who sets the price of gas per gallon for the USA?
446335
Major Factors affecting price:\n\n1. OPEC's supply (inverse relationship... lower=higher)\n\n2. cost and ability to refine \n\n3. taxes imposed by local, state and federal government\n\n4. consumption (demand)
234694
Yeah,  of course.  That's why gas is only 25 cents a gallon.  Isn't it wonderful?  Maybe we can attack China next,  call it something about nuclear weapons and communism,  but it will really be for knock-off designer handbags and ceramic animal trinkets.
122255
The gas companies practice what is known as zone pricing. They look at how much money people in a certain area make and then set the price from there. It allows them to charge people who will pay more a top dollar price while still selling to the poor at a price they can afford. That is why some independent gas stations will have prices that are much lower then the big corporations, they don't have zone pricing.
326398
I paid 25 cents for a gallon of gas in 1971.  I was making $3.80 an hour.  In 2006 I am paying $2.85 for a gallon of gas.  I am making $80,000 a year.  My earnings have gone up, but along with that so have prices of products.  If inflation increases 5.1% for the year you are taking a 3% wage cut.
412541
I didn't know that, but on the Today show this morning they said a gallon of gas in Iraq is 35 cents and 12 cents in Venezuela!  We're getting ripped!
936895
You didn't say "Whos" price.\nI suspect you meant the consummer.  But, there's a lot of people and governments which try to get a piece of that dollar you spend on gas(oline?)\n\nThe prime culprits are taxes, commodities speculators, and other countries.\n\nSo the real answer is "whatever the market will bear".\n\nIt makes no difference that oil companies may keep their costs at are below inflation - outside factors are pushing the "price at the pump" to the point where the consumer rebels..\n\n"What I did like in the story is the soundbite (phone interview) they had with the CEO of Exxon, who was quick to point out that they (Exxon) make about 10 cents profit per gallon, while 'big government' (my words, not his) makes at least 4 times that per gallon.".....\n\n"The problem is that NO ONE ever mentions, like I have before, that these billions in profits is only about 8% of their total income. That is actually one of the lowest profit percentages of all industries."
393908
The best thing to do is not meddle. If price gets high enough, people will be forced to conserve. Prices are usually over $4 per gallon in Europe and over $3 per gallon for most of Latin America. Perhaps prices would be more stable if North America were to stop wasting the world's fuel supply.
11708
So we can pay less then 3 dollars for a gallon of gas.  Every other nation pays twice that.  Italy is roughly 6.50 per gallon, while Japan pays about 20.00 per gallon.  If you own a car you would agree, if you own a truck with a V-8 you probably support the war.  If you own a Ferrari with a V-12 it doesnt matter anyway becasue you are rich.
360270
The basic concept is here: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5365439\n\nThe paragraph under "Then who sets the prices?"\n\nCrude oil spot prices are here: http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/oog/info/twip/twip_crude.html\n\nGas prices are here:\nhttp://tonto.eia.doe.gov/oog/info/twip/twip_gasoline.html\n\nGas prices are basically following the crude minus the Katrina killing of some refineries that needed to be repaired so that's probably the spike.\n\nThis is our daily usage:\nhttp://tonto.eia.doe.gov/oog/info/twip/twip_crude.html#inputs\n\nAbout 15 million barrels of crude oil per day now.  It also shows the Gulf Coast's major tank in production like I mentioned earlier around Nov '05.\n\nYou are correct that drilling in Alaska would probably not affect prices that much.  How much?  We don't know.\n\nThere's an article about it here: http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2005-11-03-senate-oil_x.htm\n\nUnfortunately, I don't have the DOE study handy.  Maybe you can find it for your purposes here. :)\n\nFor the actual price of crude oil, demand doesn't have to double in order for price to spike up double.  All it really takes is the minds of the traders on the futures market that something political or whatever is going on.  They are the main ones who set the prices that are used worldwide.\n\nOur net imports of oil have grown past 60% and are steadily rising every year: http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/mer/pdf/pages/sec1_15.pdf\n\nOne of the points touched on was worldwide demand, including India and China.  They are definitely demanding more and more each year: http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/ipsr/t24.xls\n\nIt's slow but it's increasing.  How much this affects prices is unknown.  Predicting the value of the stock market in 5 years is about as easy.  No one really knows.  You have to remember that market prices are always forward looking, so it's what people think is going to happen in the future.  That's what the current price today is based on.\n\nAnd last by not least, the DOE's view on the current prices: http://www.eia.doe.gov/bookshelf/brochures/gasolinepricesprimer/eia1_2005primerM.html\n\nAnyway, this is just a bunch of raw data.  I'm sure that there are about 85 ways to look at it.  Most people here take only one side of the story, but hey, that's life on the Internet.  Have fun. :)
635142
I began driving in 1972.   The price of gas was .25 per gallon. I remember shortly after when it went up to .29 per gallon and people were complaining because it was so much easier to FIGURE the cost at .25.  Crazy, isn't it?
393738
i hope so\nin c.t. taxes are 54 cents each gallon\nso the states can do something too\n\nbut we are spoiled.i read last fall some euro countries drivers pay over 7.50 a gallon (the metric equivalent)
356435
By getting the gas prices to go through the roof? That's an interesting question. \nThey said on the news today that Americans will not even consider buying a more gas-efficient car before the price of gas hits $3.5 per gallon... So I'm not sure that what's happening is really going to help.
407383
Economists believe motorists will alter the way they drive once the average gas price moves to between $3.50 and $4.00 per gallon.\n\nThere won't be a mass revolt.  But people will continue to get upset.  Our elected officials will call for investigations.  And our leaders will be forced to seriously look at alternative fuels.\n\nIf our elected officials tamper with the price of oil and, the move to alternative fuels will slowed.  \n\nIf we truly want to embrace alternative fuels, then the market must lead us there.
553008
No, it would still be the same. Gas has nothing to do with whos the President. I dislike Bush, but I do not think he is in charge of the gas prices.\n\n"This is a total misconception. The reason for high gas prices is simply supply and demand in this country, not the cost of barrel of crude oil, be it purchased from Saudi Arabia or elsewhere. \n\nThis country has not built any new plants (at least any that provided a significant increase to our ability to increase production of refined oil products) since the mid to late 1990s. \n\nIt doesn't take a lot to realize that if we have to divert millions of barrels of our refined oil products, such as gasoline and diesel fuel, to fight a war, less of the product will find its way to the American consumer. \n\nSo in the land which has proven that capitalism and open markets are much better at regulating than any government, it should come as no surprise that we will have to pay more per gallon of fuel until such time as the plants that refine the crude oil in the United States catch up with the deficit. \n\nToo many US citizens have the idea that they are entitled to a free lunch. Whenever a resource is used for one thing, it means there will be less available for whoever else might want to use this resource. Hey, it's the American way, and it works."
470574
I JUST PAID OFF MY HONDA INSIGHT.  IT HAS A 10 GALLON GAS TANK.  BUT IF BUSH'S GAS PRICES GOTO $6 A GALLON IT'S STILL GOING TO HURT TO PAY $60 EVERY TIME I TURN AROUND.
1149237
Government does not raise the price of gas.  A thing called supply and demand controls the gas prices and the price of everything else in our society.
671618
George Bush has nothing to do with the gas prices. OPEC does. He's the US President, not God and ruler of all the world.