Election Year Gas Prices

Most people say that major election years have nothing to do with gas prices, but I don't agree. I live in Northern California about 20 miles southeast of San Francisco CA. A few months ago regular unleaded gas was about $4.35 per gallon. Today at Costco it was $3.55 per gallon. That's a drop of .80 cents per gallon in the middle of the summer driving season. I predict that gas will be below $3 per gallon by election day, of course it will quickly rise after that. In the summer of 2008 (Obama/McCain election) the cheapest gas around here was about $4.75 per gallon. By election day November 2008 I bought gas for $1.70 per gallon in California. In the span of 3 months gas dropped $3 per gallon. I also predicted sub $3 gas by election day, but I never imagined that it would be under $2. In 2004 (G.W. Bush/Kerry) I bought gas for as low as $1.10 per gallon. My theory is that high gas prices make unhappy voters. Unhappy voters don't re-elect their senators and representatives. Congress therefore keeps a close eye on gas prices to save their own hides. They might have silent agreements to keep prices down until election day passes or they might talk about extra taxes or revoking tax breaks on big oil. Has anyone noticed that there hasn't been any big middle east stories recently? What do you all think?

 

But gas is 2.86 here? In, I think.

 

I raised the same point to my wife a few months ago. That's why when they say our price reflects world market and drilling our own oil wouldn't change a bit I call bull crap. Our gas COULD be $2/gallon now. It's not oils fault, it's the administration and fed printing money like its going out of style. They are devaluing the dollar (which is what oil is traded on), thus increasing the cost at the pump. How anyone can keep voting for far left policy is beyond me, but that discussion likely belongs somewhere else. Lol. BTW, $3.82 is the lowest here, and that's VERY low for Alaska these days.

 

It's nice seeing those prices come down, but I was thinking about the timing as well, as summer usually sees an increase.

I say vote everyone of them out regardless.

 

If we were the only people on earth buying gas that might be true. It is a world market no one can control that and before long we may not be the biggest buyer.

 

I am from NY, retired and moved to Florida. Love the weather and beach but most of the people work for 10 dollars an hour. All I am saying is people WAKE UP !!! Explain why the prices are dropping ??? China is buying all they can. Down here most feel the GOV'T is giving then FREE Health Care next year.... Most don't know that they will be PAYING for it and the GOV'T will be running it..... This site is for talking about Toyota pick ups but I am happy at least a few are seeing the light.

Be Safe/ and May God Help us in November
JIM

 

We went over this in the healthcare thread last week. They just mandate guidelines for the insurance companies to follow, they will not actually be in charge and running it.

 

I agree with you man, I pulled this chart off gasbuddy.

 

This! The fact of the matter is the us can't control oil prices and there isn't any way we will be seeing low prices. We use more than any other country in the world but u.s. owned oil sources are only a fraction of a percent of what we need, so like it or not we are dependent on other countries to sell us oil. How can we control the price when we have to buy it from the middle east and south America?

On a somewhat related note, I hope you all don't expect Romney to save you, I live in ma and we are still suffering from his policies. Romney made MA into a nanny state, what makes you think he's changed?

 

Before I went to colorado for a week the gas in my area was 2.99 but upon returning it's 3.19

What the hell happened?

 

In 2010 the U.S. imported 49% of the oil that it used.

http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/energy/story/2011-12-16/us-oil-boom/52053236/1

In 2011 the U.S. was a net exporter of petroleum based energy sources. Those numbers are a little skewed, because the U.S. refined oil imported (mostly from Canada) and then exported it as fuel.
http://content.usatoday.com/communi...soline-than-imported-last-year/1#.T_w1MIl5mc0

 

Election years have nothing to do with gas prices

 

I agree. I don't even want to think about prices next summer.

What happened to the days of 95cent gas.

 

The Fed has no impact on gas prices.

 

lmcc007,

I think you are on the money. It's pure market manipulation. Peak Oil is a scam. There is plenty of oil and the Earth continues to make it. It's a natural chemical process but those in power don't want us to know that.

The real side to it is that we can only burn so much because air quality is the real issue. They use gas prices to moderate the usage thereby limiting the impact on the ecology. Low prices during election years shows how the price is artificial.

 

Gas has gone up then came down a lot over the past few non election years.

Always amuses me when people think the government controls gas prices.

 

That's a great chart that you were able to find on Gasbuddy. It shows exactly that in the past 8 years the cheapest gas was in the election years of 2004 and 2008. I wouldn't be surprised if 2012 joins them. It has to either be price manipulation or for some unexplained reason gas prices tumble during major election years.

 

Look at the lowest point on the graph - on 1/25/2009.

That's almost a week after Obama took office, and nearly 3 months after the election. The previous high point was 8/27/2008 which was right in the middle of the campaign.

Correlation is not the same as causation.

Otherwise, the decrease in the number of Pirates is what causes Global Warming.

 

Whered you did u find gas for $3.82?? Cheapest i can find is $3.95