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Blackonomic$: Gas Too High? Increase The Supply By James Clingman How do we do that, you ask? Stop buying as much. How do we do that? Cut down on trips, especially those unnecessary ones. Think before you hop into your automobile and drive off to some place you really do not have to be. Many times we take our situation for granted and fail to recognize the habits we have formed. Driving is one of them, and the gas companies are making huge profits from our habitual and conspicuous consumption of their product. Wasn’t $36 Billion enough for Exxon last year? Conspicuous Consumption? Yes. A few years ago people were raving about owning one of those gas-guzzling SUV’s that passed everything on the road except a gas station. Well, now we are paying the price for our lemming-like attitude and for falling for the hype perpetrated by slick advertisement and marketing campaigns. Our consumption excess has now manifested itself into a no-matter-the-cost dependency on gasoline never before seen in this country – and four or five companies are laughing all the way to the bank. Talk about elastic demand; this is ridiculous. Have you seen the profits posted by those four or five oil companies lately? All the while consumers are paying outlandish, and I must say, capriciously set prices at their local pumps. Gas prices change almost everyday. The price for the same gas in the ground changes four or five times before it is completely sold. What’s up with that? When you are always on the demand side of the economy, however, those are the breaks, as Curtis Blow would say. Bottom-line: These crooks are ripping us off, big time. Let’s see if we can straighten this thing out. They tell us supply is low, which causes the price of gasoline to go up. Well, it stands to reason that if their supply goes up, or even stays the same, the price will come down. So let’s create greater supply, at least for some oil companies and help them with their problem. Here’s how. I am sure you have heard the latest call for economic sanctions against the largest oil company, Exxon/Mobil. I started my personal campaign against that company some time ago. And now I have added another company: Shell. I know I have to buy gasoline, but I don’t have to buy it from them. If we would stop buying from two or three of these gas gangstas, depending upon which ones dominate your local area, they will have plenty of supply and obviously less demand. With that as an issue, prices will decrease. We cannot simply complain about these thieves and continue to support them. So what are we to do? Some would say we are at their mercy; we can’t do anything. But, I beg to differ. We can choose those with whom we want to do business, and as the gas companies on the outside begin to feel the pinch, when they find themselves being open all day but getting little or no business, they will have to make some changes. It’s as simple as that. If we are not willing to make small sacrifices to get what we need, the thieves will always win. Find out which gas company represents the largest market share in your particular area. It may not be Exxon/Mobil where you live. If you are going after the largest company, find out which one it is in your town, and then call for sanctions against that particular company. A large vocal group of consumers, calling for withdrawal of their dollars from a certain gasoline company will go far in bringing the prices down. Less demand for certain gasoline will increase the supply of that gasoline. When it comes to lower profits, the big boys will make a change and they will see to it that the little guys do likewise. These “manufactured” gas prices will soon be a thing of the past if we, the consumers, would simply practice a little restraint, endure a little inconvenience, make simple sacrifices, and act in concert to decrease our demand for their precious fuel and, thereby, their supply. Get organized and get going! Oh yes, we cannot spend all of our efforts withdrawing our dollars from the rip-off gas companies and refuse to do something for ourselves at the same time. So take some of that money you save and buy few gas stations; that way we can at least gain some of the profits from this burgeoning industry. As Reginald Lewis said, “Why should white guys (and Arabs) have all the fun?” One more thing. Let’s cut back on all of the Navigatin’, Escaladin’, Expeditin’, and Hummin’ we love to do. The auto makers are probably laughing their heads off at the fact that consumers are still willing to purchase these monstrosities that get 12 miles to a gallon of Premium gasoline. If we really want gas prices to at least stay where they are, we had better be ready to do battle with the only weapons that count: Our dollars. Start your personal boycott today, and spread the word.