Conspiracy Theory

[G-smashed]

When some of us said before the election that falling gas prices were a Republican plot we didn't get much respect.
It's now 9 days since the election and gas is up .10 or more a gallon in my area. Any of you energy experts care to comment? My comment? Pay attention to which stations raise prices the fastest and NEVER buy from them again EVER!

[BigKahuna13]

Don't know why gas prices have gone up, but given all the factors that go into determining gas prices, I have a hard time buying that the Republicans had anything to do with it.

I mean really, I'd think that winning the war in Iraq would have been easy by comparison.

[Bubba]

When some of us said before the election that falling gas prices were a Republican plot we didn't get much respect.
It's now 9 days since the election and gas is up .10 or more a gallon in my area. Any of you energy experts care to comment? My comment? Pay attention to which stations raise prices the fastest and NEVER buy from them again EVER!

Yeah....ummm....OK. I won't buy from a station that raises prices. I'll buy from some other station. Demand stays the same, supply stays the same.....guess you never read the (now) late Milton Friedman and never took Economics 101.

[Dr. NO]

Oil is now down per barrel. Under $60 / barrel. Why the gas prices are up is because you keep wanting to pump more of it along with everyone else.

[XtremeJibber2001]

C'mon Bubba ... .Bush has a button that controls oil prices ... has nothing to do with the market ...

[G-smashed]

When some of us said before the election that falling gas prices were a Republican plot we didn't get much respect.
It's now 9 days since the election and gas is up .10 or more a gallon in my area. Any of you energy experts care to comment? My comment? Pay attention to which stations raise prices the fastest and NEVER buy from them again EVER!

Yeah....ummm....OK. I won't buy from a station that raises prices. I'll buy from some other station. Demand stays the same, supply stays the same.....guess you never read the (now) late Milton Friedman and never took Economics 101.

Never read Milton Friedman but I liked Economics 101 so much that I took it twice! (That's a sad story for another time.) My father was a poor CPA - enough said!
I'll defer to you and other economically gifted people (but not you know who!) for direction in that department and you are welcome to talk to me about off the wall creative stuff.
I heard this morning that crude prices fell a couple of bucks to $56. Let's see what happens.

[XtremeJibber2001]

I suspect any increase in oil prices will essentially prove to G-Smashed that he's right

[Bubba]

When some of us said before the election that falling gas prices were a Republican plot we didn't get much respect.
It's now 9 days since the election and gas is up .10 or more a gallon in my area. Any of you energy experts care to comment? My comment? Pay attention to which stations raise prices the fastest and NEVER buy from them again EVER!

Yeah....ummm....OK. I won't buy from a station that raises prices. I'll buy from some other station. Demand stays the same, supply stays the same.....guess you never read the (now) late Milton Friedman and never took Economics 101.

Never read Milton Friedman but I liked Economics 101 so much that I took it twice! (That's a sad story for another time.) My father was a poor CPA - enough said!
I'll defer to you and other economically gifted people (but not you know who!) for direction in that department and you are welcome to talk to me about off the wall creative stuff.
I heard this morning that crude prices fell a couple of bucks to $56. Let's see what happens.

World crude prices and domestic gasoline prices do not necessarily move together. They trade separately on the NYMEX and the contracts don't move in lockstep. We could have plenty of crude on the market and plenty of crude in storage yet, if refineries are down, refined products could be up. Think of it as the difference between a raw material price and a finished product price - of any manufactured product. The price of raw materials contributes to the cost of the finished product but they don't always move together in the same time frame.

[DMC_Freeride]

I suspect any increase in oil prices will essentially prove to G-Smashed that he's right

Instead of just doing the Hannity style patronizing and busting of G's chops.. Why don't you google something and add to the conversation...?

[XtremeJibber2001]

I suspect any increase in oil prices will essentially prove to G-Smashed that he's right

Instead of just doing the Hannity style patronizing and busting of G's chops.. Why don't you google something and add to the conversation...?

Hmmm. Ok. I'm not busting his chops, but here goes.

Since 1946 the white house has been controlled by Truman, Eisenhower, JFK/Johnson, Nixon/Ford, Carter, Reagan, GHWB, Clinton, and GWB

That's 5 Democrats over 7 terms and 6 Republicans over 9 terms.

During that same period of time, 1946-Present, the president with the highest average per year increase of crude oil prices (inflation adjusted) while he was president was Ford, a Republican (he averaged 33.25% increase per year, but if you average his years w/ Nixons you get 14.6%). The second highest increase was Carter at 20.45% a year average increase.

Over the last 30 years, the white house was controlled by Democrats for 12 years and by Republicans for 18 years.

During this time, the average inflation adjusted crude oil price per year has DECREASED -.82% a year under the republican's watch. On the other hand, the average inflation adjusted crude oil price per year has INCREASED 10.62% a year under democrat's watch.

After looking at the data and using G-Smashed's reasoning, one could easily deduct that Dem's benefit oil companies more then Bush & Co.

Other interesting points:
- The two single greatest increases in oil prices for one year was under Ford and Clinton at 78.45% and 60.34% respectively.
- The two single greatest decreases in oil prices for one year was under Clinton and Reagan at -37.08% and -47.37% respectively.

Ironically, the Clinton oil decrease occurred in 1998 during an election year. Could one reasonably assume Clinton pressed his magic button and decreased oil because of an election year?

Hows that for some interesting stats. Let me know if you want the data or you'd like to check my calculations. Keep in mind I was using inflation adjusted data found here: http://inflationdata.com/Inflation/Infl ... _Table.asp

[DMC_Freeride]

Good on ya!

[Cityskier]

When some of us said before the election that falling gas prices were a Republican plot we didn't get much respect.
It's now 9 days since the election and gas is up .10 or more a gallon in my area. Any of you energy experts care to comment? My comment? Pay attention to which stations raise prices the fastest and NEVER buy from them again EVER!

Yeah....ummm....OK. I won't buy from a station that raises prices. I'll buy from some other station. Demand stays the same, supply stays the same.....guess you never read the (now) late Milton Friedman and never took Economics 101.

Never read Milton Friedman but I liked Economics 101 so much that I took it twice! (That's a sad story for another time.) My father was a poor CPA - enough said!
I'll defer to you and other economically gifted people (but not you know who!) for direction in that department and you are welcome to talk to me about off the wall creative stuff.
I heard this morning that crude prices fell a couple of bucks to $56. Let's see what happens.

World crude prices and domestic gasoline prices do not necessarily move together. They trade separately on the NYMEX and the contracts don't move in lockstep. We could have plenty of crude on the market and plenty of crude in storage yet, if refineries are down, refined products could be up. Think of it as the difference between a raw material price and a finished product price - of any manufactured product. The price of raw materials contributes to the cost of the finished product but they don't always move together in the same time frame.

What's to keep ExxonMobil from taking a refinery offline during a crude surplus in order to drive of the prices of its refined products?

[Dr. NO]

When some of us said before the election that falling gas prices were a Republican plot we didn't get much respect.
It's now 9 days since the election and gas is up .10 or more a gallon in my area. Any of you energy experts care to comment? My comment? Pay attention to which stations raise prices the fastest and NEVER buy from them again EVER!

Yeah....ummm....OK. I won't buy from a station that raises prices. I'll buy from some other station. Demand stays the same, supply stays the same.....guess you never read the (now) late Milton Friedman and never took Economics 101.

Never read Milton Friedman but I liked Economics 101 so much that I took it twice! (That's a sad story for another time.) My father was a poor CPA - enough said!
I'll defer to you and other economically gifted people (but not you know who!) for direction in that department and you are welcome to talk to me about off the wall creative stuff.
I heard this morning that crude prices fell a couple of bucks to $56. Let's see what happens.

World crude prices and domestic gasoline prices do not necessarily move together. They trade separately on the NYMEX and the contracts don't move in lockstep. We could have plenty of crude on the market and plenty of crude in storage yet, if refineries are down, refined products could be up. Think of it as the difference between a raw material price and a finished product price - of any manufactured product. The price of raw materials contributes to the cost of the finished product but they don't always move together in the same time frame.

What's to keep ExxonMobil from taking a refinery offline during a crude surplus in order to drive of the prices of its refined products?

Um, maybe the fact that all refineries have been operating at over 90% for too many years and pulling one down would probably kill their business? Most industrial plants shut down for normal maintenance at times, dropping production at least to 75%, sometimes, over breaks, to nearly 0. But the refineries have been humping near capacity way too long and they don't shut down. Bad part is, minus upgrades and maintenance, sooner or later they will shut down on their own accord, as in BROKEN.

[Atomic1]

It's called supply and demand during THE HOLIDAY'S....Historically gas prices always rise whether the Holiday is July 4th,May 29,Sept 4 or Nov. 23...whatever.... but Conspiracy theory

[shortski]

Um any notice we're going into winter, refineries switch some capacity to heating oil from gasoline, plus add in the spike that always occurs around any major holiday and you have your answer.