GAS PRICES (Part 2)

Here in Northern New Jersey (where it used to be rural, with more cows than people) regular gas topped out at about $4.05 per gallon. Now, since the two conventions have finished, it has dropped on average, 10 cents per week, and ranges from $3.31 to $3.45 per gallon.

It will continue to drop about 5 cents a week until the election on the 2nd Tuesday in November.

This happens EVERY YEAR. The base price has never been as high, but the pattern is exactly the same: whatever the price is, it drops until the November elections, and then slowly creeps back up.

Are the American people being manipulated by the big oil companies? Now, who would ever expect that? They wouldn't be so mean, would they? Really?

Do they think we're stupid, that we don't notice this pattern repeat itself, year. after year,after year. after year?

I guess they do. And, they don't care. Because, they have a captive market.

Come on, GM & FORD, -- DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT -- make an electric car! Make an AFFORDABLE hybrid car (some of us can't afford $25,000, or even $18,000. Some of us aren't working, or are on a fixed income)

As my parents would have said: They're all in cahoots.

Translation: They are all in it together -- in each others' pockets, sharing each others' weath, and happy as a pig in mud.

Ya woulda thunk that the big 3 auto manufacturers would have realized by now that they were doing something wrong. To see how many SUVs are sitting parked on the side of the road, for sale, cheap, maybe they don't -- because the resales aren't going through dealerships. Times are hard, here in New Jersey -- and SUVs are for sale, at any price.

We are hoping our 12 year old Toyota Tercel compact with its 201,000 miles will keep on truckin' -- the fuel filler neck is rusted, and no longer available. (we solved this problem by no longer filling the tank all the way) Other parts, too, will become obsolete. And we can only afford cars that are obsolete, at this point in our lives. There is no mass transit where we live: no trains, no buses, no affordable cabs. (to travel 13 miles by cab costs $35.00)
One MUST have a car, just to survive. We have chosen to use the air conditioning only in weather that is dangerously hot. We drive only when we must, and group errands together. I guess we Americans didn't realize when we had it easy, we took for granted our luxury, and complained about it then.

"I complained about having no shoes, until I met a man who had no feet."

There is a grocery store about a mile's walk away. I guess that is a blessing, now.