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Rising gas prices aren't as bad as you think(edited)

Erod

Erod

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The impact of rising gas prices isn't as bad as you think - Mar. 21, 2012

But for the average American household, which has an income of over $62,000 a year, the increase in gas prices represents a relatively small portion of total spending.

For example, in 2008 gas prices were all over the news when they hit their all time high. But in 2010 when prices fell people barely mentioned them.

Yet spending on gas totaled only $12 more per week in 2008 than in 2010, according to numbers provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That $12 per week is roughly the same amount that BLS figures show people spent on "pets, toys, hobbies and playground equipment."

"The incremental expenditure is not that much," said Akshay Rao, a professor of marketing at the University of Minnesota's Carlson School of Management who has studied gas prices. "But that's not how people think about it."
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Well, thanks, CNN for yet another Barack Obama campaign ad disguised as journalism. Do you really think we're that stupid?

So our total personal cost for this increase in price is only a measly $12 per week. Thanks for sobering us up. Why are we such wusses?

This is such a childishly conceived and written piece of propaganda. Do you not think we'll notice as the price of EVERYTHING goes up along with gas prices as it costs more and more to deliver goods to retailers? You think it won't register that it'll cost another couple hundred dollars to go see grandma?

I guess I should be grateful, because most people will only be pissed off when they read your pathetic attempt to "psychologize" us. This does not serve your intended purpose whatsoever.

It's time, CNN. At least MSNBC doesn't deny it. Come out of the closet and be who you are.
 
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Re: CNN chastises Americans for complaining about gas prices

They are the 24/7 yang to Fox News' yin. Anyone that denies it...well...it isnt hard to see what part of the fence they stand on either.
 
Re: CNN chastises Americans for complaining about gas prices

I don't agree with almost any of your post except that CNN dropped the ball...big time. They use average houshold income.....to make a case that the gas prices aren't having a large impact? Maybe not on your surbanite but on any less wealthy housholds...which using median make less than 40k a year it's having a very large impact.

It's obvious too because that's where the largest erosion in Obama's approval rating is taking place.

So no...I don't agree it's CNN acting in the interests as Obama as much as CNN not knowing what the hell they are talking about.
 
Re: CNN chastises Americans for complaining about gas prices

I'm curious if CNN would be willing to place money on this story. I mean it was just a week ago from Florida fox was relieved from "news distortion/lies" because in Florida and I'm sure other states. There is no law governing how true a story must be to print or broadcast.
 
Re: CNN chastises Americans for complaining about gas prices

muciti said:
As with anything, if you don't like the price dont buy it.
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Why should we allow others to set the price? We are brought up with an attitude towards the rights of the powerful that would make a free people call us wimps and pushovers. Be strong and demand a limit on profit margins. As far as OPEC is responsible for this extortion-by-property-rights, we are stronger than them and could force them to stop their gouging.
 
Re: CNN chastises Americans for complaining about gas prices

muciti said:
As with anything, if you don't like the price dont buy it.
Click to expand...

Yeah, that's what the Libbos are shooting for.

Our energy secretary would love that.

So would the president.
 
Re: CNN chastises Americans for complaining about gas prices

muciti said:
As with anything, if you don't like the price dont buy it.
Click to expand...

You know, I agree with your sentiment...TANSTAAFL, and all that, but when rising prices are being caused, at least in part, by our own government...there's something very wrong going on.
 
Re: CNN chastises Americans for complaining about gas prices

Mycroft said:
You know, I agree with your sentiment...TANSTAAFL, and all that, but when rising prices are being caused, at least in part, by our own government...there's something very wrong going on.
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No there isnt. You have a choice on whether or not to purchase fuel for the set price. If you dont like the price its still as simple as not buying it. Or buy less of it.
 
Re: CNN chastises Americans for complaining about gas prices

PrometheusBound said:
Why should we allow others to set the price? We are brought up with an attitude towards the rights of the powerful that would make a free people call us wimps and pushovers. Be strong and demand a limit on profit margins. As far as OPEC is responsible for this extortion-by-property-rights, we are stronger than them and could force them to stop their gouging.
Click to expand...

A study in contrasts.
 
Re: CNN chastises Americans for complaining about gas prices

muciti said:
No there isnt. You have a choice on whether or not to purchase fuel for the set price. If you dont like the price its still as simple as not buying it. Or buy less of it.
Click to expand...

When we have an administration who's self-admitted aim is to increase the cost of oil to make their desired alternative energy more cost effective, the only people who lose are those of us to whom you make your suggestion: Buy less...or none.

Our government shouldn't be putting its citizens in that position.
 
Re: CNN chastises Americans for complaining about gas prices

Harshaw said:
A study in contrasts.
Click to expand...

The best freedom money can buy. The same principle that outlaws price-gouging when taking advantage of a natural disaster should apply in normal times. Individuals not buying it is unrealistic and ineffective because only a large and organized boycott would change excessive profit-taking
 
Re: CNN chastises Americans for complaining about gas prices

PrometheusBound said:
The best freedom money can buy. The same principle that outlaws price-gouging when taking advantage of a natural disaster should apply in normal times. Individuals not buying it is unrealistic and ineffective because only a large and organized boycott would change excessive profit-taking
Click to expand...

Thats some serious G20 summit propaganda you have there. Real question: how do you intend to get an organized boycott for any length of time? Because I have my doubts such a thing is even remotely possible.

The best solution on the table for oil right now is natural gas and its just as finite as oil. Electric is getting better but let the market decide, electric cars with subsidies of 10k are not market solutions. Batteries need to get orders of magnitude better at storage and capacity for electric to be viable on its own and less range limiting.
 
Re: CNN chastises Americans for complaining about gas prices

Funny how there is always some explanation and statistic to show that...really...gosh...its just not that bad...you know...Gas prices...well...as a percentage of overall income...when compared to total cost of living, and raises...and a percentage of gross product...during the springtime...well...it COULD be a lot worse...like...its not like we are paying European prices...or...well...its not as bad as everyone thinks...or...its not the presidents fault after all....

All we know for sure is that the gas prices are averaging around 4.50 and climbing. Debt has gone from 9 to 16 trillion. Unemployment stays above 8% (and that doesnt count all the people underemployed or no longer eligible for benefits). A whole lot of campaign contributors got green energy gifts and have since declared bankruptcy. Those states that were bailed out by 'jobs' money are still in debt and its climbing, right along with the federal debt.

Wonder why people werent as benevolent when Bush was president.
 
Re: CNN chastises Americans for complaining about gas prices

Gasoline is 12 cents a gallon in Venezuela. That's all it's worth. The have-nots have been had by the haves. Their position to control our minds expands into thinking processes. People are trained to think in the way they are told to think. Appeals to self-serving authorities are believed in because of our intimidated respect for authority.
 
Erod said:
Well, thanks, CNN for yet another Barack Obama campaign ad disguised as journalism. Do you really think we're that stupid?
Click to expand...
Hahaha - nice catch. So when something's working against Obama we brush it aside as the amount of money people spend on "pets, toys, hobbies and playground equipment."

I wonder how CNN would present the story if the Obama administration were trying to SAVE us a few dollars a week.

Oh wait! No need to wonder at all. Apparently $12 a week is just money for fun and games, but $20 a week determines whether you can afford new shoes for your husband, whether you can afford your medication, an amount that means "everything" in this economy, a "magical amount", something that makes school lunches affordable, etc. etc.

Of course to be "fair", they quote a few of those cold, uncaring, rich conservative-types as well:

Payroll tax cut standoff's impact: What $40 a paycheck means to you
So, with all of the bickering and the debating, we wanted to know if you agreed that $40 is a significant amount of money. We asked you if the end of the tax cut affect your family or if it would have little difference in your daily life. Here's what you said:

Selena Campbell is a 21-year-old from Orlando, Florida, who works in Admissions Control at Full Sail University. She said that the money she may be losing each paycheck would help buy new shoes for her husband. He has to walk to work every day because they can't afford a second car. But Campbell said that isn't the only thing it would help out with.

"For me and my family, $40 is $10 less than what we pay for groceries every week," she said. "There have been weeks, where we have only been able to spend $10 on groceries and have lived off of mac 'n' cheese and hot dogs."

Selena Campbell said the lost money would have helped with grocery and medical costs.
That money would also determine whether they could fully pay for their rent or car payments. It would also impact their healthcare, she said.

"$40 is what it costs for my medication so I can be a healthy wife, sister, daughter, mother," Campbell said. "$40 a month, in the economy we are in right now, is everything."

Tiffanie Young, a supervisor at a small rural hospital in Seaside, Oregon, says she saves $50 per paycheck for emergencies. The end to the payroll tax break would mean "I would probably have to stop doing that." She said that for a lot of people $40 could help pay for groceries, gas and other necessary bills.

etc.
etc.
Click to expand...
 
Re: CNN chastises Americans for complaining about gas prices

PrometheusBound said:
The best freedom money can buy. The same principle that outlaws price-gouging when taking advantage of a natural disaster should apply in normal times. Individuals not buying it is unrealistic and ineffective because only a large and organized boycott would change excessive profit-taking
Click to expand...

Market prices =/= "price gouging." Not to mention that it's not up to you or anyone else to define "excessive."

And profit margins for oil companies are in line with every other industry, anyway, and considerably less than many others.

Oil Industry Profit Margin Ranks Fairly Low: There Are Bigger Fish - Seeking Alpha
 
Erod said:
So our total personal cost for this increase in price is only a measly $12 per week.
Click to expand...

We had the White House having people say how $50 dollars less a month due to not extending the tax holiday would cause their children to go without food, their rent not be paid, or people not being able to afford food.

However, $50 some odd dollars less a month due to increase fuel prices...No big deal.

Once again, I ****ing hate people. Politicians and journalists are usually stupid but it gets so much worse during election season.
 
Re: CNN chastises Americans for complaining about gas prices

muciti said:
As with anything, if you don't like the price dont buy it.
Click to expand...

So you like the price?
 
Re: CNN chastises Americans for complaining about gas prices

I think the conservatives are just upset because it cost them more to fill up the pickup trucks, the generator for the mobile home, the four wheeler and the engine that lights the outhouse...
 
Re: CNN chastises Americans for complaining about gas prices

JasonI said:
I think the conservatives are just upset because it cost them more to fill up the pickup trucks, the generator for the mobile home, the four wheeler and the engine that lights the outhouse...
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I don't think you could afford any of those things, and you never will living in your momma's basement.
 
Re: CNN chastises Americans for complaining about gas prices

American said:
I don't think you could afford any of those things, and you never will living in your momma's basement.
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Let's hope you don't get paid to think...

You haven't seen my mom's basement!!!

And guess what, I wouldn't want any of those things...
 
Re: CNN chastises Americans for complaining about gas prices

muciti said:
No there isnt. You have a choice on whether or not to purchase fuel for the set price. If you dont like the price its still as simple as not buying it. Or buy less of it.
Click to expand...

Unfortunately, we don't have the choice on whether or not to purchase food and other necessities, which go up when transport prices rise due to elevated gasoline prices, and other energy prices as well. Yeah, guess we should all just be happy that we're doing so much better with gas prices rising.
 
Re: CNN chastises Americans for complaining about gas prices

lizzie said:
Unfortunately, we don't have the choice on whether or not to purchase food and other necessities, which go up when transport prices rise due to elevated gasoline prices, and other energy prices as well. Yeah, guess we should all just be happy that we're doing so much better with gas prices rising.
Click to expand...

Food prices would go up initially until we stopped importing everything then it would balance out. Maybe we'd even stop over eating as a nation so much. It would certainly help to reduce the effect gas has on our environment. It would be nice if gas his $40/gal.
 
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