The Gasoline Blame Game

Blame China, blame India, blame Iran-fears and summer blends and higher than ever corporate profits, blame whatever comes to mind for the staggering jump in prices at gas pumps and record high prices for crude oil.

Shortages are hitting the east coast, which is blamed on not enough trucks to take new fuel supplies to market. Some call it a near perfect petro-storm.

Congressional leaders say they'll look at the problem, but don't expect much there since Exxon was a major contributor to House Speaker Hasbet's campaign, and the GOP overall had money gushing in their direction. Money flows from Chevron, from the Pilot Corp., and many more.

There has been some talk on capping oil company profits (never happen) or the government mandating price controls (nope, gives a false ceiling which will only increase inflation).

Oil addicts have no room to wiggle away. Pay what the Man charges and move along as best you can. And over the next few weeks, watch other prices start to move up as well. It takes more to move all those goods to the market. If you haven't bought your hybrid vehicle, you're part of the problem right? Not to worry, the President is on the job.

As one blog notes:

"It isn't as though people don't recognize the difference between what Bush says, and reality on the other side. We're just resigned to this administration making up its own narrative to keep things bobbling along--at least until the next disaster.

What's odd is the Associated Press's own construction of a narrative that--if not in total agreement with the administration's--makes Washington out as a passive, rather than active, player in the story.

Whose concern over Iran's nuclear ambitions, after all, is driving this "crisis," anyway?"