Why does the price change when the tanks are full? Simple it's price gouging. Every State Attorney General could be looking into these things along with the Government, but there not going too.
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Arizona's comprehensive investigation into that state's high fuel prices after Hurricane Katrina concludes that while there was "profiteering" at all levels of the oil industry, nothing illegal took place.
Washington's attorney general's office said in a report last week that its more recent investigation of today's high prices "has not found any evidence so far of illegal activity among gasoline retailers or producers in Washington."
Together, the two reports show that it is hard for authorities to prove consumers are being ripped off even in times of extraordinary price increases.
Attorneys general in at least nine states, responding to outrage by their residents, are investigating whether current high gasoline prices are a result of wrongdoing by the petroleum industry, according to the National Association of Attorneys General.
Arizona's statewide average price is $3.022, still nearly 11 cents less than the record $3.131 shortly after Katrina, according to travel club AAA's daily survey.
Washington's average $3.011 Monday set a record for that state.
The attorney general in California, where the statewide average hit a record $3.251 a gallon Monday, says he will subpoena documents from the state's 21 refineries, including those operated by major oil companies ChevronTexaco, ExxonMobil and ConocoPhillips.
The attorney general's office said state data for 2006 show that crude oil prices have risen 14%, but the difference between what oil companies pay for crude oil and prices at the pump has soared 130%.
Gasoline is made from crude oil, which accounts for roughly 55% of the pump price for gasoline, the U.S. government says.
And Washington Attorney General Rob McKenna, in a statement about his investigation, said, "Gas prices are influenced by the basic laws of supply and demand."
Energy-industry veterans wonder if such probes are misleading.
California's own Energy Commission, for instance, acknowledges in an explanation of fuel prices on its website: "Rumors and charges of collusion among the oil companies have been raised for decades with nothing ever proven."
Charles Swanson, director of Ernst & Young's Energy Center, says, "Politicians can posture all they want, but there's nothing they can do to help."
Some states have made price-gouging cases. Florida sued individual gas stations for overcharging after Katrina.
But Florida, unlike Arizona, has an anti-gouging law. It is in effect only when a state of emergency is declared. Florida was a hurricane target, making an emergency declaration logical.
Arizona's report, unveiled last week, says, "Profit margins realized by every segment of the oil industry were two or three times their normal margins."
But the state has no law making that illegal, underscoring, the report says, the need for a federal price-gouging law.
The Federal Trade Commission is expected to deliver a report by May 22 that will say whether the agency found any price manipulation after Katrina.
Arizona's comprehensive investigation into that state's high fuel prices after Hurricane Katrina concludes that while there was "profiteering" at all levels of the oil industry, nothing illegal took place.
Washington's attorney general's office said in a report last week that its more recent investigation of today's high prices "has not found any evidence so far of illegal activity among gasoline retailers or producers in Washington."
Together, the two reports show that it is hard for authorities to prove consumers are being ripped off even in times of extraordinary price increases.
Attorneys general in at least nine states, responding to outrage by their residents, are investigating whether current high gasoline prices are a result of wrongdoing by the petroleum industry, according to the National Association of Attorneys General.
Arizona's statewide average price is $3.022, still nearly 11 cents less than the record $3.131 shortly after Katrina, according to travel club AAA's daily survey.
Washington's average $3.011 Monday set a record for that state.
The attorney general in California, where the statewide average hit a record $3.251 a gallon Monday, says he will subpoena documents from the state's 21 refineries, including those operated by major oil companies ChevronTexaco, ExxonMobil and ConocoPhillips.
The attorney general's office said state data for 2006 show that crude oil prices have risen 14%, but the difference between what oil companies pay for crude oil and prices at the pump has soared 130%.
Gasoline is made from crude oil, which accounts for roughly 55% of the pump price for gasoline, the U.S. government says.
And Washington Attorney General Rob McKenna, in a statement about his investigation, said, "Gas prices are influenced by the basic laws of supply and demand."
Energy-industry veterans wonder if such probes are misleading.
California's own Energy Commission, for instance, acknowledges in an explanation of fuel prices on its website: "Rumors and charges of collusion among the oil companies have been raised for decades with nothing ever proven."
Charles Swanson, director of Ernst & Young's Energy Center, says, "Politicians can posture all they want, but there's nothing they can do to help."
Some states have made price-gouging cases. Florida sued individual gas stations for overcharging after Katrina.
But Florida, unlike Arizona, has an anti-gouging law. It is in effect only when a state of emergency is declared. Florida was a hurricane target, making an emergency declaration logical.
Arizona's report, unveiled last week, says, "Profit margins realized by every segment of the oil industry were two or three times their normal margins."
But the state has no law making that illegal, underscoring, the report says, the need for a federal price-gouging law.
The Federal Trade Commission is expected to deliver a report by May 22 that will say whether the agency found any price manipulation after Katrina.
LOL yeah that's why they made a profit of $114 billion last year vs. $34 billion 3 years ago.
Just out of curiousity, I wonder how people get their opinion that politicians' pockets are lined by oil companies. Aren't there campaign contribution limits? How does everyone see that playing out? And I realize Cheney and his ties to Haliburton, and Bush a former oil man, but how do you all think this pocket lining works? And I'm certainly not saying it doesn't happen, I just wonder how.
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