The more I see price hikes of 5 cents or more overnight, the more I am sure we are being gouged by big oil, and no one is doing a thing about it! The demand is not high enough for OPEC to produce more, but we are told demand is the reason for high prices! I understand that recent disasters and use in other countries are affecting our prices, so why are we not doing anything here at home? Why is Congress so against us drilling for our own supplies? Why isn't there an increased interest in development of alternate fuel sources? The people are suffering, and the ONLY suggestion made so far by any of the candidates is a measly little tax holiday which may save up to $70 over 3 months! I can save that on my own, but every time I make changes to my budget and spending, that savings is negated in a week's time! There is going to be a point where I will not be able to cut back any more, then what?

We are being gouged by Big Oil! Don't believe me, read my breakdown of the costs of a gallon of gas posted previously. 70% to 80% of the cost of a gallon of gas goes to Big Oil companies such as Exxon, Chevron, etc. The rest of the cost is split between taxes, transportation, and the very small profit made by the service stations (about 5 to 10 cents a gallon). Big Oil is still recording RECORD PROFITS, so we know the cost to turn the oil into gas is not going up as fast as the prices are for us! What we need is more government regulation in the oil industry, which should also include a price/profit cap, so that Big Oil is forbidden by law to pass on the extra cost of regulation down to the consumer! We need to start investigating alternate fuels, which do not deplete our food supply, and force the Big Oil companies to contribute a portion of their profits to this cause. We need to drill here at home...a short term solution until we get an alternate fuel. We need to start becoming less dependent on OPEC, and control our own gas prices! Of course, this is not a popular solution with our current government, and will never happen! Think things will change after the presidential election? Think again!!!! You cannot expect change when you basically "promote" from within an already dysfunctional government body. We need a fresh perspective, and we are not going to get that by putting an existing member of Congress in the White House....but that is what the people have decided...or at least campaign funding has decided! Anyone coming in with a fresh perspective didn't even make the final cut...it is like the people are afraid to stand behind anyone with fresh, NEW ideas!!! We need to vote out incumbents, and quit picking our presidents from already seated government officials! Only then will the people actually have a chance to have their voices heard, rather than government being run by big business such as Big Oil, and afraid to do anything to put ripples in the water!

BOYCOTT BIG OIL! AS MUCH AS IT MAY NOT SEEM FAIR, CANCEL YOUR SUMMER TRAVEL PLANS AND STAY HOME! IF MILLIONS OF AMERICANS CUT THEIR SUMMER GAS SPENDING BY NOT TAKING TRIPS, BIG OIL MAY FINALLY NOTICE. THEY ARE BANKING ON OUR TRADITION OF SUMMER TRAVEL...THIS IS WHY THEY ALWAYS RAISE THE PRICE DRASTICALLY GOING INTO SUMMER. SEND THEM A MESSAGE! YOU WILL SAVE MORE THAN $70, AND BIG OIL WILL SEE A HUGE DECREASE IN THEIR PREDICTED BOTTOM LINE!

Clinton is calling calling on a gas tax holiday...a suspension of the federal gas tax (which I believe is $.18/gal) from Memoral Day through the summer. She is also saying that the cost to the government for such tax holiday should be absorbed by taxing the profits of big oil! Now, as much as I am in favor of sticking it to big oil, I don't think this plan would work. Why? Over $2 of every gallon is going to the big oil company, such as Exxon/Mobil. Basically, this is what the big oil companies are charging for the gas that is produced. I figured how much money I would save if the feds suspended the gas tax through the summer, and the total for me came out to about $65. However, if they turn around and tax the oil companies, they will in turn raise the price of the gasoline itself, and we really wouldn't feel any relief!

The only real solution would be to find the big oil companies guilty of gouging the consumers! Sure, we have heard all of the reasons for the raising cost of oil and gasoline....1) the war; 2) high demand; 3) hurricanes....do I need to keep going? The one that gets me the most is "high demand"! If high demand were a driving factor in American oil prices, why does the price keep going up when demand is going down? Report after report states that demand it way lower than projected for this time of year. It is being reported that people are trading in their big gas guzzling SUVs for smaller cars or hybrids. I'm also sure that there has been a record spike in the sales of motorcycles and scooters! My husband purchased a motorcycle this weekend in his effort to save gas. The store has this tradition that when a bike sale is finalized, a bell is run by the salesperson/customer. In the time we were there looking around, doing the paperwork, etc., that bell rang at least 6 times! This was all within about 2 hours, so they are basically selling a bike every 20 minutes! The parking lot of the place was full, and it was incredibly busy. Our sales guy told us that he hasn't seen so many motorcycles sold as he has seen in the last couple of months, and just about every person that he has sold one to has said the same thing....they were buying it to save on gas!

So, demand is going down, but prices continue to rise and oil companies continue to report record profits! Seems to me that the real solution here would be to pass some restrictions on the oil companies! It is time to start regulating big oil! Put a freeze on gas prices, to start...put a government freeze on the price of gas until an investigation can be done to determine if the oil companies are truly gouging the consumers. Put a profit cap on the big oil companies...that they are not allowed to exceed an X% profit margin, or they will be heavily taxed on any profits above that amount, and the regulations written in such a way that forbids big oil from passing the cost of those taxes on to the consumer, else they face even heftier fines!

At the same time, pass legislation that would allow off shore drilling and the building of new oil refineries as a means to lessen our dependency on foreign oil. In addition, force the big oil companies to use a certain percentage of their profits to research lower cost, clean, synthetic oils....synthetics that will not dwindle our food supply, will not kill our cars faster, and will actually give us better gas mileage (unlike the current bio-fuels). Big oil is trying to say that research is not their responsibility? Hogwash! They just don't want to cut into their own profits!

We need a long term solution....something I have not seen come from the current administration or the candidates for the new administration! We as a people need to start speaking up and demanding that something be done!

Big Oil still refuses to take any cuts profits, but instead says that prices are so high because the feds will not allow them to drill more at home. Okay, so they are kinda right (more on this later). Big Oil refuses to give up it's tax subsidies, and the Feds think Big Oil should use a chunk of their profits to research alternate energy sources, if they wish to keep their subsidies. Okay, they are kinda right here, too. Big Oil says that it isn't their responsibility to research alternative energy sources....that they are OIL companies, not energy companies. Hmmm....sounds like they are afraid of putting themselves out of jobs!

Bottom line, we need to find a way to no longer be dependent on foreign oil. As long as we are dependent on foreign oil, we will continue to be affected by oil usage in other countries, such as China who is basically screwing us over in more ways than one! The best way to do that is to find an alternate energy source. In the mean time, we need to be allowed to drill and produce locally...then WE control the prices if only WE are allowed to use OUR oil. Of course, the Feds do not want this. Probably, because it will royally tick off the middle east if we quit funneling money their way.

We are in a big hurt right now, and things are not going to get any better soon, I'm afraid! It has been proven that ethanol actually causes vehicles to get WORSE gas mileage, as well as wears away parts faster. This causes driving in general to be more expensive for everyone! But who cares, right? They do not care if the cost goes up for the common citizen, as long as their profits go up!

I have an idea, but it will have to take nationwide participation for it to work! Big Oil is banking on the summer vacation/travel months! Prices are already rising as the weather gets warmer (in some places, as much as 10 cents or more overnight)!!! The big oil companies are probably already making their forecasts for the summer months. I say we should burst their bubble! I personally plan on staying home this summer, and I urge everyone else to do the same! I'll still be taking my time off, but I will not be leaving town. I ask many of you, when was the last time you saw the sights at home? I plan on being a tourist right here! There are many things to do around here, and it has been years since I've enjoyed the local flavor! I plan on parking my happy little car in a parking lot central to the places I'm going, and using the local transportation system to get around to see the sights (as they would still be running if I used them or not)! I plan on taking the kids to museums, landmarks, etc....all the stuff we do in other cities when we take a vacation. Only difference will be that we will be able to sleep in our own beds come the end of the day (save money normally spent on hotels), we will not have to drive hours to get there (save money on gas and wear on car), etc. We may still eat out a few meals....like maybe lunch or dinner at places we haven't gone in a long time....but for the most part, eat at home or take some food with us (pack a cooler the day we go to the parks). It is possible to have just as much fun right at home as you would someplace else. I mean, people travel to your cities for vacation, so there must be something to see and do there!

Just look at the difference in some calculations (using my families typical summer trip):

Hotel for 5 nights: no less than $325 (and that's the cheap places)
Gas (being conservative): $420
Food: $500 to $750 (family of 5)
Attraction costs: $150

Okay, so if I "vacation at home":

Hotel: $0...staying at home
Gas: being generous (2 tanks in one week)...$115
Food: No more than $200 if one meal a day out...maybe $100/groceries at home.
Attraction costs: $150

So by vacationing at home, I save about $830+. What makes me happier is that I'm stiffing the big oil companies of at least $246! That may not seem like much, but if only 1,000 people did this, that is nearly $250,000, or a quarter of a million dollars! So, for every 4,000 people (total population of a very small town), we can stiff big oil of at least $1 million! 100,000 people, $25 million! 1,000,000 people (size of a major city), $250 million dollars that big oil will never see!

Now, I understand this would also affect the travel industry and such. Unfortunately, to stick it to big oil, travel also ends up taking a hit. Now, if that concerns you, maybe go ahead and spend a couple of nights with your spouse in that high class hotel in town (send the kids to grandma), and just spend some quality time together with the money you saved. It's a win-win!!! You don't have to hear "Are we there yet?" 20,000 times, you can still take your kids to do fun things (only right around home), and there will still be enough money to steal away a couple of romantic moments with your spouse (and we all know that during hard financial times, marriages need all the help they can get...the number one cause of divorce is money issues)!!!

Just leave a comment if you are in on this plan. I wish there were some way to spread this all over the internet. If anyone has any ideas, let me know! I'm already making my list of things to do right here at home with my family that everyone will love (we have botanical gardens, a beautiful park with a natural spring fed pool, museums, areas where we can do some hiking and/or camping, etc.)...I also have an idea of some places to go out to eat...places we have not been to in a LONG time, but the kids love! I can tell you my kids are actually relieved....they like doing all of these kinds of things, but they do not like the long drive to get there, and they always complain about the beds. My daughter worries about all of her pets (one year, the guy who was supposed to come feed her cats didn't...luckily they didn't die), but this way she doesn't have to try to find someone trustworthy. They don't have to pack. My kids are actually really hip on the idea!

So, let me know....who's in, and how can we spread the word (without taking down email servers)?

This is according to a news article I read on CNN.com today. Here is some more information from the article that you may find interesting with regards to where the money in that gallon of gas goes:

1. The gas stations: Only receives about 7 to 10 cents off of every gallon they sell.

2. Taxes: About 40 cents on the average goes to taxes. 18 cents goes to the feds, and state rates vary.

3. Transportation costs: The cost of getting the gas from the refineries to the gas stations costs betwee 23 to 26 cents a gallon.

4. Refining: About 24 cents a gallon goes to the actual refinery companies.

Okay...so here is the one that is going to get you, and totally tick you off.....

5. Crude Oil Producers: About $2.07 from every gallon of gas goes to these folks! Who are the producers? Chevron, Exxon, and ConocoPhillips to name a few (which are also refiners, so they actually get $2.31 from every gallon). Sure, crude oil producers still have to pay costs to find oil, transportation, taxes, salaries, etc.; however, with all of these expenses, they are still making record profits! The $40 billion that Exxon profited in 2007 is noting to laugh about!

Though some would say it is good to see that there is an inquiry into these record profit. I, however, am not holding my breath. They have done such an inquiry before after 2006's records profits, and the findings were that the big oil companies were not gouging the people for profits. These folks are in the pockets of so many politicians, it is impossible to have Congress find them guilty of any wrong doing! This is just another feel good effort...."We are looking into the issue of high prices at the pump." In the end, they will exonerate big oil yet again, and we will continue to be affected by these folks who are sitting in their big houses, driving their big fancy cars, without a care in the world about how the rest of the country is struggling to get by!

I was fumed the other day when I read that OPEC backed out of the increased supply they promised to help lower prices due to demand being down! At the same time, local companies have lowered their output?

Then I read that Congress is dumb enough to believe that a tax on the oil companies is a good thing....with their record profits, taxes should be increased. Don't they realize that the oil companies have grown accustomed to those profits, and will only pass extra taxes on to the consumers, hurting the economy even more?

Oh, and then there is the Federal Reserve...cutting the interest rate at each raise in the price of oil thinking it is helping! Problem is, the rest of the world sees that action as a weakening of the dollar, and drives the price per barrel up higher! Why don't they just leave the rates alone for a bit and let things ride out for a while? Trust me, the rates only affect folks borrowing new money, and not helping any of us who already have open accounts! And so many of us who are already up to our neck in debt can't take advantage of the new rates, as our debt ratio is too high to get new loans to transfer our balances to so that we can close old, higher interest loans!

Our current financial state has been caused by the government itself! They tax the wrong entities (instead of taxing the oil companies, they need to tax the folks who have enough money to throw away on low gas mileage vehicles). There should be a luxury tax on any vehicle 2000 or newer that does not get at least 18 miles to the gallon...base it on 20,000/miles per year. At this rate, the average 18 mpg vehicle will use about 1,111 gallons of gas. So, any vehicle that gets less than 18 mpg would have an extra tax added each year at the time of registration based on the the gas the user uses for that vehicle that is over that 1,111 gallons per year...say at something like 25 to 50 cents a gallon. When you buy the vehicle new, you are taxed based on 20,000 miles at 18 mpg....so if you buy a 13 mpg vehicle, you will pay tax on the extra 427 estimated gallons you will use. If the tax is 25 cents a gallon, that is an extra $106.75 due at signing to be paid as tax. If you are buying a used car, you are still assessed out of the dealer as if it were a new car, and the dealer is required to report the odometer reading to the DMV when they do the registration paper work for you. Each year after that which you own the vehicle, you must report your mileage (i.e., all lower mpg rated car owners will actually need to go down to the DMV to register so a certified odometer reading can be done...no renewal by mail...this is reserved for car owners who have an mpg rating of 18 mpg or more). Their tax is then assessed on actual mileage...so a person who drives their gas guzzler infrequently will pay less tax than the person who drives their gas guzzler with no regard. So, if you go in when your car is a year old to register, and you put 30,000 miles on your vehicle (using the same 13 mpg vehicle), you get taxed on the extra 1,197 gallons you are estimated to use the next year (based on previous year usage), and at 25 cents a gallon that would be $299.25 in tax. If a person uses their gas guzzler for work, each company that requires the use of a personal truck or what not, should have a policy to reimburse the portion of the tax that is work related (i.e., if the person put on 20,000 personal miles, and 10,000 work miles, work reimburses for 10,000 miles of tax). Money collected in taxes could be used to research alternative fuels, including a way to get the new technology to the public at a price they can afford (rather than $40,000 for a hybrid that your average car buyer cannot afford to by).

This kind of luxury tax will help put more of the burden on those who insist on their right to vehicles they do not need, and may work to make these vehicles less appealing as status symbols. It will also put the burden on manufacturers to build more fuel efficient vehicles. If the upper class quits buying them (because they object to the extra tax), the manufacturers will be forced to do something to draw the customers back, which their only alternative would be to make them more fuel efficient so that folks will not have to pay extra tax on them. Every 10 years, the average fuel economy of vehicles should be reviewed, and the tax adjusted accordingly (i.e., based on the average fuel economy of vehicles, the tax for cars 2010 and newer may then include cars which get less than 22 mpg, based on 20,000/year). This could help to keep pushing the manufacturers to build more fuel efficient vehicles, as they will see that folks will not want to pay the higher tax, and will either purchase the less expensive, more fuel efficient vehicle, or will opt to keep their vehicles longer to avoid a new tax.

Of course, this is a plan the government will never even consider! Why? Many of them I am sure drive these lower fuel economy vehicles, as do all of their rich friends! Washington is NOT looking after those of us who actually pay the taxes (the middle class). We work hard so they can get all the tax breaks, and hand out to folks who will never work harder, because they have it so easy (i.e., those who get $3,000+ tax refunds who hardly pay anything in, while at the same time having the government buy their food, diapers, etc.). Don't get me wrong...I'm not against welfare. I think it has a purpose for those truly facing a bump in the road. I do think welfare needs reform, so that people are no longer encouraged to live off of the system, and are encouraged to work harder to better themselves! I also believe no person's tax refund should be more than the actual amount they paid in....if you had $500 withheld from your income, $500 should be all you can get back...period! I am tired of the government taking from the middle class to pay the lower class! This redistribution of wealth has got to be unconstitutional! Why should my household pay in over $5,000 any given year, and fear having to pay even more at tax time, when John Doe pays in about $250 and gets back $3,000 at tax time? But that is another subject completely.

Bottom line is that the price of gas is yet another stab at the already over burdened middle class! We work 60+ hours a week, and for what? So that when we do get that $250/month raise (and that is on the high side) it means jack, because it costs us an additional $500/month to get to and from work and buy necessary goods (such as food, soap, shoes for the kids, etc.) as the necessary goods are going up in price due to the price of gas? Then, we end up having to shop at places like Wal-Mart who gets most of their product from China, so instead of keeping the money here in this country, we are sending it over seas!! And folks wonder why our economy is so screwed up!!!