Friday, March 29, 2024
Miles from the Mainstream
D. R. ZUKERMAN, proprietor
The Politicians Find Their Voices

SEPTEMBER 5, 2005 --

LPR has been taking note of rising gas prices since this past March, posting photos of price signs on this website.

This writer does not recall hearing, during
the past five months, politicians demand explanations for the steady rise in prices.

Suddenly, with the August 31 super-spike that gives new meaning to the gas station term "self-service," pols have found their voices -- rather late, LPR believes.

LPR would also point out, however, that it cited a poll, reported on CBS a few weeks ago, indicating that motorists would not change driving habits until gas prices reached $3 a gallon.

At the time, LPR regarded that as an invitation to go to $3. And just look at pump prices now.

Also, recently, LPR cited a statement attributed to the Bush administration that nothing could be done about the rise in gas prices -- a statement made before Hurricane Katrina.

Suddenly, the administration found something it could do -- release oil from government reserves. LPR believes diplomacy, development of new oil resources, as well as alternative energy sources, would be even more effective in stabilizing oil's impact on the economy.

The Waterbury Republican-American ran an editorial September 1 dismissing the notion that Hurricane Katrina caused the present gas price spike. LPR agrees, and has a hunch a lot of people are suspicious about the spike.

LPR has heard a number of remarks that the immediate spike is for gas already on hand and presumably purchased at lower prices.

This writer was in Torrington and Winsted August 31 and September 1 when the gas spike went right through our wallets.

At about 11.20 A.M. the price of regular gas was $2.75.9 at a Mobil station off Exit 44 on Route 8. An hour later, regular at the same station was $2.93.9.


Mobil Station off of Route 8, Exit 44 in Torrington, August 31st.


Mobil Station off of Route 8, Exit 44 in Torrington - one hour later than the previous photo.


In Winsted, August 31, the price of regular was $2.89.9 at the Gulf station referred to as "humane" in LPR recently when regular at this station was $2.55.9.

The Winsted Gulf Station on August 31st.


Same Gulf Station in Winsted later in the evening.


That evening, regular at the same Gulf station was $2.95.9, forty cents higher than the recent "humane" price -- for the summer of 2005, that is.

A Mobil station on Winsted's Main Street had prices written by hand, perhaps lacking the "3" for the new $3- and more price.

Mobil Station in Winsted using handwritten signs to post their prices, over $3.00 - the pre-printed price signs do not go up that high!


The price at the Cumberland Farms gas station, nearby on Main Street, staggered this writer.

Previously, this gas station charged prices comparable to the Gulf prices, lower than Mobil, among others. It was amazing to see that premium was more than $3.47 at Cumberland -- whose sign "Self Serve" prompted LPR to understand the term now has a rather new meaning -- to describe oil industry aggrandizement.
 
 

Cumberland Farms in Winsted, August 31.

 


Close-up of the Pump at the Cumberland Farms in WInsted, on August 31.


The Citgo station in Torrington was another whose prices had generally been cheaper than Mobil, in this part of Connecticut. The evening of August 31, LPR saw that the Citgo prices that were now significantly higher than local Mobil prices, with regular at $3.19.9

The Citgo Station in Torrington on the evening of August 31st.


Three Shell stations in the area had varying prices: nearly $3.20 for regular, August 31 just north of Winsted;. On September 1, one Shell station in Torrington carried regular at $3.24.9 , while the Shell station on East Main Street charged $2.92.9 for regular.

Shell - at the intersection of Route 8 and Route 20 in Winsted, on August 31.


Shell Station on North Main Street in Torrington near Capuano's, on September 1st.


Shell Station on East Main Street in Torrington, September 1.


Later, someone indicated to LPR that the smaller oil companies were charging more than the huge oil companies, which perhaps had more oil available to sell.

What will be the effect of this disparity -- if
it continues? Takeover of the smaller companies by the huge companies -- with super duper price hikes going straight through our wallets into our assets?

The Sunday Republican, of Waterbury, reported August 21 on its front page that members of Congress were getting a pay raise -- with rank and file members to
receive $165,200.

Those kind of bucks will absorb gas prices that are bleeding many of us. If travel allowances won't.

LPR feels those wages don't build strong bonds with the people who elect the members of Congress, not when it comes to gas prices.

Once again, LPR asks blogger country, filled with gentle grass roots, to consider the Populist message of Federalist 57.

Among other things, that document indicated that under the Constitution the rich had no more rights than the poor.

What would James Madison say, today, of our system of government by campaign donation influence?

Of officials and media that are distant from the people?

In brief, LPR asks blogger country to talk up the founding vision of a free people served by their representatives, not ruled for the self-interest of the representatives.

As Madison indicated -- when officials grow apart from the people, "every government degenerates into tyranny."