I have gas… in my car.
So I’m passing on this American petition in the hope that we’ll all get a little less gouged at the pumps when we make our car-pool trips.
Dear MoveOn member,
As of yesterday, gas prices are the highest in U.S. history—we just passed the 1981 record, even adjusted for inflation.1 Prices could reach $4.00 per gallon in parts of the country, just in time to crimp summer vacation plans. As consumers suffer, the oil industry continues to reap the windfall—breaking profit records on an almost quarterly basis. It’s outrageous!
Enough is enough. Hearings start today on H.R. 1252, a House bill that would make gas price gouging a federal crime, punishable by 10 years in prison. Speaker Pelosi has said she’ll move the bill to a vote this week—if there’s the two-thirds majority required to fast track the bill through the process.2
Oil company lobbyists are frantically trying to stop the bill. Your representative needs to hear from you today. Will you sign our petition asking Congress to pass the price-gouging bill—and then send it to your friends?
“Gasoline price gouging should be made a federal crime before the summer price increases hurt more American families.”
Rep Bart Stupak (D-MI), sponsor of the House bill said this of his motivation to introduce the legislation:
“In April … crude oil was $7 a barrel cheaper than last year (but) gas prices were almost 50 cents a gallon higher. Clearly there’s more at play than simply the world crude oil market.”3
In April, more than two-thirds of Americans reported that their gas bills were causing financial crunches, with a full third saying it was having a “serious” impact on their families.4
That same month, the top two US companies, Exxon-Mobil and Chevron-Texaco, announced a combined $14 billion in first quarter profits.5
It seems like even the oil industry has gone too far this time, and it’s time to balance the scales. The Senate passed a price-gouging measure out of committee last week, and the House bill now has over 100 co-sponsors from both sides of the aisle.
The oil industry is nervous. They’ve sent their lobbyists to the Hill in full force to stop—or at least weaken—these bills, and they’re pulling out all the stops. The American Petroleum Institute, an industry front group of more than 400 oil and gas companies, even threatened that new laws could increase gas prices more.6
Enough is enough. This summer, we can stop Big Oil from profiting at the expense of American families. Can you sign the petition to ask your representative to make gasoline a price gouging a federal crime now?
Don’t forget to pass it on to your friends—this week is an historic opportunity to send Big Oil a message that we’ve had enough.
Thanks for all you do.
–Ilyse, Natalie, Eli, Tom, and the MoveOn.org Political Action Team
Tuesday, May 22nd, 2007
Sources:
1. “U.S. gas prices jump more than 11 cents,” Atlanta Journal-Constitution, May 21, 2007
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=2595&id=10387-3694815-DsMblv&t=6
2. “Debate on [H.R. 1252], offered by Energy and Commerce Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee Chairman Bart Stupak, D-Mich., will kick off Tuesday with a hearing in Stupak’s subcommittee. It is possible that an Energy and Commerce markup will follow. But Democratic leaders might opt to bring the bill up to the floor under suspension of House rules by Wednesday.”
Excerpted from National Journal’s Congress Daily, Monday, May 21, 2007
3. “Lawmaker Links Gas Prices to Investments,” Houston Chronicle, May 16, 2007 http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/fn/4810598.html
4. “As Gas Prices Rise Again, Democrats Blame Big Oil,” Washington Post, May 11, 2007 http://www.moveon.org/r?r=2591&id=10387-3694815-DsMblv&t=7
5. “Lawmaker Links Gas Prices to Investments,” Houston Chronicle, May 16, 2007 http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/fn/4810598.html
6. “Lawmakers’ blood pressure rises with prices at the pump,” TheHill.com, May 17, 2007 http://www.moveon.org/r?r=2586&id=10387-3694815-DsMblv&t=8
@hotmail.com
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Jaybird | 23-May-07 at 7:50 am | Permalink
The good news: according to their counter they have passed their goal of 250,000 signatures.
The bad news: I can’t sign the petition because I am not an American. Nope, no SK for Saskatchewan. I would still want it to be revised to include Canadians as well before I did sign.
JimBobby | 23-May-07 at 7:59 am | Permalink
Whooee! I don’t actually own a car. I borrow a minnyvan sometimes when I need to do sumpin’ outta town or if I need some plywood from over t’ the lumberyard. I buy gas fer that delivery van whenever I use it. I buy gas and I breathe air so I reckon that makes me a stakeholder. I also pay taxes to a gummint that gives billion dollar tax breaks to big oil outfits.
I can pretty much use that minnyvan whenever I want but I walk to most places. I see my neighbours drivin’ to the post office, bank, Chinese food joint, hardware store an’ hair saloon. I drive down to the supermarket about once every 10 days when we’re runnin’ low on grub.
Now, I ain’t fer oil companies gougin’ an’ makin’ bigass obscene profits. These oil outfits is pumpin’ loads o’ GHG’s in the air an’ they oughta be puttin’ them profits into clean green stuff instead o’ linin’ a few pockets an’ buyin’ off a few heads of state.
The public is cryin’ fer lower prices but prices ain’t the whole story. The Merkans already pay less fer gas than Yerpeans an’ Brits by a big margin. It’s been that way fer years. Somehow, the Yerpeans manage to drive their turbo diesel subcompacts an’ still make enough money to take twice as many vacation days as Merkans. Oh yeah, they got universal healthcare, too.
Merkans gotta pay their own way. I reckon that means higher gas prices an’ more walkin’ an’ better fuel economy an’ more alternative fuel use.
I ain’t fer oil company gougin’ but I ain’t fer lower gas prices, neither, so I won’t be signin’ the Merkan petition.
JB
Moe Brondum | 23-May-07 at 11:38 am | Permalink
It seems absurd to rage against supply and demand economics. Freedom is attainable by reducing use. It is realy as simple as that.
My recommendation, if your going to get hooked on using something, make it a renewable resource.
Smoke more pot and drive less.
Truth | 23-May-07 at 11:52 am | Permalink
Shouldn’t anyone seriously interested in curbing CO2 emissions be absolutely THRILLED with increased gas prices?
Whats REALLY more important to you?
Saskboy1 | 23-May-07 at 12:17 pm | Permalink
Moe, interesting idea. Trouble is, burning pot doesn’t get you anywhere but high, or jail.
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Jay, I saw last night that they were going to blow past their signature target :-)
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Truth, I’m in favour of increased prices. I’m not in favour of exploitive prices, however. When I started buying gas 10 years ago, it was 54¢/L. Now it’s $1.21/L. Have oil and production prices more than doubled (accounting for inflation) since about 1997, I don’t know? I’d guess it’s gone up by maybe 75%, but who’s pocketing that extra cash? It’s not much different from raising cigarette taxes — sure some people will quit, but it hurts those who are dependent with no realistic way of quitting, while rewarding already very rich people.
As JB says, I’m for price increases, but not for to the point where the wealthy hurt nearly everyone else for their personal gain.
JimBobby | 23-May-07 at 1:33 pm | Permalink
I seen a thing on the TV yesterday where they sed 54% of Merkans earnin’ less than $35,000 a year found the price of gas to be a serious hardship. 55% of them earnin’ >$75,000 sed gas prices don’t bother ‘em the teensiest bit. Thems the ones who pushed SUV sales up 6% in the last quarter.
The trouble with high prices is they hurt the little guy more than the fatcat SUV drivers. Prices oughta be high enough that we who don’t make >75k think twice at least before drivin’ someplace we could walk to.
The gas guzzler lovers gotta be hit with a gas guzzler tax sorta like what Harpoon done but tough enough that it makes people quit buyin’ them dinoCaddies an’ Detroit quits churnin’ ‘em out.
JB
Dodos | 23-May-07 at 2:45 pm | Permalink
One of the issues being ignored here is supply and demand - oil and gas are in demand more than ever before worldwide and supply is nearing peak. You think these prices are high, wait until oil companies realize that we have peaked - 1.20 a litre will seem like a steal.
Are oil companies making a killing? Yes, but extracting oil from places like the oil sands is also more expensive. I’ve also heard that processing plants are an issues (upgrades, maintenance etc…). I say, raise the prices more. In Vancouver, reports are that public transit usage is up 11% this quarter - great news. All a direct correlation to gas prices. I realize that the poor are getting hit hardest by this, but they also have the most to gain from not driving - I live below the poverty line and am doing just fine not driving as much and riding my bike.
All in all, increased gas prices will force people to change the way they live - if not, they will go bankrupt. I don’t feel sorry for any of them.
Truth | 23-May-07 at 3:42 pm | Permalink
Dodo’s point is at the very least, logically consistent.
The bottom line is that higher gas prices should result in lower consumption. Lower consumption equals lower CO2 emissions, and isnt that the most important goal?
I think you will find that oil and production prices, coupled with the tenfold increase in demand, is the most likely source of your double in prices. It is all pretty well outlined on the previous government of Canada studies on gas prices. Keep in mind that about 50% of the price you are paying is taxes. Thus, by far the largest recipient of revenues (profit) from gasoline sales is the government, or you and I.
If you believe oil and gas companies are making ‘unfair profits’, then why not invest some of your own hard earned income into their shares, or mutual funds who invest in oil and gas stocks. All the major US and Canadian Oil and Gas companies are publicly traded, which means their profits are distributed to the share holders. You could be one tomorrow. You dont have to be ‘rich’ to own shares.