Question about our economy

[JerryNumbers]

I'll be the 1st one to say, our economy in America, I know little about, but I do not like the way its is built or run.

But that said, do you think that the very high gas prices rushed up the troubles that we are now having. We all know for fact the high gas prices affect everything we buy.

Today gas here was down to $1.86 unleaded regular.

[LAF]

Higher gas prices do tend to run up the cost of everything else .

Our gas last night was 1.79

[kevinmiller]

Gas has dropped tremendously with the drop in demand and with the price of oil going down. I'm hoping now I won't have to hear about how the oil companies fix the prices to gouge us anymore. :lol
The low gas prices should help the economy, too. Now people can afford to travel more and go places, which means buying more things, as well. Who ever thought it would go below $2 again? :lol

[deputydog530]

Im no expert on the subject, but look around the world. Yes our gas prices are a piece of the puzzle but not the whole picture. The European market is in crisis as well as the chinese. Why? we trade and sell to these markets. I only have noticed this as I have been following hte silver market and made some very small silver investments. When there is a problem someone crys out that the sky is falling and people panic and pull thier money out of the market. I have a freind who has a private retimreint and he is losing money big time. I asked him why he does not just pull his money from his 401K. He said that is the type of panic that is part of the cause of the crisis. He is staying for the long haul. Thats is my limited knowlege and take on the issue.

Gas is still $2.37 a gal where I live. The stores are keeping is jacked up and enjoying the income because people are just happy not to be paying $4.15 a gal. :2cents

[John81]

High gas prices shot up the cost of food and most everything else as well. Even though gas prices have dropped, most other items that rose in cost have not. The fear is there that OPEC will eventually cut production enough that prices will rise again so manufacturers and food suppliers are not willing to reduce their prices.

[bzmomo7]

I keep thinking that those oil companies are definitely NOT stupid. Do you suppose that they know Obama will not open up new production of oil here in America, but someone like Bush would? Being that the election is over, Bush could do whatever he wanted without fear. If prices are low, he couldn't justify it. I look for the oil production to be cut back and prices to go up again in January. Unfortunately, everyone I know is not really doing well right now financially, and the lower gas prices are not really helping that much. I do hope the lower prices hold out longer than that, but I don't expect them to.

[JerryNumbers]

As in my post, I made this statement, "Do you think that the very high gas prices [u]rushed up[/u] the troubles that we are now having." I said [u]rushed up[/u], [b]not caused it[/b].

Rushed up the problems was all I was contributing to the oil companies. I know there is an underlying problem, to me that problem is Americas greed, greed for money, greed to have so much. But that is what America has encouraged everyone to do, as well as all commercials made, they try to make all of us feel like we can not get along with out the stuff they sell.

John commented on one thing I noticed, gas prices down, but that is the only thing that is down. These for instant, dog food and ink cartridges, both when sky high, neither have dropped, on all such items which the price went up because of price of fuel, right now they are making out like bandits.

But the majority of America people blame President Bush, and the republican party during the last 7 + years, I feel sure that is why Obama won. But who is at fault is our senators, our reprehensives, along with Bill Clinton and President Bush would carry a bit of fault, but not near what the democrats want to blame on him.

But the consumers, us, we are getting ripped off again, gas prices down, but products have not gone down.

One major thing I fear, gas prices down and nothing will be done, and the gas companies will have us where they want us. The answer is to drill drill while coming up with other energy besides gas.

But, we the consumer, we are the ones paying the price for the mess that our our senators, our reprehensives, along with Bill Clinton and President Bush have caused. While those in high places just get richer, I'm speaking about our senators, our reprehensives, along with Bill Clinton and President Bush. And actually the only thing they are doing, is their best to make the other party look like the guilty one while still wasting tax money. Oh, there is one more thing they are doing, messing up things even worse than ever.

[kevinmiller]

But who is at fault is our senators, our reprehensives,

I like this, a blending of reprehensible and representative. It fits. :lol

[deafnva77]

This is not my opinion, but I wonder if it is true or not. Someone I know said that the reasons he think the gas price rose so it will lead people to blame Bush so they will vote for Obama, and dropped because Obama won the election.

[deafnva77]

I think the reasons prices have not dropped on food and such is because alot of these companies are in debt (it take alot of loans to keep those businesses going). i still blame it on easy mortage to people who are irresponsible and showed no proof they are capable of paying or afford to pay it. banks and have to raise up interest rates. Also, we have been getting alot of disasters lately. My aunt told me that her recently flooding in Indiana had wiped entire corn farms in her areas. People are trying to build back up and it is expensive. Then you also have crazy lawsuits, and crazy laws and taxes on top of all that. Some people blame it on deporting illegals because they make things cheap.

oil companies are so wealthy that i personally think they are debt-free so they can do whatever they want, but i could be wrong.

[BlessedChristianlady8]

I think the gas prices are going down is because they hated Bush but now like Obama. Why are you making lies about people about when they choose to vote for Obama? All this board is about is Obama and polticss you might want to rename the board online Obama Baptists debate.

[HappyChristian]

I think the gas prices are going down is because they hated Bush but now like Obama. Why are you making lies about people about when they choose to vote for Obama? All this board is about is Obama and polticss you might want to rename the board online Obama Baptists debate.

KJVK - if you don't like the threads that are about Obama, maybe you'd be better off not reading them.

These aren't lies, dear. They are truth, and can be proven. It is a shame that he is the kind of man he is, but there it is.

[kevinmiller]

oil companies are so wealthy that i personally think they are debt-free so they can do whatever they want, but i could be wrong.

There is a lot more that goes into a business than just making money from an expensive product. Typically with an expensive product comes expensive expenditures to bring that product to market. However, as we have seen with the fluctuations in the price of gas, the oil companies are subject to the demands and supply of the free market, as much as we might want to vilify them.

[JerryNumbers]

I think the gas prices are going down is because they hated Bush but now like Obama. Why are you making lies [/u]about people about when they choose to vote for Obama? All this board is about is Obama and polticss you might want to rename the board online Obama Baptists debate.

You keep right on accusing people here at OB of lying and of accusing this board to be what it is not, I don't know about everyone else but as for me, I'm tired of it.

And what you accuse this board of being is not very nice, and shows no respect for the owner nor anyone that post upon this board.

If you think its such a bad place, why are you here"

[Danny Carlton]

You are really talking about two different issues. Gas prices, and the economy in general. They only affect each other marginally.

Here's how it works...

Every election year, specifically when there's a presidential election, gas prices start going up. This is caused mostly by foreigners wanting control over the US. The candidates know that the price of gas will hurt the incumbent and help the challenger. Democrats usually make promises early on, and we see gas prices calm down quickly. Republicans have more integrity and hold back and gas prices stay the same, unless something else affects it. Demands for boycotts have little effect because few people actually cut consumption, and the foreigners usually gauge the prices Americans will tolerate.

This year, with an outgoing two term Republican president, the MSM had revved up their propaganda machine in high gear. They also had an October surprise of the Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac fiascos created by democrats, but blamed by the MSM on Republicans. But their usual economic nay-saying was amplified by the bail-out, and the economy--depending mostly on the whimsical sway of public opinion--sank further than they'd anticipated. The result was that as people reacted to the one-two punch of the MSM doom and gloom, and the bail-out scandal, they responded by spending less, and since gas prices were high, that's one of the main places they cut--travel. Demand for gas plummeted and market forces responded by dropping the prices dramatically. While the drop in prices normally would have resulted in increased consumption, the continuing doom and gloom (an electioneering tool of the MSM) coupled with the MSM reluctance to laud the lowered gas prices (remember it would help the incumbent's party) led to continued low consumption and even lower gas prices.

Lauding low gas prices now would seem to amateruish, so it's really become a non-story, which means that since they've continued the doom and gloom, gas consumption is still low and will stay low for quite some time.

The plan is to start hyping a "reinvigorated" economy days after Obama takes office. That news will spur a slight increase in spending, which will naturally then be used as proof of Obama's economic brilliance, and the end of "Republican malfeasance". The increased consumption will spur positive news, which will spur increased consumption. This is a gimmick the MSM always have at their disposal. They can affect the economy within weeks in order to accomplish whatever objective they seem fit. Then they credit (or blame) what they did on whatever politician they want to.

Remember though, that in the long run the MSM depend on advertising revenue, so lowered consumption will ultimately hit them, but it takes anywhere from six months to a year before they'll actually feel the pinch, and turning things around within that timeframe, negates any harmful affects they might experience.

It's a game, that we willingly allow ourselves to be the pawns in.