Recently with the Bio Fuel initiatives we have considered the high price of gasoline. So has our Congress and they have asked the FTC to look into it all. The Federal Trade Commission has also asked Congress for something; more money! This is typical of government agencies, as they just cannot wait until you need something to remind you that they always need more money; more taxpayers money that is. In fact in the FY 2007 budget justification report the Federal Trade Commission stated: In July 2005, the FTC issued a report entitled "Gasoline Price Changes: The Dynamic of Supply, Demand, and Competition. The report analyzes the many factors that influence fluctuations in the prices that U. consumers pay for gasoline at their local gas station. It examines a wide range of gasoline price factors - including the cost of crude oil, increasing national and international demand and federal, state, and local regulations, all of which influence the prices consumers pay at the pump. One of the report's conclusions is that over the past 20 years, changes in the price of crude oil have led to 85 percent of the changes in the retail price of gasoline in the United States, while other important factors have included increasing demand, supply restrictions, and federal, state, and local regulations such as clean fuel requirements and taxes. Well isnt that just wonderful, let me tell you something folks I can buy a better and more comprehensive report online for $49.95 and check out on the website faster than you can order a vacation and hotel from Orbits. So this report they site is a crock and certainly no reason to enhance the FTCs 2007 FY Budget, give me a break. Supply and Demand and market forces are as well known today, as they were to J. Paul Getty and Ayn Rand in previous periods. It is amazing the FTC actually believes that they are worth the over 217 Million Dollars per year we fund them with. Get smart America some of these little pathetic agencies in my opinion need to get the budget axe and big time. Consider this in 2006. |
