More Factors With No Definitive Answers by Thumbs52

I understand your reasoning but it can't be as simple as that. There are so many other factors contributing to the scenario. There's the basest factor of greed. I'm not pointing a finger at the oil companies but at the trader - out for himself, to earn the biggest buck at the expense of everyone else. How blatantly selfish! Hope he celebrated well that night!

There is also the factor of expectation. As a society our population expects to have the best and most of everything. After all, we are the Americans. As our world gets ever smaller through travel, media, global commerce and national dependancies, the rest of the world expects to be a party to some of the 'best and most' also. Supply and demand basic concepts depict that not everyone can have everything at the same time. There have always been "haves" and "have nots". Americans are used to being among the "haves". It is a shock for them to become part of the "have nots."

Even the poorest among us have been better off than most in the rest of the world.

As pointed out by another commenter, there is the weakened dollar and all the impact that has. There are weather factors - causing demand in unexpected arenas and delays in the production process.

And, of course, there are emerging countries and their increasing need for oil. The number of cars alone that has increased in India, China, and Korea has put a drain on what is available at current production.

As prices climb, people will discover there are alternative ways of getting things done. This could be a fine example of "necessity being the mother of invention". As things get more difficult, there should be creative ways of needing less oil - or, at least, putting what is available to better and more efficient use.

Crying for the government to ease the burden of gas/oil prices, won't fix the problem. Short term "fixes" will merely delay the inevitable and cause more of a backlash effect then necessary.

Star This to Save in Your Profile