The Truth About Gas Prices

I keep studying, I keep reading, and I really keep thinking deeply about this. I feel that if you look hard enough, you can see enough evidence of the truth bursting through the lies to make an accusation. I've done a lot of research, and a lot of thinking. Let's review some facts.

There are 149 oil refineries in the United States.

Katrina took out 8 of them.

Katrina took out at least 20 oil rigs in the Gulf, effecting 10% of oil production

Gas has gone up on average, 80-90 cents in most areas. An extra dollar per gallon is definitely not rare

These are the facts. Now, the most common given reason for these gas prices is supply and demand. Supply in demand is theoretic concept that's used very broadly. The logic behind it is pretty simple. You have a commodity that is limited in quantity. The more people buy of that item, the cost will rise to equalize the amount of that commodity being produced and the amount being sold. That's the whole point, basically.

When it comes to oil and gas, it is extremely difficult to create a supply problem. That's the reality in the matter. In our current situation, there is absolutely no supply problem. Period, the end. The only problem is 8 out of 149 refineries are down, and 10% of oil drilling rigs in the gulf are down. I'll address both "issues."

First off, the oil. 10% is nothing when you're talking about oil production. Millions and millions of gallons of oil are produced every day. They lose 100,000 barrels out of every million a day. This could be an issue, but Bush released oil from the strategic reserves. So actual oil isn't a problem at all.

So therefor, the reason there is an alleged demand for gas is because of refining difficulties. Think about this scenario. You own a business, and you have 149 employees. Let's say 8 of your employees quit in one day. Would you panic? Would you be out of business? Would you have a serious problem? Of course not. 8 out of 149 is nothing. The fact of the matter is, there is no real problem in creating gas from oil.

These are both small issues in relativity to the massive oil and gasoline industry. That is the truth of this matter, and people need to get informed and realize it, and then do something about it. These are small problems, yes, but these problems are nowhere near cause to raise gas prices $0.80 across the nation. Nowhere even close to cause. Maybe if they lost 40 refineries and 60 rigs, I would definitely understand these prices. The oil companies obviously have to stay in business. But in a time of national crisis, they do not need to not only maintain their massive profits, but they also do not need to capitalize on a natural disaster.

And this is where legislation is needed. I'm all for capitalism and free market, but I believe it should be absolutely illegal to capitalize on a natural disaster. It's one thing to capitalize on drug addicts when you invest thousands of dollars into a drug company. It's another thing when you're investing in a company that is robbing the entire nation, lying to them, misleading them, and absolutely taking unfair and far beyond acceptable and understandable advantage of the 3rd main necessity of life. Food, water, and gas. Without gas, you can't drive. Without driving, you're not making money. Unless you're lucky enough to live in a big city, which most Americans do not.

That's the truth of it all. There is no oil problem. There is no refining problem. And there certainly isn't a supply problem. However, there is indeed a demand problem. Gasoline is in very high demand right now, and people are buying a lot. The only reason this is true is because the oil companies created this demand. They are the ones who created a demand problem, not Katrina. They raised their prices $0.50 overnight and they threw America into a frenzy, and every person with half a brain filled up their tank with the "cheap" gas because everyone knew at that point that it was going to keep going higher and higher. It's an effort to save money, not an effort to necessarily hoard gas. Gas is not a precious commodity. Cheap gas, by comparison of course, is a precious commodity. They created the demand, and they should have absolutely no problem supplying it. Outside of the hurricane affected areas, that is.

Now, for the argument winner. Indisputable proof. Now, I know most people don't know a whole lot about the stock market. It's a confusing concept really, and most people don't know a lot about it. The way it works is, a company basically "goes public" and has a stock offering, which basically allows the public to buy tiny portions of the company. The more money this company makes, the more valuable that stock becomes. When you sell that stock at an increased value, you make money. That's the way it works, basically.

With that being said, let's talk about oil stocks. If there really was a supply problem, if there really was a demand problem, how would an oil or gas company's stock chart look like? The market hates uncertainty. If you own a stock, and the industry that the stock belongs to is going through a crisis, you will generally want to sell that stock as soon as possible. You don't want to take a chance of losing thousands and thousands of dollars on a stock that is in the middle of a crisis. You want to sell it all as soon as possible. Some people are willing to take chances for the hope of becoming rich, but most people don't really want to fuck around with their hard earned money. Trading stocks isn't gambling.

So of course, if there really was a crisis, you would see the dozens upon dozens of oil and gas company stock plummeting. Anyone who owned stock before Katrina would be selling it off right away if there really was a crisis. But there isn't one. There is no crisis and there is no supply and demand problem. There is a fictional crisis that is nothing but a reason that the common American will believe so they can raise the prices on the 3rd most essential need to the American life. People need it. They can really sell it for as high as they want without any regulation. We need it, and we'll pay whatever price to buy it. We need it to make our own money.

So with all of this being said, let's take a look at a few oil and gas stocks from today. These are 5 day charts that show the last day of "low" prices and the beginning of absurd prices. The "low" prices were still there on Tuesday, August 30th. The high prices came the very next day, August 31st. Let's take a look at ConocoPhillips, ExxonMobil, Halliburton (the company Dick Cheney was the CEO of before running for vice president), Murphy Oil (Sold at most Super Wal-Marts), Shell (Who drills their own oil and refines their own oil), and BP (Amoco stations are owned by BP as well).

How about that, huh? The stocks are the complete opposite of what logic would dictate. I mean, people aren't worried about buying oil and gas stocks at all. Not in the least. These companies are making the biggest profits in their company history. Every single one of them, this is the highest their stock has ever been. Ever. I wonder why that is? Because many many more people know the truth. They know the truth and they fucking love it. They invest all of their savings into this company, sell it, and they get rich off of every American being raped at the gas pump. These are capitalist pigs with no soul who don't think twice about the moral consequences of profiting from a company who is lying, misleading, and flat out stealing from every American. These capitalist fucks aren't bitching about gas. Why would they? They're getting rich off it and they are no better than the looters of New Orleans. And that's the truth. At least they're poor and stealing. It's much worse to be rich and steal.

Am I the only one who is looking at these charts without dollar signs in my eyes? I mean, I don't understand why this isn't a news story. Actually, I do know why. It's because the elitist capitalists who own oil stocks in this country don't give a shit about me or you. They only care about their investments being doubled or tripled, and getting rich off of our suffering. That's all they care about. I guarantee that there are thousands and thousands of people who are absolutely ecstatic about these gas prices. Why wouldn't they be? They're getting rich. This is how you get rich quick. Sell your soul, and profit. Well I don't fucking do that.

So when you're at the gas station, being robbed of your money by greedy capitalist pigs, just know that they're just as bad as the lying stealing motherfuckers running these companies. It's a big scam, and all of these companies are in on it. There is no crisis, there is no shortage, there is no supply and demand issues. There is only a fake demand issue created by the oil companies to increase shareholder value. And no ones talking about it, because no one knows except for those keeping the secret because their riches and investments depend on it. Well, my income depends on gas prices and I'm fucking irate.

This is wrong, all wrong. The proof is in the stock charts. If you don't believe me, just look at the charts. They don't lie. It's all bullshit, and it seems I am the only one on the planet who is digging into this and using my brain to expose the bullshit. When gas was still at $2.57, I was asking where the rioting was. It's now well over $3.00 in every area. This happened in two days' time, and there's still no rioting. I'm disappointed in my pacified nation. They'll cross the line eventually. In the mean time, only one thing can stop the gouging and the overall overcharging of a necessary item, and that's legislation. So Congress, President Bush, where do you stand on the matter?

No comment, of course. Bush was asked by Diane Sawyer what he thought of oil companies giving up 20% of their profits for the cause of benefiting the entire nation. What was his response? He didn't fucking give one, of course. He shamelessly and completely dodged the question. He didn't even acknowledge the subject, and started talking about the generosity of corporations as a whole. He completely dodged it. What else would you expect from a President who is this connected to the oil and gas industry? He owned a fucking oil drilling company for Christ's sake. Halliburton is the richest of all of those companies whose stock charts I displayed, and Dick Cheney was the fucking CEO of that company until 2000. I'm not making any accusations, but the fact of the matter is they are connected to the oil and gas industry and this fact is a conflict of interest. How can we expect our elected president to do the only thing possible to stop these absolutely thieving soulless oil and gas corporations from stealing our money when he is directly connected to that very same industry? I'd suspect he needs a job after 2008.

So in the end, we suffer. You've seen all of the proof. No oil shortage, no real refinery problems, no supply problems, a demand problem created by the industry itself, and a president who has the only power in this nation to do something about it will not ever do a thing about it. You've seen the charts and you've seen the truth. We're beyond fucked. All we can do is sit here and get raped at the pump. Drivers and Truckers' lives will be completely torn apart by these prices, and everyone else will have to cut back on a few things and pay more for everything you buy from somewhere that is effected by these gas prices. Everyone loses, some of us a lot more than others (like myself), and the oil and gas companies as well as the investors who own their stock will become extremely rich. America: Home of the greedy soulless corporations, Land of the fucked consumer. The rich get richer while the poor get poorer. I'm ashamed that this is the sad reality of our great nation. 2008 can't come quickly enough as far as I'm concerned. Bush has completely lost my support on everything, and for the first time in my life, I'm in the left-wing agreement. Bush is an asshole and he should be impeached. When my financial life is being ruined because of his inaction, that's when I stop supporting him. When I'm reduced to a poverty level income overnight, that's when I stop supporting his goofy monkey ass. Any driver or trucker will feel the same way, assuming they're informed.

And with all of this said, I leave you with one last image. A 35 year stock chart, dating back all the way to 1970 that shows the ExxonMobil's stock prices over the past 35 years. You be the judge. It speaks for itself. A gas crisis, a supply crisis, a demand crisis, and a distribution process does not create 35 year record highs for stock prices. Only gouging a national crisis can do that. Only duping the entire public into accepting this utter bullshit and actually not having your businesses burned down can create this delightful effect. Say hello to your money, everybody. It's right there on the chart.