The Price of Gas

Continuing the discussion started by hooah in Message 187 of Quick Questions, Short Answers - No Debate.

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hooah212002 in Message 187:

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In laymens terms, why do gas prices (the prices we pay at the pump) fluctuate on a daily basis? Why is it the only consumer item that does this (if not, what others are priced this way and are at a consumer level)? At it's purest consumer form (I'm talking out of my ass here), gasoline isn't some commodity for every day consumers that they are "lucky" if they can get. No, it is something they have to calculate into their budget (myself especially who has a ~1 hour trip to work each way).

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If i break it down to how my dumb ass understands it: the fuel mart buys X gallons per month or something at X price, then charges us some portion of what a barrel of oil costs that day as opposed to any other good where the merchant recoups his cost for what he paid. I mean, if your grocery store changed the price of bread daily due to wheat cost or something, we'd surely find a different grocer, yes?

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If this sparks a huge discussion, I'd be glad to start a topic so we don't muddy this thread.

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It would 'hurt' everyone. Imagine all those poor people staying home more often because getting anywhere is a pain in the ass. If you read jar's post carefully, you see that the idea isn't just to get away from using gas-powered cars; the idea is to completely reformat society from how it is now, where people are required to commute into a large central city on a daily basis, to something more small-term, where people live in smaller communities with most of the work within walking, biking, or city bus distance. So long as the upper class remains in power with the resources to weather any hits, the lower class will always be the first and hardest hit.But we're all open to suggestions. What do you propose?Jon

Gasoline prices are far too low.All we have to do is look at consumption to see that the price of gas has, despite everyone's bitching, done nothing to alter behavior and consumption trends.Motor Vehicle Fuel Consumption and Travel in the U.S., 19602006And no one's advocating an overnight switch to $15/gallon gas.

Why would they? Curbing oil consumption would cut into their income.They're better off if we keep pumpin'.Jon