I'm no mathematician (as anyone who has read my previous diaries can attest) but can someone explain to me how a 5 dollar jump in crude oil prices brings about a 50 cent to 1 dollar jump in the price of a gallon of gasoline?
A quick Google search reveals that a barrel of crude on average produces 19.5 gallons of gasoline.
I know there are other costs involved in the process, but someone is getting rich as hell off these profits, and consumers on the edge of making ends meet are getting screwed.
THE RANT BEGINS AFTER THE BREAK.
Gas prices are just one way the average American is getting screwed by Bush and his group of corrupt lackies in Congress.
The most inspiring diary I read this week is bonddad's Class War: It's Time.
I couldn't agree more with bonddad. Under Republican leadership in the last 6 years, we've been fed a constant line of bullshit about how great the economy is, how many new great jobs are created every month, and how fantastic it is to be an American.
Bush and his idiot Rubber-stamp Congress have made the most bone-headed fiscal decisions the country has ever seen - and the only way we are going to get rid of these yahoos is to effectively reframe them - and I love the idea of working class warfare into the frame.
I'm tired of the media being dominated with these right-wing pundits giving the big sloppy one to Bush over his "fantastic" economy. If it's so great, why do we have a harder time placing seniors in jobs EVERY SINGLE YEAR SINCE 2000? I've been teaching full time since 1999, and the job market gets worse every year. EVERY YEAR. Yet, there's another jack-ass on television saying the economy is strong.
Then we have Bush comparing higher gas prices to taxes.(Tip of the hat to Malacandra) Are you kidding me?
He's cut taxes for the rich and wealthy and screwed the rest of us because he doesn't get what taxes are for! None of the Republicans get it! Taxes feed our poor, educated our children, build our roads, staff our schools, protect our citizens, and support our troops.
It's time to own the frame, and use it to show just how out-of-touch the entire Republican party is with the real issues that affect mainstream America. Gas prices and how it clobbers those on the fringes is just the wedge we need to start getting people to think about how their vote can kick their own ass later. Lakeoff already has the frame started - all we need to do it get it in the media.
Can you tell I'm getting worked up over this?
And by the way, to be forthcoming, I make a decent salary. I live close enough to work to ride a bike or take the university shuttle. I've driven to work a grand total of eleven times since last August. I've put 1600 miles on my car since last April, and 1100 of those miles were a single trip to Denver and back.
I live in an old, near-downtown neighborhood with both mansions and Housing Authority apartments. I see the impact of this "Strong Economy" every day. I see more people struggling to make ends meet. I see retired folks giving up their house due to shocking health care and prescription drug costs. I see single mothers choosing between gas money and infant car seats. I see smart young adults choosing not to become teachers because they want to one day own their own home.
This is all Republican caused bullshit, and I'm not going to take it anymore.
Who is with me?