Musings from a variety of people from Delaware County, Pennsylvania.
9/01/2005
Attention Delconians ! Fed up with gas prices?
I received this from a woman friend of mine on My Space. It makes perfect sense, as OPEC is putting the screws to us Americans, even in light of the horrible tragedy in the Southeast United States.
Repost this and tell your friends. We need to take this nation back. OK, Let's fight back! Read on and do your part, only buy from the companies listed below:
TO BUY YOUR GAS, THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT TO KNOW!
Why didn't George W. think of this? Gas rationing in the 80's worked even though we grumbled about it. It might even be good for us! The Saudis are boycotting American goods. We should return the favor. An interesting thought is to boycott their GAS. Every time you fill up the car, you can avoid putting more money into the coffers of Saudi Arabia. Just buy from gas companies that don't import their oil from the Saudis. Nothing is more frustrating than the feeling that every time I fill-up the tank, I am sending my money to people who are trying to kill me, my family, and my friends. I thought it might be interesting for you to know which oil companies are the best to buy gas from and which major companies import Middle Eastern oil:
Arab oil:
Shell - 205,742,000 barrels
Chevron/Texaco - 144, 332,000 barrels
Exxon/Mobil - 130,082,000 barrels
Marathon/Speedway - 117,740,000 barrels
Amoco - 62,231,000 barrels: "If you do the math at $70/barrel, these imports amount to over $434 BILLION!
Here are some large companies that DO NOT import Middle Eastern oil:
Citgo - 0 barrels
Sunoco - 0 barrels
Conoco - 0 barrels
Sinclair - 0 barrels
BP/Phillips - 0 barrels
Hess - 0 barrels
ARCO - 0 barrels
All of this information is available from the Department of Energy and each is required to state where they get their oil and how much they are importing. But to have an impact, we need to reach literally millions of gas buyers. It's really simple to do.
Come on people do it!
Go to Arab Oil Boycott
I agree, get the word out, better yet?
JUST DO IT!
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Sorry to disagree, but this is idiocy. True, many of the companies named have company-owned stations, but many are independents who, I will secretly tell you, BUY THEIR GAS ON THE WHOLESALE MARKET, NOT FROM THE REFINERY ON THE SIGN. So that's one.
ReplyDeleteNumber 2, rationing didn't "work" - it was one of the many idiotic things that were tried to save the government from being blamed for higher gas prices and shortages caused by stupid government policies. Price controls was another. All these things did was interfere with the natural workings of the market. One of the few good things Carter and Reagan did was to deregulate the oil industry and gas price controls, ushering in an era of cheap petroleum only George Bush was able to end.
By the way, supply and demand create prices, not "Arabs". And their is no such thing as "price gouging". The price conveys scarcity information. When a resource is scarce, the price goes up. This calls more production of the resource into action, increasing supply and lowering the price. When government artificially constrains the price, consumers buy more gasoline than they should, while producers produce less than they should, resulting in shortages.
The solution is to deal with the gas station that gives you the best product at the lowest price. That is the most patriotic and useful thing you can do (oh, and buy a more rational car too).
In addition to all that, please don't forget that the price is only part of what you pay at the pump. A major portion comes from refining and as of now, no new refineries have been built in the US for 30 years. Meanwhile, consumption has gone up. Something's gotta give and it is price. As Vince said, price reflects scarcity. Add to equation the fact that Katrina knocked 10% off national refining capacity and you can start to see the numbers grow.
ReplyDeleteOk. What your saying is "Supply and Demand" is what's causing the price increase, right? So why is one station in Havertown selling regular as of Sept 17th at $3.29 a gallon and at a Wawa in Darby township it is at $2.96? Someone is raping the masses here in Delco and accross the U.S.
ReplyDelete"And their is no such thing as "price gouging".
I disagree..
"And their is no such thing as "price gouging".
ReplyDeleteI disagree..
What is your definition of "gouging"? Raising the price of a scarce good is what the market does. "Gouging" is simply a politician's way of getting the public to hate a businessman who is doing his job, i.e. matching supply with demand. If a businessman charges an uneconomic price, people will stop dealing with him and deal with his competitors.
I'm not trying to pick an argument here - I just want you to understand that there is no such thing as "gouging", just economic prices that politicians arbitrarily decide are "too high" when coming out against them represents a boost to their careers. Temporarily high prices are a natural function of the free market during a supply crisis, as is the subsequent decrease when the supply emergency is over.
You do believe in the free market, don't you?
"...why is one station in Havertown selling regular as of Sept 17th at $3.29 a gallon and at a Wawa in Darby township it is at $2.96? Someone is raping the masses here in Delco and accross the U.S."
ReplyDeleteWhy does one car buyer get a new F-150 pickup for $18,000, and another for $35,000? Why do you pay more for milk at WaWa than at Acme? Why do some people buy beer at convenience stores and some at liquor stores (oh yeah, sorry, you live under the Soviet-style PALCB)? Pricing of gasoline at a particular station is a local-market phenomenon, and depends upon what the dealer feels he is willing to accept for the product in his inventory, given the current market price, current local conditions, his opinion of future supply and prices, and how he feels toward his ex-wife that day. The market however will quickly punish him if this results in a price that is too high.
Some valid points you made Vince. But I still believe that there are some who I consider "Gouge" the various markets. I guess it's because I cannot easily justift to my clients a substantial price increase, lest I be dropped. There are many other Electrical / Security companies here in Delco that would be happy to take my place.
ReplyDeleteExactly. Although demand for gasoline is not as elastic as the apparent demand for your services, over time, demand will decrease if price is too high. And "gougers" will be bypassed in favor of those who charge a market price.
ReplyDeleteLook, we all know gas stations that charge high prices every day, and we usually avoid them. Why suspend that rational reaction just because there is a spike in fuel prices generally?
Gas station owners in delco are all a bunch of cutthroats!
ReplyDeleteAnd both of you missed the MAIN reason
ReplyDeletefor high gas prices: Futures Traders!!