Reply #45: The Cynic says... [View All]

[CGrantt57]

The oil companies have the market, the prices, and the consumer right where they want them.

It's always amusing to me that the price goes up at the mere mention of any kind of problem with oil.

I've watched the price since I was paying 29.9 cents a gallon back in 1974.

After the big hump over a buck because of the OPEC embargo, things kind of settled in for awhile.

Then, I noticed an interesting trend.

About once every two or three years, the price would mysteriously rise by 40 or so cents. Everyone would scream bloody murder; the democrats (and republicans) would scream for an investigation. Well, after awhile the oil companies would issue statements to the effect that they were "amortizing their losses," or needed to "upgrade their equipment to keep America supplied with the finest gasoline available," or some such horseshit.

Then, the price of gas would fall by 20 cents. Most folks would sigh with relief and say, "Hell, $1.50 ain't bad. I was afraid it was gonna stay at $1.70!"

Of course, they were totally unmindful of the fact that the price had just permanently risen by 20 cents, which is what the oil companies wanted after all...

Nobody ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American people.

:tinhat: