Comments on: The MTBE Component (and others) to the Gasoline Issue

By: floyd

floyd — Fri, 28 Apr 2006 02:08:18 +0000

not so steve, you can batch blend down to a couple of truckloads at the push of a button. the over regulation arguement, while attractive, is what's not significantly relevant to price volatility. it's a sort of redstrawherringman argument?[lol]

By: buddy

buddy — Thu, 27 Apr 2006 12:48:32 +0000

i'm neither for or against Bush on this issue. to me, he's been a non-factor. he hasn't truly influenced policy action in any way, except by signing last year's ridiculous energy bill. that being said, those in Congress are obviously posturing themselves politically for November. that's why they're suddenly calling for hearings and tax records. the truth is, much like the Dubai port deal, i don't think most Americans (myself included) truly understand what causes/effects go into the average price per gallon of gasoline. everybody jumps on Exxon/Mobil and oilman Bush because they're too lazy to actually think about it or investigate. i've learned more about the economics of fuel lately by studying up on it, and to cast it all off on Bush's oil buddies getting rich on the rest of us seems idiotic. why wait until now to juice gas to $3 a gallon? hell, why wait for Bush to be in the White House if you have that kind of monopoly control? it makes NO COMMON SENSE! but i suppose for someone uneducated on the issue, it's the easiest excuse.

By: McGehee

McGehee — Thu, 27 Apr 2006 12:40:30 +0000

Thanks for proving that Bushâ��s support is now restricted pretty much to moronsâ�¦

All he proved is that Democrats don't have a monopoly on morons.

By: Soccer Dad

Soccer Dad — Thu, 27 Apr 2006 11:42:56 +0000

Logic rationing...

Gas prices once again are climbing up. (And no, I don't like it.) That means two things: 1) Market forces are at work. 2) Politicians must posture pretending they can do something. I know that it's glib to say (1),......

By: Danny Carlton -- alias "Jack Lewis"

Danny Carlton -- alias "Jack Lewis" — Thu, 27 Apr 2006 10:59:51 +0000

Gas prices and Democrat hypocrisy...

From the ever amusing Ann Coulter... I would be more interested in what the Democrats had to say about high......

By: anjin-san

anjin-san — Thu, 27 Apr 2006 07:20:39 +0000

Christopher,

Thanks for proving that Bush's support is now restricted pretty much to morons...

By: Steve Verdon

Steve Verdon — Thu, 27 Apr 2006 04:21:41 +0000

The average working donâ��t give a damn about economic theoryâ��s, supply and demand or excuses made to justify higher prices for gasoline.

This undoubtedly true Herb. However, action without analysis will almost surely lead to stupid actions. Heck, even analysis wont stop politicians who cater to your heroic "average Joe" from doing idiotic things like price controls, windfall profits taxes, etc.

So while you are probably right, the implication doesn't really help you...unless you like really stupid policy that will do things like keep the price low, but result in shortages.

By: Steve Verdon

Steve Verdon — Thu, 27 Apr 2006 04:19:26 +0000

floyd,

That is fine, the probelm is that various localities have their own requirements for environmental/regulatory purposes and have little or nothing to do with things like vapor point. Remove these regulatory requirements would not prevent refiners from blending gasoline for cold weather, etc. So your point, while informative is more or less irrelevant from the stand point of reducing gasoline price volatility.

By: mark

mark — Thu, 27 Apr 2006 03:58:23 +0000

Ah, MTBE. Isn't that the stuff that leaked into several municipal water supplies around the country? I seem to remember quite a big outcry about it in Santa Monica.

By: akdfjo

akdfjo — Thu, 27 Apr 2006 03:28:26 +0000

Bush's whole ethanol canard is the latest chapter in his pattern of incompetence. The Republican Congress' deplorable "energy bill"--signed by Bush--requires this worthless additiive--which is essentially government welfare to Iowa agribusinesses.

It actually takes more fossil fuel energy to make & process ethanol than it offers in return.

By: Christopher

Christopher — Thu, 27 Apr 2006 02:17:06 +0000

hey jap man anjin-san: why don't you go back to Japan if you don't like it here so much? Hmmmmmmmmm?
If it is so bad here, go back to whence you came. Apparently you don't like the democratic system of election here where GW was duly elected prez TWICE. And even with all of the probs of his presidency, republicans will STILL kick liberal ass this fall! LOL!!!

By: floyd

floyd — Thu, 27 Apr 2006 01:12:09 +0000

gasoline is blended post production, at the wholesale level in tank farms.moving blend stock from place to place is not difficult. "boutique blends" are necessary, since weather and altitude affect the vapor point.eliminating these regional blends would actually cause shortages. for instance; propane and butane are added in cold climates, which lowers the vapor point and stretches lower quality blend stocks. this won't work at high altitudes or hot climates.so it is more complex than the conspiracy types imply, besides,the oil companies don't really need to "play games" to have their way.

By: Unpartisan.com Political News and Blog Aggregator

Unpartisan.com Political News and Blog Aggregator — Thu, 27 Apr 2006 00:34:50 +0000

Gas Prices Have Politicians Talking in Washington...

On Capitol Hill, members of Congress are blaming oil companies for high gas prices. Politicians want...

By: anjin-san

anjin-san — Thu, 27 Apr 2006 00:10:08 +0000

When Bush was running in 2000, he said he had an energy plan. In this instance, he was telling the truth.

The plan was to give energy companies a free hand to do pretty much whatever they please.

Now the average guy is getting bent over the hood of his car and having a gas pump inserted in a painful manner.

Meanwhile the oil companies, with record revenues and a multi-billion dollar tax break, are getting very, very, fat.

Another day in Bush's America...

By: Herb

Herb — Wed, 26 Apr 2006 22:46:11 +0000

Steve:

This article appears to prove what I have been trying to say to you in other comments I have made today on the price of gasoline.

People know who has the power in Congress and the Presidency, The Republicans. If the Republicans with the power will not do something right now to bring down the price of gasoline, then they will pay a heavy price at the polls. The average working stiff with a family knows only the following right now,

He is paying an outrageous price for a gallon of gasoline.

This high price is taking a deep cut into the average household budget.

The high price will sooner rather than later have a toll on the entire countries economy.

People will purchase less in order to pay for the high gas prices

The high gas prices are in effect the same as a wage cut when they have to pay out 20 to 30 dollars just get to and from work.

Prices of other products will soon rise to reflect the higher cost of transportation.

The average working know that he paid 99.9 cents per gallon when Bush and the Republicans took power and they now see a 200% rise in gas prices.

The average working don't give a damn about economic theory's, supply and demand or excuses made to justify higher prices for gasoline.

The voter will take their anger and frustration out on the Republicans because they have the power to correct the situation and will not do it.