Why are gas prices going down ??

[kentuck]

Are the oil companies attemting to assist "their" Party in November elections? Or have they all of a sudden got more oil than they can handle? Wouldn't the oil companies hesitate to appear to be involved in partisan politics, for fear of an excess profits tax if the Democrats win the House? !! Maybe they don't won't any taxes on their excess profits so they bring their prices down before the election and if the Republicans hang on, they can raise their prices once again?? What do you think? Is that what they are discussing behind the walls?

[Benhurst]

1. Bingo!

[Cooley Hurd]

2. The word came down from CheneyCo: temporarily lower prices now...

...or face reregulation after Dems take control in November.

That's my guess.

[larrysh]

7. The truth is........

The summer driving season is over and demand is down.

The Chinese are actively trying to slow their economy to prevent rampant
inflation (much as Bernanke is slowing ours).

The "Katrina" factor (several powerful hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico) has not materialized, taking the wind out of the specualtors sails. It's estimated up to $10.00 a barrel of the price of oil was a direct result of the commodity exchange blood suckers betting on a disruptive hurricane season.

[Cooley Hurd]

15. And you believe the oil companies would voluntarily lower prices...

...because of simple supply and demand?
:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :spray: :rofl:

[Nikki Stone 1]

18. I agree with your assessment here

After Labor Day prices tend to drop. And I imagine the mild hurricane season thus far has disappointed ghoulish speculators. I didn't know about China, though. Do you have a link on that? Thanks.

[hfojvt]

27. summer driving season myth

here are prices by month going back to 2000
http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/oog/info/gdu/gaspump.html

summary (forget 2005 because of Katrina and 2001 because of Osama)
prices from August-September-October
2000 - 146.5-155.0-153.2
2002 - 139.6-140.0-144.5
2003 - 162.0-167.9-156.4
2004 - 187.8-187.0-200.0

A drop like this is hardly typical of this time of year, but oil prices are down too, not just gasoline.

[Nikki Stone 1]

28. $1.28 per gallon in 2000? I had forgotten that

The chart makes a good case against the Bush administration. I am sending it to everyone on my mailing list.

Thanks.

[no_hypocrisy]

26. Prices started going up in March. That's "summer"? n/t

[bryant69]

3. It's hard to say definitively I should think

We've had a light hurricane season thus far, which might have something to do with it - and of course they found a pretty big find apparently - Gulf of Mexico I think. Could it be political? I don't know- I think they'd like to see another few years of Republican Dominence, but can they really believe that this will prodcuce the desired effect? And would they really consider it woth the gamble? Hard to say.

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[AndyA]

4. You've answered your own questions.

The oil companies are going to do whatever they can to keep the GOP in control - they have obscene profits to protect. They will lose a little money now, and gas prices will go right back up after the elections if the GOP is still in control.

This is all planned, it's all done with the sole intent of making people feel better about life in America. Americans have short memories.

[kurth]

5. Boys, tell everyone to crank it down a notch

until the elections are over, okay?

[Ishoutandscream2]

6. Big oil. Who's your daddy?

Better keep dropping those prices so your boys can keep control of the house and senate. After that, you can raise prices to the roof again.

[larrysh]

10. If this is an oil company conspiracy with the Repubs,

shouldn't we be demanding a Senate investigation into why prices have dropped?

[onenote]

8. crude prices are dropping

Even Venezuela Crude is down to $64...

[PATRICK]

9. An Iranian element?

Iran is free to sell more oil. If others are doing so and lowering prices to enhance GeoGOP politics, then as a purely national interest maybe Iran is forced to sell more to gear up for a well advertised US aggression and embargo- which would drive down prices more- which would help Bushco in the short term.

Ditto Venezuela.

[bluestateguy]

11. It's campaign season. That's why

They are worried about being hauled in to testify before Democratic congressional hearings.

They'll be back up right around Thanksgiving.

[Roxy66]

12. MSNBC actually raised that question this morning...

One guest suggested the prices are down due to poitical reasons and the anchor agreed it's a definate possibility.

[kentuck]

17. But not necessarily to help Republicans but to help themselves...

They don't want to be taxed on their excess profits. If the price is low enough, the Democratic House could not tax them. I think they are just covering all their bases. They know the Repubs will not tax them. They can charge whatever they want.

[johnaries]

13. Either that or the price fixing investigation of BP.

Maybe both.

[Imagevision]

14. Especially with recent BP oil pipeline probs - it was supposed to go up...

Repugs actually believe this ploy will keep the GOP from losing control of the house...

[Beelzebud]

16. The Grand Oil Party is afraid of losing power.

No pun intended. :D

[Balbus]

19. I don't know but I'm not going to complain about it.

[Imagevision]

24. not going to complain about it? -at least not until the elections are over

[Balbus]

29. If that's when the price of gas goes back up - yes.

If it keeps dropping - no.

[LSK]

20. well if we ever knew about Cheneys Energy meetings in 2001...

We might know the truth...

[TahitiNut]

21. I believe the polling organizations correlate gas prices to votes.

Many/most of the polling I see, where a list of national issues is provided for the respondent to rank as "most important," include "gasoline prices" alon with "Iraq," "the economy," "War on Terror," and other far more comprehensive issues that are DIRECTLY related to political leadership. Since the standard disclaimer is that gasoline prices are a function of the "free market" and not under the control of the federal government, I find the inclusion somewhat puzzling. Nonetheless, the pollsters have all the data they need to correlate "undecided" and middle-of-the-road (pun intended) voters with their propensity to regard gas prices as key to voting for national offices. I can only speculate that the GOP deems themselves vulnerable on the edges of their 'base' based on gas pricing. I think it goes without saying that the self-indulgent road warriors driving big honking gas guzzlers are largely inclined to vote for the fascists. Thus, we see gas prices rising around the time of a general election when incumbents are Democrats and falling when incumbents are GOP.

I've personally never viewed gasoline pricing in itself as determinative of my vote. But I'm not part of that 'base,' either.

[Montagnard]

22. The oil companies are changing over to heating oil

which will go through the roof.

[and-justice-for-all]

23. Repuke voteor ploy...

[plcdude]

25. there seems to be

a positive correlation to Bush's polling numbers and the price of gasoline.

[BootinUp]

30. Drops like what are happening

now are another sign of a real economic slowdown in my opinion. Speculators and such on wall street don't act in a monolithic way to effect gas prices for political cuases, they are trying to make money speculating on futures contracts.