Larry Dighera wrote:

While there is little doubt that OPEC is setting the price of their
product at the highest point they feel consumers can bear, that isn't
the real cause of the astronomical rise in prices. From what I've
heard, about 50% of the price of crude oil is the result of wall
street investors moving their wealth out of dollar denominated bonds
and other instruments (because of the threat of the dollar's continued
devaluation) and moving it into inflation-proof commodities (oil).
That creates an exaggerated demand, that raises oil prices, that
increases inflation, that further weakens the dollar, that .... So,
although OPEC naturally shares some of the blame for high fuel prices,
you can thank wall street brokers and wealthy investors for the lion
share of the price increase. And the Chevron/Exxon/Shell/BP/... are
raping, er.. reaping the benefit. So it would seem that we are the
victims of the wealthy and big business; what else is new?


Why should OPEC 'share some of the blame' for other people's stupidity?
The fact is that the value of the dollar is akin to the price of a stock
in a corporation. If you have *any* savvy at all in buying stock you
would know that you look at the fundamentals of a corporation to help
determine the value of its stock. Who are are the executives, what is
the corporate philosophy, do they have a sound plan for growth, and are
they trying to mitigate future obligations and exposures?

If you answer these question honestly you will see the reason for the
fall in value of the US dollar.

2) What will you/we (in 1 or in 10 or in 50 generations?) do when all
the oil is gone?

Are you so naïve as to believe the public is capable of, or indeed
even interested in, thinking ahead and planning for the future? And
where is our governmental leadership in our time of need? They're
probably busy transferring their wealth into euros and inflation-proof
commodities. :-(



I believe that those in power of the United States government do not
think those they rule are (to quote yourself..) "... capable of, or
indeed even interested in, thinking ahead and planning for the future?"

People like you, who blindly pay homage to those in government, are what
has brought us to this situation. That will change...