I heard a piece on NPR on Saturday which analyzed the spike in gasoline prices, a very hot political issue of course. Very interesting piece. Analysts were discussing the reasons for the higher prices, which evidently have nothing to do with Iran, foreign oil, not enough domestic production and all the other claptrap being put out there by politicians and the media. Nope. Actually we have a lower than average demand and a higher than average supply!! Of crude oil. Large storage tanks full of the stuff all over the country! So, what's the deal?
Refineries. Several older ones have shut down due to inefficiency in the last few years, so we're not refining the oil to produce gasoline; thus, higher prices. We are, however, selling our refined gasoline on the world market, exporting more than we are importing. Why? Because our gas is way cheaper than other gas in other countries. What we are refining costs less to produce because we use natural gas as the fuel to run the refineries, something that other countries do not do. Speculators are also driving up the costs of gas on the global market. That part is not clear to me.
But what was clear from listening to this very interesting analysis is that the people who cry "drill baby, drill" are lying about needing more domestic production of crude oil. We have more oil than we can refine right now. Also, why is Iran being touted as the reason? Oh, yes, war drums are beating...neo-cons are out in full force.
But what really vexes me is why Obama is talking, even a few days ago, about "reducing our dependency of foreign oil" as a way to lower gas prices! Why isn't he and other Democrats actually explaining the truth to us? Politics. Sen. Chuck Schumer is talking about more sanctions on Iran as a way to make sure we don't allow them to assure they don't block oil to us.
Is it too much to ask that there be truth? Is it too much to ask that Obama and the Democrats actually try to educate the public instead of taking the bait from the right wing about how it's Obama's fault that gas prices are too high? Stop playing defense Dems....you always do that!!!!