West Coast Senators probe gas prices

[HereOnThePrimalEdge]

Some years ago, the Hawaii State legislature passed a gas cap law. This was at a time when Hawaii consumed 4% of the west coast gasoline, but provided 17-19% of the profits to the west coast oil companies. Immediately after the gas cap law went into effect, the price of gasoline dropped dramatically. Then, a few months later the price spiked due to a problem in the Middle East. Many people were livid, that this new gas cap law "caused" the price of gas to increase so much. To those who thought the gas cap caused the problem, I tried to explain that the price would be even higher without the gas cap, but all they saw was cause (gas cap) and effect (higher prices). Cause and effect did raise the price, but the cause was the Middle East, not the gas cap.

Calls were made to state senators and representatives and people demanded the gas cap be repealed. The politicians bowed to the voice of the people, and the prices went higher again. But the citizens were pleased with themselves.

To this day they still complain about the high cost of gas. But do they realize they did some of it to themselves?

I wouldn't hold out much hope for a group of west coast senators investigating market manipulation, we know the refineries do this (especially Hawaii prices). We know laws can be passed (gas cap), and we know the misinformation that then goes around can then undo any good that might come from it.