# Dear Obama,



## JenniJames (Mar 26, 2011)

Whew!

I found this place! Yay! 

Okay. So pardon me as I rant about raising gas prices for a moment in a letter to the president.

Thank you....

Dear Obama--http://authorjennijames.blogspot.com/


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## ◄ Jess ► (Apr 21, 2010)

Gas is already heavily subsidized in the U.S. I think if we had to pay what it's truly worth, we would quickly learn to be much more conservative in how much/what we drive. I'm sorry you can't afford your dream car with gas prices what they are, but surely you knew when deciding to have seven children that you would have to make some sacrifices. Maybe that seems harsh, but I really think to survive long-term as a society, we need to start thinking about paying the true cost of our consumption. I certainly don't think laughing at your plight is the appropriate response, but raising gas prices might be the direction we need to go.


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## JenniJames (Mar 26, 2011)

Jessica Billings said:


> Gas is already heavily subsidized in the U.S. I think if we had to pay what it's truly worth, we would quickly learn to be much more conservative in how much/what we drive. I'm sorry you can't afford your dream car with gas prices what they are, but surely you knew when deciding to have seven children that you would have to make some sacrifices. Maybe that seems harsh, but I really think to survive long-term as a society, we need to start thinking about paying the true cost of our consumption. I certainly don't think laughing at your plight is the appropriate response, but raising gas prices might be the direction we need to go.


I'm sorry?

Do you mind if I quote you around the web please?

This is an amazing response!


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## ◄ Jess ► (Apr 21, 2010)

JenniJames said:


> I'm sorry?
> 
> Do you mind if I quote you around the web please?
> 
> This is an amazing response!


Sure, if you'd like! These types of situations are so tough because it's hard to keep in mind that people's lives are impacted so heavily when saying that raising gas prices is the best way to go.


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## JenniJames (Mar 26, 2011)

Jessica Billings said:


> Sure, if you'd like! These types of situations are so tough because it's hard to keep in mind that people's lives are impacted so heavily when saying that raising gas prices is the best way to go.


Okay, as long as you realize i don't agree with you..?

This is not an issue over my dreams, more or less there are people out there who NEED a 4x4 vehicle. Almost everyone in my city has one, they're all suffering, but the snow makes it impossible to have anything else.


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## MichelleR (Feb 21, 2009)

Jenni,
You say you respect him, and yet the basis for your blog post is another blog that calls him at least one name I can't repeat here. Beyond that, anything more I might want to say could only lead to making the mods weep. I understand we all want the American Dream, particularly if we've worked hard.


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## Atunah (Nov 20, 2008)

Hmmm, I think I have a little different outlook on gas prices then most americans because I grew up in Europe where gas has always been a lot higher. People had lots of kids there too, they just packed them in smaller vehicles. Or Diesel driven ones. 

But really, the majority of people here in America that drive those gas guzzling SUV"s and huge trucks do not have 7 kids. 
They just like driving the biggest and fattest stuff. I live in Texas, I know. Then when its times like these, they start complaining. Most average families could do perfectly fine with a smaller sedan or even a hatchback. 

I hope that all of this makes Americans think a little more about their cars and transportation. And hopefully  car makers will offer more and more choices. 

You wouldn't believe how hard it was for me to find a used Hatchback car around here. 

When I first moved to the US I was amazed at what was driving around on the street. I called them boats  . 

A Hyundai Sonata is a HUGE car to me, that is how different I grew up. 

And no, nobody is laughing at you. But you did chose to have 7 kids after all and I am thinking there are people out there that would love to have the vehicle you have right now, but can't afford it. I see plenty of families walk all over the city here, they don't have a car at all. Lots of us can't afford houses either, heck I never owned one, I live in apartments. We all have a something. But most of use are still better off than a lot of others.


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## daveconifer (Oct 20, 2009)

Perhaps Jessica is suggesting that high gas prices will hasten the development of alternative fuels at reasonable and stable prices, with which you could run your 4x4 Suburban, a Yugo or anything in between...


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## JenniJames (Mar 26, 2011)

Believe me, I have NEVER called Obama anything like what I would like to call him.  I do respect him and will continue to respect him, and will not hear of my children bad mouthing him either....

Also, i've lived in europe the past nine years.  I've just moved back.

I know gas prices, I'm ready to live with US prices now, thank you very much.

Why is no one commenting on the fact the whole thing that pushed us into recession to begin with was the added $1 + tax the government added to an already failing economy's gas prices back in 2008.  That's when everything screeched to a halt and when prices to everything went up?   

Little fact:  5 of my 7 children were from 5 different types of birth control.


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## JenniJames (Mar 26, 2011)

daveconifer said:


> Perhaps Jessica is suggesting that high gas prices will hasten the development of alternative fuels at reasonable and stable prices, with which you could run your 4x4 Suburban, a Yugo or anything in between...


Don't get me wrong!!! I'm all about research and developing ANYTHING that will help us out of this mess! Good grief, they've already invented many different alternatives to fuel, i'm all for it... but will the oil companies allow such things to come into effect? And more than that, who's to say it'll be cheaper in the long run? I want him to fight for us... and not laugh, that's what the post is about. Please don't mock me, some of us NEED this vehicle, and yet, he thinks it's best to teach us a lesson or something.

PS. What's a Yugo?


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## Jeff (Oct 28, 2008)

JenniJames said:


> Whew!
> 
> I found this place! Yay!
> 
> ...


You've found the wrong place to post political views.


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## JenniJames (Mar 26, 2011)

Jeff said:


> You've found the wrong place to post political views.


Oops! Do you mean that literally?

I can definitely delete this thread if it's not acceptable. I just wanted to rant, I never even considered it being political. I guess it is when you write the president.


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## daveconifer (Oct 20, 2009)

It was a car built in Yugoslavia. I think it came and went in the eighties...


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## JenniJames (Mar 26, 2011)

daveconifer said:


> It was a car built in Yugoslavia. I think it came and went in the eighties...


Hey! It looks like my old lime green '72 Gremlin I used to drive in HS (yes, my parents were awesome! Lol!)


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

JenniJames said:


> Oops! Do you mean that literally?
> 
> I can definitely delete this thread if it's not acceptable. I just wanted to rant, I never even considered it being political. I guess it is when you write the president.


Jenni. . . . if not 'political' it is, at least, a topic on which members may have very different views. And, _anytime_ a public figure, especially an elected official, is mentioned there is the potential for problems just because the US has a two party system and many members consider themselves as one or the other.

I would encourage everyone to remain civil . . .refrain from any name calling -- of other members or of public figures. And be aware that the moderators are watching the thread and will lock it if it gets out of hand.


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## JenniJames (Mar 26, 2011)

Ann in Arlington said:


> Jenni. . . . if not 'political' it is, at least, a topic on which members may have very different views. And, _anytime_ a public figure, especially an elected official, is mentioned there is the potential for problems just because the US has a two party system and many members consider themselves as one or the other.
> 
> I would encourage everyone to remain civil . . .refrain from any name calling -- of other members or of public figures. And be aware that the moderators are watching the thread and will lock it if it gets out of hand.


Lol! I've noticed the different views. And since I seem to be the only one here with this view, I think I can easily refrain from name calling. Lol!

Thank you.


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## kaotickitten (Jan 9, 2011)

Ok I guess I am on th other side of the fence as most of the commenters.  Gas is way to high.  If you don't think so let me explain something to you, something that those who have jobs that relie on shipping know.  For every $.10 gas goes up that is 1 billion more it costs a company to ship its products.  For every dollar the companys have to pay to ship your goods go up in price.  If the goods go up the demand falls. If the demand falls people are laid-off.  Country has to pay unemployment to said workr till worker gets another job.  Country hits or gets close to hitting debt celing.  Other countrys will not loan or will loan at double the intrest.  You say most need the smaller cars, yet the smaller cars didn't make the gas supply and demand change.  Nor will it ever.  All you will do is say well you are over-prevlidge if you want a big car.  Because the car companys want you to buy smaller now so in ten years they will come up and say no you need bigger now.   As for paying the price of gas and what it is worth America is close.  The other countries you are tqalking about are taxing to pay for their governments spending (wither on health or other nessicates that the government pays for).  America does over tax to a point.  Case in point tabaco.  Ask anyone you know who smokes how much the price has gone up in the last 10 years and you will get tripled and still growing.  That was taxed to pay for te rising health care cost tabaco products add to the governments medical bills, not the averag tax payer who has insurance. So now those who need to drive are being told stick or get unemployed.  Your too fat you need to walk so we don't have to pay for the coverage yourextra weight is gonna cost us when the national health coverage goes into affect.  Also to say to someone that it was their choice to have that many kids is wrong.  Because the same could be said for you in that case. If you feel it was their choice to have that many kids than it is your choice to continue breathing. Some feel that to end a li\fe in the womb is a mortal sin just as murdering a person who has ttaken a breath of air is.


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

What Ann said.


Remember your emoticons, don't take comments personally and don't make personal comments.  I'm going to go dust off the stocks just in case....  

*leaves whistling.*  
"Where is that dust rag...."

Betsy


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## Jeff (Oct 28, 2008)

JenniJames said:


> Lol! I've noticed the different views. And since I seem to be the only one here with this view, I think I can easily refrain from name calling. Lol!
> 
> Thank you.


I didn't say that I didn't agree with your view, I said it was a very bad idea to post anything political here.


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## JenniJames (Mar 26, 2011)

Thank you, kaotickitten... 

Though I did assume everyone knew this about the economy all resting on the gas prices... naturally, shipping is everything... Oil is really what runs america, we're too dependent of a country.


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## BTackitt (Dec 15, 2008)

JenniJames said:


> Little fact: 5 of my 7 children were from 5 different types of birth control.


I understand that sentence.. all 3 of mine are BC babies. After the 3rd one I had to fight for the right to get my tubes tied. In TX they wouldn't do it if you were under 26, and I was 24, with a 30 month old, a 15 month old, and a newborn.

I do think Gas is outrageous. I lived in Japan for 3 years, and had to buy gas out "in town" a few times, and was very thankful I did not have to pay their prices normally. I think at the time (1996-1999) it was around $4/liter, I cried internally every time.

Once prices hit over $3.00 here (currently $3.79)I curtailed my driving to the bare minimum. I drive to/from school and the grocery. Otherwise I am home. Added benefit, I am not out and about much, so I spend less $ on little stuff that I don't need.


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## StaceyHH (Sep 13, 2010)

JenniJames said:


> Why is no one commenting on the fact the whole thing that pushed us into recession to begin with was the added $1 + tax the government added to an already failing economy's gas prices back in 2008. That's when everything screeched to a halt and when prices to everything went up?


Perhaps because this is one of the more ridiculous assertions out there regarding the causes of the recession.

also, to MichelleR: 


> You say you respect him, and yet the basis for your blog post is another blog that calls him at least one name I can't repeat here. Beyond that, anything more I might want to say could only lead to making the mods weep. I understand we all want the American Dream, particularly if we've worked hard.


Agreed. Thank you for posting this, before I responded, and before my head exploded.


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## JenniJames (Mar 26, 2011)

Betsy the Quilter said:


> What Ann said.
> 
> 
> Remember your emoticons, don't take comments personally and don't make personal comments. I'm going to go dust off the stocks just in case....
> ...


So.. was this thread reported? Lol! Ooh... I kind of--in a very weird way--hope it was. Not because of the subject! lol! Not at all, just because it's kind of fun to be--i don't know--in trouble for something. Everyone always says I'm way too nice. Lol!


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## JenniJames (Mar 26, 2011)

BTackitt said:


> I understand that sentence.. all 3 of mine are BC babies. After the 3rd one I had to fight for the right to get my tubes tied. In TX they wouldn't do it if you were under 26, and I was 24, with a 30 month old, a 15 month old, and a newborn.
> 
> I do think Gas is outrageous. I lived in Japan for 3 years, and had to buy gas out "in town" a few times, and was very thankful I did not have to pay their prices normally. I think at the time (1996-1999) it was around $4/liter, I cried internally every time.
> 
> Once prices hit over $3.00 here (currently $3.79)I curtailed my driving to the bare minimum. I drive to/from school and the grocery. Otherwise I am home. Added benefit, I am not out and about much, so I spend less $ on little stuff that I don't need.


We were in Portugal (azores) and England. Gave up Japan to come back to the States.... It's hard to pay those prices! Especially when we're an economy used to relying on travel. Travel to work, school, etc. Europe and other countries are designed for smaller commutes, and public travel. Here, not so much.


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## JenniJames (Mar 26, 2011)

StaceyHH said:


> Perhaps because this is one of the more ridiculous assertions out there regarding the causes of the recession.
> 
> also, to MichelleR:
> Agreed. Thank you for posting this, before I responded, and before my head exploded.


I didn't say it was the main reasons for the recession--many, many factors went into it! I said it's what propelled us into it. And it did. Faster than anything else. It was a very bad mistake at a time when we needed anything but. To raise gas over a $1 a gallon overnight? Just for taxing us when we were already hurting? I will never understand Washington. Ever.

Everyone panicked, no one bought anything, people were out of jobs, etc. And guess what? Obama wasn't president! Lol! No, head exploding please.


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

JenniJames said:


> So.. was this thread reported? Lol! Ooh... I kind of--in a very weird way--hope it was. Not because of the subject! lol! Not at all, just because it's kind of fun to be--i don't know--in trouble for something. Everyone always says I'm way too nice. Lol!


It wasn't reported to me.  But we mods notice things... 

*Goes back to dusting.* 
"Anybody seen the Lemon Pledge?"










Betsy


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## kaotickitten (Jan 9, 2011)

JenniJames said:


> We were in Portugal (azores) and England. Gave up Japan to come back to the States.... It's hard to pay those prices! Especially when we're an economy used to rely on travel. Travel to work, school, etc. Europe and other countries are designed for smaller commutes, and public travel. Here, not so much.


That is so true. The other countries have invested in public transportation. Here not so much. So unfortantly we are a people who will relie on crude oil until our government wises up and relises that we need cost efficent ways to travel if they are gonna tax gas out of this atmosphere.


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## JenniJames (Mar 26, 2011)

Betsy the Quilter said:


> It wasn't reported to me.  But we mods notice things...
> 
> *Goes back to dusting.*
> "Anybody seen the Lemon Pledge?"
> ...


Lol! i've got some I'm *clearly* not using at the moment... *grins* though kids are due home soon, so I'll have to leave eventually. *inspects the stocks* Hmm... Do these things work? You know, I have some unmade beds at the moment....


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## Geoffrey (Jun 20, 2009)

I"m sorry - maybe I'm dense but I don't remember gas taxes going up a dollar a gallon in 2008.  When and where did that happen?  

According to what I can find online, US Federal gas taxes are 18.4 cents per gallon and have been the same since the early '90's ....


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## JenniJames (Mar 26, 2011)

Geoffrey said:


> I"m sorry - maybe I'm dense but I don't remember gas taxes going up a dollar a gallon in 2008. When and where did that happen?
> 
> According to what I can find online, US Federal gas taxes are 18.4 cents per gallon and have been the same since the early '90's ....


It was an environment tax, placed on gas, to stop the use of gas guzzlers. They were worried about global warming at the time. Google 'gas hike 2008.' I'm sure you'll see a whole lot of panic, etc. I don't have exact dates or the time to find them, however, I do remember distinctively being in England at the time and watching the news via internet constantly, I couldn't believe the US would be stupid enough to do it to an already failing economy... and they did. It was outrageous. It had effect immediately as well... by August people were already being laid off, etc. Later that year you saw your first smaller ice cream container... remember? It was still at the same price too. I'll never forget it, it was what the publishers blamed their lack of sales over in November (no one having money to buy their books, they were spending it all on gas) and is why the publishing world crashed. I do know that date well! The day the publishing world crashed was the EXACT day I was supposed to have a bidding war over my Jane Austen rewrite series. All three publishers pulled out and I was left without a contract. Erm, and now I'm rambling when I should've been making dinner! Eeep.


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## daveconifer (Oct 20, 2009)

Geoffrey said:


> I"m sorry - maybe I'm dense but I don't remember gas taxes going up a dollar a gallon in 2008. When and where did that happen?
> 
> According to what I can find online, US Federal gas taxes are 18.4 cents per gallon and have been the same since the early '90's ....


I don't remember it either. Did President Bush know about this? I'll look it up, maybe I'll learn something...


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## StaceyHH (Sep 13, 2010)

Are you talking about the _proposed_ environmental gas tax (one of many federal taxes proposed, but never carried out?) or are you talking about the environmental tax proposed in UK?

Geoffrey, between January 2008-June 2008, gas did climb by over $1 per gallon.

Of course that had nothing to do with the gas tax (which remained the same,) and everything to do with the oil companies (who presumably paid as little in income taxes on their $B+ profits for '08 as they did for '10.

It's probably worth noting that each state also imposes gas taxes, and some of the individual states hiked taxes by a few cents here and there, some even applied some new environmental and inspection taxes during that time frame.

to the OP: will you please post the exact date of the tax hike, smaller ice cream and publishing crash? Now I'm curious, and would like to look up these news stories.


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## mlewis78 (Apr 19, 2009)

You do know, don't you, that the stock market has been manipulating the price of gas for your vehicle(s)?


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## The Hooded Claw (Oct 12, 2009)

daveconifer said:


> It was a car built in Yugoslavia. I think it came and went in the eighties...


And Yugoslavia since has broken up. How appropriate for the country that built that car!

http://www.cartalk.com/content/features/Worst-Cars/results5.html


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

The Hooded Claw said:


> And Yugoslavia since has broken up. How appropriate for the country that built that car!
> 
> http://www.cartalk.com/content/features/Worst-Cars/results5.html


You say that like the breakup of Yugoslavia was a bad thing. As the grandchild of Yugoslavs, I'd like to point out that there are many people who don't necessarily agree.  And the Yugo, according to my Google search, was made until 2008 in Serbia, long after the breakup of the former Yugoslavia. Just a nitpick. Did I mention that Grandma and Grampa lived in Hibbing after coming to the US? 

Betsy


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## The Hooded Claw (Oct 12, 2009)

I have a good friend who is Slovenian (and I've visited him in Slovenia) who had several friends who were among the casualties in Slovenia's brief war with the Serbs during the breakup.  Marko is glad of the breakup, I have no independent opinion except to note that Yugoslavia was yet another example of the wishful thinking in the Treaty of Versailles!


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## mlewis78 (Apr 19, 2009)

Been trying to search for highest gas prices in history. Keep seeing July 2008, but I don't know if the websites are up to date. Here's an article from yesterday:

http://www.cnbc.com/id/42658413


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## Scheherazade (Apr 11, 2009)

From what I've heard, and I could be wrong, is the government reported a threat to US oil lines or something to that effect, and guess what?  The gas companies took advantage of it, imagine that.  So while the government, despite my views on Obama, was probably trying to do the right thing in making this threat known, the gas companies took it as a reason to hike up the gas prices and blame it on "additional security" which is probably all just going into the corporate coffers.

As far as other countries having higher gas prices?  Yeah, but most of them are also pretty tiny compared to the US and places like Europe have amazing public transportation.  You might find halfway decent public transportation in some major metropolitan areas in the US, but we are nowhere near what they have in other countries.  Add in to that the fact that the US is 75 times the size of England and 40 times the size of the entire UK and I think it's safe to say that we end up spending a lot more money on gas based on how far we have to drive to get anywhere.  Heck, even Florida is bigger than England and it's not even close to our largest state.

I certainly hope the higher gas prices do spur on alternative energy, but I'm not counting on it.  We should have had alternative energy as the norm by now, and I don't want to be some alarmist or anything, but there's got to be a reason it isn't.  That and the fact that you can't really count on electricity run vehicles just yet to get you very far and they take so long to charge up.  I'd love to have one, and I will definitely think hard about a hybrid when I go to buy a new car, but I just hope I'm not forced to buy one before the technology has really taken a few more great strides.


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

The Hooded Claw said:


> I have a good friend who is Slovenian (and I've visited him in Slovenia) who had several friends who were among the casualties in Slovenia's brief war with the Serbs during the breakup. Marko is glad of the breakup, I have no independent opinion except to note that Yugoslavia was yet another example of the wishful thinking in the Treaty of Versailles!


Grandma was Slovenian, Grampa Croatian...my uncle married a very nice Serbian woman in Hibbing. We went to Slovenia and Croatia in 1998 and visited relatives I'd never met. (I had a great uncle Marko in Hibbing, LOL!)

The only opinion I'll voice here is that the Yugo was indeed a piece.... 

Betsy


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## The Hooded Claw (Oct 12, 2009)

http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/11/24/states-flirting-with-higher-gas-taxes/

Note this Ny Times article from November 24, 2008 which says federal gas prices were less than twenty cents per gallon and hadn't changed in many years. Note also that Obama was not in power in 2008.

Is there something you expect Obama to do about gas prices now? The Chinese and Indians have families buying their first car ever at a rate far greater than we can drill new oil wells here, more drilling is NOT the answer. President Obama (or Bush, for that matter) has slightly more influence on the long term Market price of gas than each of us does, but not a whole lot more. High gas prices mean consumers have less spending money which means the economy sputters, which hurts Obama's reelection chances and his place in history. I assure you that he wants lower gas prices as much as any of us do, and probably more so than the people who would like to have his job....Higher gas prices are one of the best things that can happen to improve their chances of moving into his current address in 18 months (note that his opponents can do little to influence the market price of gasoline either, I'm not saying this is their fault somehow).


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## Geoffrey (Jun 20, 2009)

I do think the oil companies and/or market speculators are using the Arab Spring uprising to drive up oil and gas prices.  Same as the last time prices spiraled up, the oil companies are making money hand over fist and collectively don't care about much beyond their own profits.

I am annoyed that I have to pay almost $40 now to fill my tank - that's up from about $25 this time last year - but I know that many other people have to pay far more to keep on the road ...


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## JenniJames (Mar 26, 2011)

Which is EXACTLY where i hoped this thread would go.  Not blaming so and so I wanna know why this is happening.  And why it's not stopped?  

We are all intellectuals, I still believe in this country--no matter what your opinion is or who to blame, etc.  Which for the record I DO NOT blame Obama for the gas prices, but rather the oil companies... what I'd like to know is why no one is checking them?  Why is this allowed?  Are we seriously being taught a lesson here?  Do they expect us to suck it up because other much smaller countries depend on oil and pay much more?  Because Europe is hurting so must we?  So we know what it feels like?  

We need a hero right now. 
Our country is in Crisis.  I'm asking him to step up and be that man.  Whether or not I voted for him, makes no difference to me--he promised to be our hero.  Please, step in and do so.

PS to the person who wants all the exact facts.  LOL!  excuse me... LOLOL!  I do not have them.  I will not go and find them.  Call that bad journalism or whatever, but since I'm not writing a piece for the masses, and just ranting... I'm not going to do it.  Lol!  I'm a busy mom, trying to feed and bathe kids at the moment, piles of homework and laundry next, then I will go and pick up my hubby from work, give him his dinner and begin editing a friend's MS for him, while helping another author in Canada over skype later this evening.  I Will probably curl into bed and tomorrow promptly forget all about this whole thread when my seven hungry kiddos wake me up for breakfast.  Lol!  Sorry, but there it is.  However, if I do remember and stumble across some of the answers you'd like, then perhaps I'll send them your way.  Lol!  That's the best I can do...?  Since I'd be using the same *google* search feature you would've been, perhaps you could do better?  If I did get something wrong... you're welcome to sue me.  though, since I've only sold nine copies of my e-book so far, I doubt you'll get much.    

PS and yes, I'm giggling and I do like you!  Lol!  I rarely get offended by anything.  So no worries (on my end!)  Lol!


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## KBoards Admin (Nov 27, 2007)

I think the discourse in this thread has been good, and civil, but in the interests of consistency I'm going to lock it. Long experience has shown that, based on subject line alone, it's going to bait people into a political debate and those never end well. 

Thanks for understanding.


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