While fuel prices soared, reaching new heights daily, the American people were provided a number of excuses. We heard it was merely supply and demand. That China and India were modernizing and they were using more of the world's resources. Then there were the hurricanes that decimated the gulf coast and destroyed refineries, pipe lines and drilling rigs. Then there was the uncertainty of warfare in the Middle East that dramatically affected the world's volatile oil markets.
All of these less than satisfactory explanations were used at one time or another by big oil and their republican hip-pocket politicians. It's no secret that big oil contributes heavily to republican candidates. Meanwhile oil companies continued to register huge windfall record profits while Americans cutback their lifestyles in an effort to survive. Prices of all goods and materials still greatly reflect the increase in fuel prices.
Most people have become suspicious of these explanations for exorbitant fuel prices and rightly accuse oil companies of price gouging. Most people also now correctly suspect that many in government aren't necessarily looking out for their best interests.
