Angie O’Dell – 9/19/06

This page was last updated on September 20, 2006.

Gas prices lined [sic] to election; Angie O’Dell; Beaver County Times; September 19, 2006.

The last time we heard from Ms. O’Dell, she accused the Bush administration of “leaking” classified information to discredit Joe Wilson.

Below is a detailed critique of the subject letter.

“Why are gas prices dropping like a lead balloon?

“The explanation given in one newspaper is that it is because of ‘easing geopolitical tensions.’

“Excuse me, but where are geopolitical tensions easing? We are at war with Iraq and Afghanistan and trying to start something with Iran. (Like in the novel ‘1984’ where the ‘sheeple’ have to get up each morning and find out from Big Brother whether they are at war with Euroasia or East Asia this week.)”

[RWC] “We are … trying to start something with Iran?” Iran’s building a nuclear bomb in violation of a treaty it signed and we’re the ones “trying to start something?”

“Also, we are in the middle of hurricane season.”

[RWC] Unless a hurricane damages and/or disrupts oil industry facilities, what does being “in the middle of hurricane season” have to do with anything? Generally, gasoline prices drop after the summer driving season.

FYI, the Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1^st through November 30^th.

“There is absolutely no reason for gas prices to be dropping this low and this quickly. Oh, wait, I forgot. There is an election coming up in a few weeks. Hmmm.”

[RWC] According to Ms. O’Dell, just as the free market didn’t have anything to do when prices increased, the free market isn’t why oil prices are dropping.

“Seriously, I would not be surprised if gas prices will be back to $3 a gallon by the end of November.

“The powers-that-be will be throwing every goodie and promise they can at us for the next few weeks. Try not to be manipulated or lured into a false sense of security.”

[RWC] I’m glad conspiracy theorists exist. They make the world more interesting, and humorous.

I know this doesn’t fit Ms. O’Dell’s conspiracy theory, but perhaps the following had some effect.

· Most repairs to facilities damaged by Hurricanes Katrina and Wilma have been completed and those facilities are now back in production.

· The summer driving season – when gasoline prices normally escalate – ended.

· Inventories of both crude and finished product (gasoline, heating oil, et cetera) are back at normal levels. Remember, as a result of damaged facilities, we drew down both crude and product inventories after the hurricanes. Low inventories result in intermittent supply shortages and this results in higher prices.

· The impact of replacing MTBE with ethanol as an octane booster is now mostly past.

· The impact of introducing lower sulfur diesel fuel is now mostly past. Remember, the effect of requiring lower sulfur content results in less supply and higher price.