$3.37 Gas & $3.58 Diesel - Thrilled.

tulenutn2o · Feb 5, 2011

News this am says gas supplies are at 18 year high, americans are driving less....hmmm. So prices must be up because of world demand? They blame ethanol for corn prices, biodiesel for soybean prices........, yet china buys most of our soybeans........., lets make biofuel here and let'em eat sand and drink their freakin oil then.... Bend over and grab yer ankles cause this is gonna hurt!

spruce Deere · Feb 5, 2011

tulenutn2o said:
News this am says gas supplies are at 18 year high, americans are driving less....hmmm. So prices must be up because of world demand? They blame ethanol for corn prices, biodiesel for soybean prices........, yet china buys most of our soybeans........., lets make biofuel here and let'em eat sand and drink their freakin oil then.... Bend over and grab yer ankles cause this is gonna hurt!

Yep, fuel effects everything.... groceries, small/large dirt moving outfits, my tree farm, neighbors full blown wheat/alfalfa farm, sanitation "garbage midigation" my paychech. I say lets make our own, use our own, be our own, EPA and other "you cant do that entities" willing. Do you know we ship wooden power poles to canada to be treated? Thanks to EPA and other save the word, end your job organizations? Why export when we have a need or the means to produce on the same soil and let those nations that we helped by the U.S giving away our industries/technology too help them-selves....we've given enough. Global economy my frigg'n ' a**. The way that works is our standard of living in the U.S will go, or has and is going down. As you said in your last line

Fuel is just the start...

oldballs · Feb 5, 2011

bilrus61 said:
I think taking the sulfur out costs 40 cents a gallon. That is why it cost more than gas today.

Yeah, that's what they said when they took the lead out of gasoline, so they could raise the price of gasoline. How would I know?

wedge40 · Feb 6, 2011

Loren49 said:
Gas price by year:
gas prices history

Inflation calculator
Inflation Calculator | Find US Dollar's Value from 1913-2010

From these sites I find that in 1980 the price was $1.28. When adjusted for 30 years of inflation the 2010 equivalent price is $3.39. As recently as 2006 we were paying a price equivalent to over $3.00 in today's dollars.

We are not at an unprecedented gas price and much of the true cost of gasoline is socialized through the tax system and national debt.

An interesting read:
Four-dollar-per-gallon gas is cheap! - By Robert Bryce - Slate Magazine

I am also way more concerned about the 10s of billions of bonuses being paid (and taxed at historically low rates- max federal tax in 1960s was 90%, now is 35% - max NYS tax in 1970 was 15% and now 6.8 % - the difference on one hedge fund managers $5 billion dollar take would be about $400,000,000 for NYS and save about 5,000 jobs)
John A. Paulson?s Gold Bets Net Handsome $5 Billion Profit | Economy Watch

Loren

I wish everything was free and I made 5 grand and hour. But if you look gas prices aren't much higher then they should be when taking inflation into account.

We in the States have had it nice for many many years when it comes to fuel prices. Lets hear from some of our overseas members and find out how much fuel is over there.
Oil hasn't been below $50/barrel since '06 and I wouldn't be surprised if we see over $100 by the end of this year.

When gas hit $4.00/gal a few years ago, I was driving a truck that would barley get 14MPG. It was costing me over $450 per month just driving back and forth to work. So I got a car that gets between 47mpg and 54mpg. The money I'm saving in fuel is making my car payments.

Wedge

bp fick · Feb 6, 2011

True, our US prices have been lower than most countries worldwide, but that was not based on a difference in Oil prices but in taxation. Even when we would have dips to $1.50, Europe discouraged use by taxing it to $6.50 a gallon.

Also true that we (US) have loved big cars and big trucks and have avoided the tiny cars that other nations use. That will likely have to change at some point, at least the daily commuter vehicle.

What will also have to change is the vehicles we are offered here. I have ranted for years that my new, but old style Ranger, while decent at 30 mpg, still isn't the modern Ranger sold everywhere else in the world, with a diesel and 42 mpg. Come on, Ford. Stop trying to "protect" F-150 sales and offer the truck I really want.

Loren49 · Feb 6, 2011

Ductape-My point is that we are not in a place we've never been before with either gas prices or income taxes (with taxes it has been much worse - we are at near historic lows for income taxes which is part of the reason property taxes and usage fees are so high)

The following tables show some of the past rates -note that in order to compare to today the dollar amount should be corrected for inflation. (example 1960 20% paid on first about $30,000 and 91% for amount above $3,000,000)

Top US Marginal Income Tax Rates, 1913--2003 (TruthAndPolitics.org)

Top US Marginal Income Tax Rates, 1913--2003 (TruthAndPolitics.org)

Inflation Calculator | Find US Dollar's Value from 1913-2010

My personal view is that 91% is high but when the news reports that a hedge fund manager just cashed in for 5 billion ( 5000 millions) and that over $100,000,000,000 (100 billion) has been paid in bonuses that our historic low rates and capital gains laws our not good for the country. We're laying of firemen,policemen, teachers, ignoring infrastructure needs, cutting medicade (costs transfered to property taxes and local municipalities etc.) and we have a 1.5 trillion dollar federal deficit on a 4 trillion dollar budget.

Sorry for my rambling - my point again was that the cost of gas shouldn't make us feel that the sky is falling. Its going to go up and we hide much of the true cost from the pump price.

Loren

Oldtrout · Feb 6, 2011

Here is a site that some of you may be interested in,this one is for Nova Scotia,however there are similar sites for every state and province, just do a search of the Prov. or State that you are interested in. BTW gas is pushing 5 bucks a gal. here.

Nova Scotia Gas Prices - Find Cheap Gas Prices in Nova Scotia

7snakes · Feb 6, 2011

Greed is really the root of it all. How is it small villages and towns far removed from trucking routes can have lower gas prices than others that are more accessible? Why differences in prices in 2 towns not far from each other? Or how about different prices within the same town? It just isn't greed with the major oil companies either, but generally greed among many.

TripleR · Feb 6, 2011

Thankfully I don't HAVE to go anywhere but the doctor's offices, so my truck might not move out of the garage for a week or more. My wife drives an economy car and has for the past thirty years. When I worked, I drove small, 4 cylinder cars and trucks with the last one being a small Toyota with a 6 cylinder for towing. I rode a motorcycle to save gas when possible also.

I now have a full size 4WD V8, but like I said, I don't drive often now, so I really don't worry about gas prices.

Farm income pays for our diesel.

I am not an apologist for oil companies etc., but I am old enough to be able to compare prices/income over the years and they probably are not that far out of line. My first job in 75 paid about $7500 per year and gas was forty cents a gallon or so. When I was making $9000 per year gas went up to eighty cents a gallon and everyone was converting to LP vehicles.