Free market economics folks.
Do you know what the average wage is in Venezuela? 42 cents is a lot down there.
We just have WAAAAAAAAY to much tax levied on our gas. We actually produce enough within the borders of the continental US to live on, but we sell over half our oil. They defend it by saying we help stabilize prices worldwide.
A big chunk is the refining costs – our unions negotiate much higher pay here then what they pay folks in other countries to refine the stuff. Plus, BIG OIL has to keep the stock holders happy by turning BIG PROFITS.
We have a free market economy, but it has its good and bad parts that we have all obviously decided to live with.
If you go back through history – did you know it was the middle class that was at the center of almost every revolution?
So, once the middle class gets fed up enough, we’ll have a revolution. The poor aint got the money and the rich (well, most of them) are okay either way.
Any one gotta a couple of billion to throw at a revolution? 😉