What Is Up With This World?

What's that you ask? What do I think is going to happen with gas prices? In a phrase - through the roof. My prediction? The second it can go back up, it absolutely will do so.

While it might be true that we have had a momentary break from ridiculously high gas prices, do not hold your breath that prices will not return to their pre-election high. The only reason prices dropped anywhere near $2.00 per gallon was because that was a last ditch attempt to get undecided voters to push the button for McCain. You can take that to the bank. That did not work out as planned and probably backfired somewhat, so right now, "they" are regrouping and trying to plan their next strategy for ripping us a new one.

I know what you are thinking and just so we are clear, "they" does not necessarily mean Republicans. "They" means anyone and everyone who has had a part in systematically ripping us off. "They" means every Republican, Democrat - every conservative, liberal or in between - who has allowed us to be taken to the cleaners by foreign or domestic corporations. "They" refers to each and every Congressman, Congresswoman or Senator who has been a part of allowing price gouging and manipulation to continue and it refers to each and every one of "them" who has allowed us to be ripped off. We, as Americans, must come together and disband the group of thieves that we have unwittingly elected and sent to Washington D.C. WE CANNOT ALLOW THIS TO CONTINUE.

In my opinion, no companies in this world reek of conspiracy, price gouging, price fixing, or large-scale scams like Haliburton (and its subsidiaries - KBR, is that you???), Exxon-Mobil, BP, and the like. When you pierce those corporate veils and begin peeling off the layers that are subsidiaries and sister companies, it becomes evident that we are being had, in the worst kind of way. (Of course, don't get me started on the drug or insurance companies, or I might have to pen a novel.)

So to answer the burning question posed by KHOU, in my opinion, gas prices are going to rise and when they do, it will probably make the last increase pale in comparison. They know they can get higher prices on a consistent basis and 2008 was by far a record year for profits, by all accounts. The buck will not stop here. You can bet on that, if nothing else, and you can also bet on OPEC pulling some stunts. The killing part about that is that had it not been for our country, the Saudis would cease to exist. We made them what they are and have allowed them to take advantage ever since. Of course, I am not naive enough to believe that somewhere, one of "them" does not have offspring that are sitting fat and living high on the hog - all because they allowed the Saudis to take full advantage of us. Someone is getting paid under the table - believe that.

When will we get enough? That's the question that should be posed by KHOU. That would be much more fitting for the situation and if we could answer that, then we could answer the question of whether or not gas prices will continue to hover where they are now.

Next rant? Grocery prices - why haven't they fallen along with the price of gas?


To view the KHOU article, go to http://www.khou.com/topstories/stories/khou081229_mp_low-gas-prices.1c7b68c4.html.