Why isn't there more public outrage over gas prices?

The media reports the increases in the price of crude per barrel daily almost as if they are reporting the weather. Congress held a farce of an investigation that was largely ignored by the media and general public. Posts have been made here and many other places wondering why more isn't being done. The comments received here indicate a partial desire by the public to defend the oil companies. These comments do not offer any definitive or credible reason for the surge in crude oil prices or for the increase in prices at the pump, but they seem to want to defend the fact that they are being forced to pay double the amount at the pump in a short amount of time in spite of the fact that this one commodity will affect the price of everything else they need to buy.

Why?

One possible reason is that people don't want to admit they have been duped. No one likes to feel as though they have been made a fool of and that is exactly what has happened.

The cost to retrieve oil has not doubled in the past 7 years. The cost to research alternative fuel sources has not doubled in the past 7 years. The cost to research and develop new sites to drill has not doubled in the past 7 years. Demand has not doubled in the past 7 years.

Oil companies have been posting huge profits for a loooooong time now....like the past few decades. The argument that they need those profits to "plan for a rainy day" fails in light of the fact that they have had many years of sunshine. What would happen if, like nearly every other company in the world, they posted a loss for one quarter or even an entire fiscal year? (Gasp!) Nothing. Nothing except the executives might not get their million dollar bonus checks and have to scrape by on $500,000 or so.

So, why don't more people care? Partially, I feel the media is to blame for not making a bigger deal about this. They are content to make those who are upset by it look like tin-foil hat wearing eco-nazis who bike to work and drink soy milk. I am upset and I do not bike to work, drink soy milk or wear a tin foil hat. I have been screwed. I am mad as hell and I am not gonna take it anymore.

I am going to keep writing about this. I am going to send letters to every damn politician I can find. I am going to keep talking about this and encourage others to do the same. Our voice deserves to be heard!

Please check out these article for more information:

Congresspedia - Excellent article that follows the history of big oil companies royalties. It outlines exactly why the R&D argument fails. Oil companies do not pay for research and development - we do. We always have. Why? Do we pay for research and development in other companies? Not through the government we don't; we may pay for it indirectly with the purchase of their product but whether or not you own a car, every citizen pays for oil company R&D. The oil companies are supposed to pay royalties to the US government for the right to drill on public land. They have missed more than a few payments.

US News - Another great article regarding these royalty payments discussing just how the oil companies weasel out of paying these royalties. (Along with everything else - remember, they still haven't ponied up for what they owe on the Valdez oil spill.)

These companies are run by criminals and our government is aiding and abetting them...which, my friends means US. We have allowed this to happen. Duped or not, my blindfold is off and I plan to speak up about it!

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