September 02, 2005
David Van Os Rails Against Price Gouging in the Wake of Hurricane Katrinia
By Damon McCullar
David Van Os, candidate for Attorney General had this to say about the price gouging occurring in the wake of the national tragedy known as Hurricane Katrina:
News commentators, industry representatives, politicians, and other voices of the corporate-political-media establishment are somberly telling the rest of us to expect more increases in gasoline prices as a result of Hurricane Katrina.
However, I have some questions for the political-corporate elites and their friends in the media punditry. Who gave the big oil companies an unalienable right to profit off tragedy? Do the oil companies have a God-given right to forever maximize their profits? Why shouldn't the oil companies and their silk-stocking executives be expected to do their part to assist in relief efforts? Why shouldn't the oil companies be expected to show some public spirit and reduce their profit expectations at this time of national distress? Where are our public servants who should be calling on the oil companies to do their part? Are our public officials too beholden to corporate industry to exert moral leadership on this matter?
What do you think?
Posted by Damon McCullar at September 2, 2005 08:14 PM
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WOW.......its a dog and pony show for these maggots..Katrina is a gold mine for re election......tell the poor what they want to hear..in time of trouble and the votes will slime through..with the help of lobbist..they will get reelected as heros...ANARCHY.............N.Lack of political authority,disorder and confusion;the absence of any purpose or standard............fush buck!!!!!
1. The price of oil has actually dropped since Wednesday. Before the hurricane it was $65-ish. This week it went to $71, now it's $67.
The Feds are opening the Strategic Petroleum Reserve.
So the problem can't be raw material prices.
2. Nine refineries went off line. But latest reports are that damage was less than thought, and most of them will be back up in a week or two.
The two big pipelines taking refined products to the SE and NE are about to restart.
So in a week or two this possible justification should be greatly reduced or eliminated.
Also, gasoline can be imported.
3. Maybe there is gouging at the retail level. Publicly busting a few would be a great deterrent. I hope a state attorney general or a DA somewhere has some guts (despite the Tx AG's remarks, I don't have much hope that he will be that guy).
4. In two or three weeks it should be clear whether there is any justification for higher prices.
David Van Os is exactly right. Gouging is happenig now! I've watched the price at the nearest gas station go from $2.75 the day the hurricane hit to $2.99 today. I don't have an oil well so assertion that the per barrell rice is down means nothing, it's what I have to pay at the pump that matters.
Gasoline will be over $4 a gallon by the time I get sworn in as Attorney General in January 2007. My first order of business will be the formation of a task force of Assistant Attorneys General to find every way possible to take action on behalf of the people over gasoline prices. When the major oil giants' profit ratios are increasing dramatically at the same time that consumers are getting hit harder and harder, something is rotten. Texas has strong antitrust laws and consumer protection laws on the books, and the Attorney General has strong enforcement power. It won't be just lip service with me. I'll take the predators on. The same with the insurance monopoly as well as the oil monopoly.
David Van Os
Future People's Lawyer of Texas
