Obama, of course. So far, gas prices have gone up 67% since Obama took office. His energy policy is a disaster for us. Obama told us "We canât drive our SUVs and eat as much as we want and keep our homes on 72 degrees at all times ⦠and then just expect that other countries are going to say OK.â Obama's Secretary of the Interior, Salazar, said that he didn't mind if gas hit $10 a gallon. http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/03/11/obama-pays-price-high-energy-costs/ UPDATE: Poll answer: A)
I wanted to put a poll in this but screwed it up. It was a) government b) big oil c) Mid-East d) SUV's I was filling up today outside NYC and saw my first $4+ NJ gas. And driving to my destination, every 4th vehicle was a single-passenger SUV (while I was driving alone, at least it was an old POS Honda that I use to go to the train station, but then again, I am told that my old POS is worse fuel-wise than newer ones, even some SUV's)
Is this not capitalism and the free market at work? If suppliers can gouge and get $10 a gallon is that not there right? Where things get muddy is government interference. ie. assessing special gasoline taxes, oil company subsidies and laws that fix prices and or regulate/restrict price increases (gouging laws). If the gas retailers work together and agree to hold prices at 10.00 / gallon we would sue them for anti-trust. When the govt works with them to hold prices at 3.00/ gallon its ok under the facade of regulation. The dominant players seem to be in favor of pure capitalism when it comes to their profits and dealings with new competitors but they always want a socialized safety net/bailout when deals sour.
Assange is resposible. It was his wiki-leaks that started this domino in the Mid-East which has pushed crude up over $20/bl (at one point). You can also say he is responsible for all the deaths the deaths that can be directly related to these riots since these cables were released.
I think you should refrain from using the word 'gouge' in your argument. Price gouging is illegal and is anti-capitalistic. Thus your first and second statements contradict one another. I sympathize with those who would argue that the oligopolic nature of the oil industry results in price gouging. Thus the cartels are responsible. Unfortunately, this argument falls apart on a couple different levels. In this case the oligopoly only exists because we must want it that way. It is easily within our power to develop our own supply industry and establish the supposed fair market prices. We have elected not to do this. In fact, one might argue that we are bribed (via low relative gas prices) not to do this. So is this real price gouging?...hmmmm.... not in the strictest sense of the word. Who is responsible for current prices? Mostly the market. It's a bummer, but it is just a fact.