This story is archived
U.S. Senate bill aims to ban gasoline price gouging »
Posted by: STONERS 2 years, 6 months agoWith Americans paying near record gasoline prices, a new Senate bill aims to ban price gouging at the pump and give the U.S. government new authority to go after law-breaking companies.
Read Full Story at washingtonpost.com »
Submitted By:
STONERS
Welcome to my profile...I've started a ""STONERS Daily News Group"" Please stop by and have a look and join if you like it ...
Who Also Submitted:
This Story is Archived and Commenting is Closed
Comments: 88
-
STONERS
May 4, 2007, 11:39 a.m.Millions of Americans are feeling the pinch from high gasoline prices and the new legislation would help ensure drivers pay fair prices at the pump.
-
Moelock
May 4, 2007, 11:43 a.m.Thanks goodness. My family was just discussing last night major changes in our life. We make a reasonably good living, but paying over $3 gallon has us spending nearly $150/wk in gas. We are now looking trading our vehicle in for a new model that gets better mileage and me utilizing public transportation more. The fact that these companies are publishing record profits, and I have to get up 2 hours earlier to catch a train and bus just to make it to work on time IS criminal.
-
pawfoots
May 4, 2007, 11:59 a.m.I am at almost $3.00/gallon here too - and it is just hard to continue to think about further price increases. I had to move closer to my work last September mostly becuase of the cost of gas. Sure hope this bill, or one similar to it, gets through and works out for us all.
-
dandt1612
May 4, 2007, 6:02 p.m.I'll be surprised if it passes.
I hope it does pass I am almost at $3.00 as well.
-
Harbeas
May 4, 2007, 7:48 p.m.Oh, I am sure this will prevent gouging! While the oil companies are making record profits, congress is setting on their butts and doing nothing but making sure we are not gouged at the pump. These record profits are going to no one except the executives of the oil companies. Let's force them to lower the price of oil and reduce those obscene profits!
-
cboath315
May 4, 2007, 8:14 p.m.The bill will never pass. The oil companies will lower the price of gas to the rates they were near the beginning of the year. They can't take the risk of the law being passed. That would make it nearly impossible for them to raise the price of gas later on. Therefore they'll lower it now volountarily and hope for the best at the next election.
-
DF9S11Comment has been removed: User banned.
-
DF9S11Comment has been removed: User banned.
-
Sideways_28
May 4, 2007, 9:07 p.m.It in the 80's that the democrats where telling us that they needed to raise the tax on gas and it should be ok because the europeans were already paying upwards of 3dollars a gallon. now that the companies are making record profits there the dems are to try and "regulate" it, which will mean to fine them and keep the money forcing the company to charge more so they can pay the working employees. stay out of it and it will work itself out or not but any time the fed steps in things only get worse, 98% oof the time.
-
bek423
May 4, 2007, 9:45 p.m.Politicians are going to help the common folk at the expense of major corporations? Oil companies, no less?
If that happens I'll probably die of a heart attack from the shock and nevet get to benefit from the results.
We knew back in the mid-70's that oil was the issue it is. We've had over 30 years to develop new technology. But the oil companies didin't and don't want that, and it has never happened.
I am a Democrat but I also believe that nearly all politicians are controlled by big business's lobbyists and money.
We waste our time squabbling about conservative vs. liberal viewpoints, meanwhile the politicians and big business interests go one behind closed doors, snuggling up together and sending us the bills.
-
OnionHeadComment has been removed: User banned.
-
miklkit
May 4, 2007, 10:07 p.m.Big oil controls the product from the well head almost to the gas station. The gas stations themselves are owned by private citizens who are squeezed just as hard as the rest of us. Their profit is measured in small percentages of a penny on the dollar. They make their money on the things they sell in the store, not the gasoline.
Big oil is a monopoly that manipulates the market for their own profit and is totally unaccountable to anybody.
-
schmirt
May 4, 2007, 11:42 p.m.Time for that annual spring gas price hysteria.
I do not object to tougher laws and fines against gas gouging---I just think anyone posting here that thinks this will make gas prices cheaper is dreaming.
We can arrest the CEO's, dissolve the big oil companies, and force car companies to make more fuel efficient if it will make you feel better.
Then we are still stuck with the same problem: we all want to drive whatever we want, using what ever we want, whenever we want to. There is no free lunch; whether we are forced back into mass transit, pay higher taxes to fund alternative travel, pay more for vehicles, or give up the luxury of moving anywhere.
-
aceofspades1
May 4, 2007, 11:58 p.m.I can't believe the apologists for the oil companies - guys like simple simon on top of this thread. they must be into economic S&M - Oh please Mr EXXOLN make me pay more it feels soo good
-
aceofspades1
May 5, 2007, 12:01 a.m.I bought gas twice today - I paid $3.06 & $3.23 - at the same station - just one was in the morning the other in the afternoon
& they say crude petroleum is at the lowest cost per barrel in weeks.
-
keyfitter
May 5, 2007, 12:03 a.m.Some of you think that is OK to be price
gouged by the oil companies?. Unfriggin-
believable.
-
ameliog
May 5, 2007, 12:13 a.m.GW will veto any bill that prevents his friends and contributors from squeezing every last coin from our pockets. He owes them, so how could he do otherwise?
Businesses are allowed to a profit if they come by it honestly and ethically. Supposedly if a business becomes excessive with their money lust there is competition of other businesses to keep the "free" market healthy and provide consumers with better value for the product or service. In the case of big oil, we have an oligopoly that artificially sets the price, and justifies the price gouging by the same lame excuses that we are almost numb to anymore (high demand, refinery problems that occur like clockwork every year, cloudy days, etc.).
Enough.
-
-
mark-stevens
May 5, 2007, 2:08 a.m.Kerry was mad
"If I'm elected I will raise the price of gas from $1.50 to $2.00" Those damn liberals
-
alakazam
May 5, 2007, 4:17 a.m.So why doesn't Cheney have another Energy Commission in Public and explain the Master Plan to us?
Why oil is so cheap and gas so expensive needs to be the first order of business.
Are you actually suggesting that if we all just jumped on the bandwagon this would magically work itself out?
-
quillyregnold
May 5, 2007, 12:06 p.m.Were you dropped on your head as a child Libs??? You must be some kinda Crack-head! The republicans that support bush are the ones who want the war. And the Idiot who runs the country is the the reason terrorist continue to fight. Although G.W. is the real terrorist! I would tell you that you need to get l@id, but form reading your posts I'm sure that is a total impossibility. It's saturday, not a scool day...go outside and play.
-
Eudiso
May 5, 2007, 4:29 a.m.Nearly $3.00 a gallon over here in Illinois as well.
I've seen worse prices before, but the price per gallon could be better. Especially with the profits the oil companies are making.
-
flyrodder
May 5, 2007, 7:33 a.m.Oil is and always has been driven by supply and demand. More users and fewer reserves creats this mess we're in.
Oil companies can and do creat their own market shortages by conveniently and discriminatly shutting down refineries and telling us that it was necessary for maintenance. They have to keep their profits up so they can pay their investors and their CEO's the exorbitant salaries that they make.
-
arcrftmech16
May 5, 2007, 7:40 a.m.If you consider the value of the dollar is only 10 cents in the american market and our businesses and economy is dependent on foreign imports, including oil, food(fresh and processed), cars, tv's, WalMarts, etc., so our real cost is 10 times more. America no longer has anything to offer the world except technology and we no longer a leading producer of tangible products. It is all imported and outsourced to 3rd world nations for these large company profits. The american earnings have been reduced by at least half and cost of living is near the doubled mark. Company profit and american incomes are grossly mismatched. We no longer have any govenment agency's or labor departments, such as labor unions, looking out for the wage earner and sharing company profits with the workers. The wage earner and labor force have been left in the dust and all are at or near poverty level incomes. This does include the illegal alien work force being used to subvert the american workers earnings.
-
sweckdad
May 5, 2007, 8:30 a.m.Normally I would say that that goverment needs to stay out of the business world. But in this case when the product can effect so many people in such a big way we need help. Why is gas different form steel, wheat or the other staple item which they already regulated?
The first 66 comments are shown. Show all 88 comments »
Submit a Story
Advertisement
