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Subscribe to RSSGas prices have been climbing at a rapid pace, with 32 straight days of increases culminating in a four-month high. The national average for a gallon of regular gas is now $3.73. NBC's Tom Costello reports.
U.S. gas prices have hit a four-month high with 32 straight days of increases at the pump bringing misery to spring breakers and job hunters.
The Automobile Association of America said Monday that the national average for a gallon of regular is $3.73 -- 43 cents more than a month ago -- with prices topping $4 in California and Hawaii.
"It's become the perfect storm," AAA spokeswoman Nancy White said.
White and other experts blamed a series of factors for the uptick that started in mid-January:
-- Some refineries are switching over from winter to summer fuel, which is more expensive to produce.
-- A Hess refinery in New Jersey that supplies 7.5 percent of the Northeast's gas is closing.
-- Midwinter maintenance has led some refineries to go offline temporarily.
-- Demand for gas is up, fueled in part by the return of more people to working.
The price hikes come at a bad time, however, for Americans who are still out of work or facing smaller paychecks because of higher payroll taxes.
"Try the bad gas prices while trying to find a job," one unemployed driver vented on the Facebook page for GasBuddy.com, which tracks fuel prices around the nation.
Patrick DeHaan, an analyst with the website, said many cities have seen increases of 8 cents to 20 cents in just the past week. "This is what we usually see in late winter, early spring, but prices have started to rally two months earlier than usual," he said.
He said his firm's unscientific user surveys suggest that the pinch at the pump could lead to less travel over spring break in March and April and changes in plans for Memorial Day and even the summer.
"There are people predicting that it will go over $5 a gallon," DeHaan said. "I don't believe that's possible, but it shows how concerned motorists are."
On the Facebook page, many posters were worried that the rise in gas prices could cause an economic meltdown.
"When you raise prices on gas people will stop spending money because they need to get back and forth to work and pay their bills each month," one wrote.
"If it's this high right now, imagine what it's gonna be here in a few months!" another fretted.
White of AAA said that based on historical trends, prices will likely continue to rise into the warmer months and driving season, but not at the same pace they did in 2011 and 2012, when developments in Libya and Iran caused big spikes.
"That is not so much part of the picture right now," she said. "But that could change should something else happen overseas."
This story was originally published on Mon Feb 18, 2013 3:24 PM EST
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Obama & Chu told us that raising the cost of energy is their goal. Chu warned Americans that his goal was $10 gallon gas just like Europe. But the real blame on rising gas prices should be all the idiots that voted for Obama in the first place, let alone a second term. Obama actually told us that he would do this, people just failed to listen & believe him. So it is not a coincidence that gas prices have risen over .75 gallon since he won a second term.
Voting for Romney was just as bad.
Mindy, the real idiots are the people who continually drag the old lie out that the President (any president) is responsible for the price of gasoline because they're just to lazy to learn something.
Great for inflation. High gas prices really help costs go down and the economy improve! High gas prices contribute to the ongoing problems being experienced in this country today. If we are going to open up our public and private lands to energy exploration, upset the ecology, pollute pristine lands and waters, destroy the habitat of thousands of wildlife species, what is the public going to gain out of it if not lower gasoline prices?
Inflation is not about prices going up or down.
Inflation is about the value of dollars declining; normally because of new
currency being printed.
Our government is the ultimate counterfeiter.
JEM, funny given the dollar is the preferred trading currency of choice in the world won has to wonder why...
I always get a big kick out of seeing people post the normal points that all energy companies will upset the ecology, pollute pristine lands and waters, destroy the habitat of thousands of wildlife species, and yet I bet TOP $$$$$ these same people know nothing about the real process; only what hyped biased reporting and complete misinformation being spewed by a few (and lot of them because they are set up to make BIG $$$$$ off of the misinformation).
If you wanted to save the country, you had your chance with Ron Paul.
When Ron Paul was not nominated, you should have voted Libertarian.
Neither Obama nor Romney had anything to offer but US Bankruptcy, endless wars
and soon third world poverty.
There are so many reasons why RP would've been bad for this country I wouldn't know where to start.
Evidently, the vast/overwhelming majority of the voters agreed.
Someone earlier said the Bush's are the reason for higher prices how stupid is that?? But if you would like to believe that I heard this morning that gas prices are rising faster than the last time we had a big increase in 2005. So then if that is the case who's fault is it now?????? Still Bush's???? That is what odumbo would have you believe and you people are stupid enough to believe it. Just like he was going to close gitmo and stop the wars and fix immigration and fix health care etc. Face it he has done nothing but do his best to bankrupt the US, turn races against each other and get in as many vacations as he can before people find out and kick his worthless butt out of DC. Our best bet is to impeach him so he and his fat azz chimp can't live off of taxpayer dollars for the rest of their worthless lives.
bobm, show us where The President has blamed GW for the higher gas prices.
As for your other assertions I think you should read something before carelessly throwing untrue things around.
Read up on why Gitmo is still open and get back to us.
Read up on the closure of Iraq and the accelerated Afghanistan withdrawal schedule and get back to us.
Read up on immigration reform efforts and get back to us.
The AHA hasn't been fully implemeted. Read the details, learn something and get back to us.
Give us all of the reasons why what he has ever done is impeachable. We'd all appreciate that information.
And finally, do a little research into The President's actual vacation time and look into who the presidential vacation champions are and get back to us.
Naturally, you won't because facts seem to be one of your short suits.
Nice bit of blather, however...
Again Chip you don't read. I said someone earlier had blamed Bush and indeed it was Terri in post #940 but I thought maybe someone would catch that. One thing obama sure wouldn't be stupid enough to do would be directly blame Bush when he can insinuate and the sheeple believe his lying butt. Anyway I don't have to read up on anything. I am sure that this lying admin has an answer for everything that they promised and haven't delivered on. And I really could care less about their reasons. I am just sick of hearing about Bush's gitmo and Bush's wars. If you don't want them stop them don't keep blaming someone while you are proceeding on that same path. I need to read nothing about his immigration reform efforts all I need do is remember how he treated one of the United States of America because it was going to begin to enforce immigration laws and obama was going to take them to court over it. And I think you need to read about obamacare because then you would be way ahead of most of the congress that passes the bill, which as written originally was unConstitutional. And we have already seen some of the tax effects of the law take place when obama promised not to tax the middle class---you go read up on the 2.3% medical excise tax on clothing and then tell me how this is not taxing the middle class.
Well bob you certainly didn't disappoint. Your response was exactly what I would have expected by an agitator.
BTW, Iraq WAS Bush's trumped-up war. History doesn't chnage with the passage of time.
I do agree that blaming Bush on gas rpices is as stupid as blaming the current administration. And Gitmo is Congress' baby. They're making the calls on that little gem.
And just one more point that you're wrong on... The AHA was NEVER ruled unconstitutional. Only one element was ruled that way so your statement is disingenuous at best. Nice try...
Oh so now because only one part of the law is unConstitutional it is alright. That is wrong with government they think they can get away with shist because they explain like you did "Only one part is against the law." Oh let's see the Constitution is quite specific on immigration but let's just tweek it a little with an executive order that says you can forgo the regular immigration laws and become a citizens if your illegal parents came over the border illegally and dropped your azz on US territory. Can't you really see anything wrong with your statement???? ONLY ONE ELEMENT WAS RULED THAT WAY???? Are you serious. So let's see I rob a bank at gunpoint but they really don't have much money so I can just say I am just fooling don't arrest me because the only element of what I did wrong was come into a bank with a gun. And you can continue to call it Bush's trumped up war or whatever you would like but has odumbo done anything to stop it or has he just suggested he will cut down troops eventually. Remember he has been in office for 4 years now. Just remember Nixon promised to end the Viet Nam war---he was elected in 1972 and the war was over in 1974 so explain why obama can't stop this war with a full troop pullout in his first term. It is a war we will never win and one that congress does not want to win. I am not an agitator I am an American Citizen who is damn sick and tired of seeing this country being pushed around by other countries and by a government that wants to give away all of our hard work and labors just to promote their socialistic leaning toward communistic agenda.
bobm, just try and get it right... It passed the smell test with the SCOTUS. And no, I see absolutely nothing wrong with that statement. Countless decisions have been presented and ruled on in the exact same way.
The House Speaker called it the law of the land. It's time to move on or seek out professional help...
Chip, The following may help bring back memories of Obama and the democrats blaming Bush for high gas prices:
http ://www .thegatewaypundit. com/2012/02/video-flashback-obama-and-dems-blast-bush-for-gas-prices-in-2008/
http ://www .youtube. com/watch?v=sQb_4hXLx2Q
Just two weeks ago, Exxon reported over $44 plus billion in profit so why are we paying over $4.00 a gallon? These gas companies have us over the barrel when we need gas to get to/from work and getting around. Our economy will never turn around due to the greed of these companies. Don't put Exxon gas in your car is a start.
Hawaiiancutie...
Haven't you heard, it's The President's fault!
I'm pretty sure he's behind the flu season as well.
Just in case no one has been paying attention, THIS is payback, because the Tax breaks for the wealthy, were not EXTENDED by this Administration.
Even though we are giving them "oil subsidies" they are still not satisfied, and taking away their Tax breaks, has caused them to try to gouge all of us, for the taxes they WILL have to pay.
Is everyone asleep at the switch on this board? Contact your Congressional representative, and tell them to DO something, that will get Big Oil's attention. They are certainly NOT doing anything, to rein in this insanity, and when more and more taxpayers, find it difficult to even GET TO their jobs, there will be another recession, brought about by GREED.
Greed, pure greed.
white collar mafia :)
Yes, once again today we set a new all time record high price for any Feb 21 (even after adjusting for inflation). AFTER adjusting for inflation, 2012 ranks the most expensive year (high annual average price) we have ever had for gas. It eclipsed 2011 as the previous record high year. Since we are already exceeding last year's same day prices, do you think that 2013 will set an new all time record high ANNUAL average price?
Sorry, but I have never seen such blatant misuse of overpricing as I'm seeing now with the current gas prices. This is something we should all be outraged over. The need for fuel is a given and we have all tried to conserve to at least some degree, but the increases just keep coming in this severely depressed economy, and how are we supposed to handle the additional financial load? I would love to physically protest like we did in the 60's (we thought it was high then), but really worry how people today would react.
So now we switch over to summer gas in February, next year January. Just any and every FKN excuse to raise the price even when we have a surplus, are exporting. The oil is cheaper and closer to home and they still act like its an OPEC problem.
And Everybody BLAMED Bush!!! START BLAMING Obama CROOK-BOY baby!!! He wanted 4 more years to RIP OFF everyone.... WELL the CROOK got it baby!!!!!!! I hope CHINA takes it ALL..... DAMN the USA.......
I have one thing to say ethanol is the number one suspected culprit in the pandemic allergy outbreak in the past few years. Yes I said pandemic. Being worldly connected now through cyber space it's not hard to fallow. North America seems to be the only place the complaints are originating. People that are otherwise healthy complaining of allergy symptoms where they have never had trouble before in their entire life now have uncontrollable allergies at least parts of the year where others are continually plagued with symptoms year round. If you are one of these people think back to when you first started noticing the allergy problems and the rise in production and use of the gasoline additive ethanol. I will leave the conclusion to you. I have drawn my own.
Johnnia Foster - And the current President and his former Secretary of State both voted for the war. So quit acting like Bush held a gun to their heads. They wanted it to. US went into Iraq due to the votes of both Democrats and Republicans. So try again...
I guess I'm confused by the fact that we say that we will be energy independent because we are now producing so much more but we sell it to the highest bidder? So it goes overseas
How does that help anyone but the oil companies?