社評 0607 油價將繼續上漲

油價將繼續上漲

根據專家們之預測，全國汽油價格即將在未來十天內越過每加崙五點零五美元，這將是有史以來最高價格，根據AAA公司之記録，去年此時油價是每加崙三元五分美金，這將足足上升了二元美金。

這次漲價嚴重影響到一般駕駛者之預算，一台福特巨型貨車可以裝載四十八加崙的汽油，一年前加滿後要一百四十六元美金，但是目前要二百四十二元，位於達拉斯的一家慈善機構每天要為一千二百位老人送上午餐盒，但是這些志願送餐者因汽油太貴已經無法負擔高昴的汽油費。

過去十二個月來，原油價格已經上升了百分之五十三，天然汽上升了百分之一百四十八，這個可怕的數字已經嚴重影響到各行各業及大眾之生活品質，而五大石油公司去年却大賺進了八百二十億美元，每秒鐘進賬二千六百元。

事實上，油商們的資產在過去二年來共增加了五百三十億，約百分之二十四，這可真是發石油財。

遺憾的是，我們這個社會貧富懸殊加劇，窮人加不起油，有錢人錢越賺越多，而政府也是束手無策。

拜登總統雖然努力希望抑制油價和通貨膨脹，但是這牽扯到國內外之情勢，俄鳥之戰如果繼續下去，石油天然氣之供應必然短缺，全世界供應鍊必受影響，貨櫃價格飈升，石油天然氣價格必然繼續上漲。

受苦受難的還是小老百姓，如果這股民怨和高價無法抑制，選民必然會怪罪執政黨，大家只會以選票來表示抗議了。

從當年之卡特總統及老布什之敗選，皆是由于國內経濟之不振，人民也要先填飽肚子才行，從近代歷史來看，経濟之好坏是決定現任總統是否可連任之決定因素。

Our Gas Prices Could Pass $5.00 A Gallon

U.S. gas prices could soon pass a national average of $5.00. An industry expert predicted that this will happen in the next ten days.

Gas prices at the pump have climbed to a record national average high of $4.87. Today, according to AAA, the national average price for a gallon of gas one year ago was just $3.05.

An owner of a Ford 150 Super Truck has a 48-gallon fuel tank and to fill up his tank one year ago would have cost him $146 dollars. But today, it will cost him $242 to fill up his tank.

Higher gas prices have also started to take a hit on small businesses and non-profits that rely on the use of vehicles every day. Because of higher gas prices, a lot of volunteers just can’t afford to fill up their tanks. To deliver meals to seniors, owners of small trucking companies can’t afford to keep the low prices to deliver the food or other goods.

In fact, the assets of the oil companies have increased by $530 billion in the past two years by about 24%. Unfortunately, the gap between the rich and the poor in our society has widened. The poor can’t fill up their tanks, while the rich just get richer.

Although the president strives to curb oil prices and inflation, these economic conditions involve both the situation at home and abroad. If the war between Russia and Ukraine continues, the supply of oil and natural gas will inevitably be in short supply and the world’s supply chain will be directly impacted. Container prices will rise while oil and natural gas prices also will inevitably continue to rise.

Today the Biden administration should take both the rising inflation and higher prices, as well as other pressing issues, very seriously. Looking back at our national history, when the economy has been in a bad condition, past presidents found it very hard to get re-elected. Former presidents including Jimmy Carter and George Bush knew the economy was a decisive factor in winning a presidential election.