Market Forces? I Don't Think So

It's interesting, this government- and speculation-fueled* rush to raise gasoline prices. As a resident of Alaska, perennially Number Two on the list of highest gas prices (sorry, Hawaiians), it's quite informative to see prices on the East Coast so much higher than here.

Prices here never went down, the last time y'all enjoyed gas in the $2.00+ range. We hovered around the $3.25 mark for the last 18 months, give or take, and have only just gone up to our current price of $3.76 [now $3.83 - Ed.].

So when I read that gas in Orlando was $4.05 at stations near their airport, last week, it was surprising.

Yes, the price at the pump is driven by speculation on oil futures. Oil futures, in turn, are driven by the availability of oil coming to market. And when government won't allow drilling, there's less oil coming.

So don't blame the oil companies, for - at least, this time - it's not their fault.




* Bad pun alert ... a bit late, but there it is.