Gasoline price gouging?

The other day, we saw the Governor and the Attorney General of WV stand up and say that they would not tolerate gouging on the price of gasoline. That day, the cost of regular unleaded gasoline in Huntington was $2.59/gallon.

The next day, the Governor appeared and thanked the WV gasoline dealers for not gouging.

The next day, the price of regular unleaded gasoline in Huntington was $3.09/gallon.

WSAZ News had a report last night on the issue. They interviewed the head of the WV Retail Gasoline Dealers Association. They questioned the 50 cent per gallon increase in the cost of fuel. His answer, obviously unthinking, was that he had to pay 40 cents per gallon more wholesale for that fuel.

Now. Did his other costs go up? Is he suddenly paying his employees more? He paid 40 cents more per gallon and increased his prices by 50 cents per gallon. A new profit of 10 cents per gallon.

At a time when oil companies are making record profits, they found it necessary to increase the cost of gasoline. They are using the devestation of Katrina as their excuse but much of the fuel for which they have increased their prices is all ready in the storeage tanks. At a time when many Americans are living from hand to mouth, the oil companies are making it more difficult to make ends meet.

The price of gasoline will, eventually, impact on all other goods and services. They will all go up. Inflation will rise. The working poor will soon find it costs them more in gasoline to get to work than they are making at work. Unemployment will skyrocket.

And the rich, as usual, don't give a rat's ass.