US gas prices were $1.78, European prices were still averaging $6.00. They have increased some due to raw crude pricing, but NOT to the degree that they have in the US!

I'm still convinced that their intent is to make gas prices sooo painful in the US, that mentaly, we will all be HAPPY when prices settle at $2.00 or $2.50! They needed to change the American mindset for that to happen! The damn ploy is working too, isn't it????

[Chico Man]

17. You are right about one thing

The American mindset needs to change

If this massive increase in gas prices is going to do it, halleleuyah!

If we keep letting corps and the govt screw us, they are going to keep doing it until the people say ENOUGH is ENOUGH.

Unfortunately, complaining about the price on a discussion board is not going to accomplish much..

[napi21]

22. Chico, you missed my point, I think.

You see, I'm old, and I remember when gas was 25 cents a gal. It slowly creapt up to .35 cents, and stayed for a number of years. THEN there was this SHORTAGE in the 70's if I recall, and gas jumped from .35 to almost .90/gal!!!! Stations were out of gas, lines were hours long, we were relegated to only buying gas on even and odd days, and then magically, all was well, and everybody was thrilled that gas had gone BACK DOWN to 65 cents a gal!!!!! The oil companies could never have made that happen without convincing the American people that 90 cents/gal was soooo bad, and the lines and shortages were sooo bad, they could double the price, and everyone would be HAPPY!

Americans would NEVER have accepted gas prices of $2.00 a gallon a year or so ago!!!!!

What are you saying now? I'd be happy at $2.00?????

We've been conned AGAIN!!!!!!!

[wiggs]

25. Exxon's record breaking profits for the quarter is your reason. nt

[Chico Man]

26. So the problem is not gas prices

It is Exxon?

And how do we do something about it?

[wiggs]

30. It is the gas prices and WHY the gas prices are high

If it simply takes that much to get the stuff out of the ground, process it, and get it to me, then that's the way it goes. I'll pay whatever it is and not complain about it..perhaps I'll drive less or carpool more or get an even smaller car.

And it's not just Exxon....all oil companies combined to set a record for the industry as well. It is fair to say that the energy industry and their stockholders are swimming in cash and policies of this administration have helped them do it.

[wiggs]

31. I'll add that....

...I'm no expert but I don't think a comparison with Europe is fair...they may not have the public infrastructure we do and they certainly don't use the volume per capita we do. They also may not have the friendly energy policy we do either.