Diesel $2.77

I look around as the gas prices are coming down hand over fist day after day. All since the front cover of USA TODAY explained that the top 5 largest oil and gas companies had posted 500% over expected third quarter profits. And that the government was calling them in for an investigation.

I just keep thinking about all of this as I am filling up my gas tank and Diesel is still $2.77 at most places. It did get up to $3.47 just last month so it has come down quite a bit. Unleaded is under $2.00 for the first time in at least 6 months. I feel that something has gone a bit awry when gas prices can dramatically FALL down like this over a period of almost hours. It makes me think that Katrina and all these other excuses are no longer the reason that the prices are so astronomical. I think about the billions of people that are dependent on gasoline to make their $8.50 an hour living. I think about every single gas station that has gone to prepay because so many people were stealing gas. Giving up their integrity for $40. I think about how proud I am that I am an American. And how proud I am of this country for making a cliche out of the words "the American dream." I am a believer in capitalism. I like that the supply and demand theory is so logical and works. I like to be able to think that if you work hard and endure, you will make money or be successful. However, I guess I am learning that I am more a believer in another old adage of Socrates "Moderation in all things." Somehow I think that making $16 billion dollars is and should be enough. I don't care that you can (and did apparently) gouge $160 billion dollars out of the working public I don't think you should. At least don't blame it on some weather catastrophe and make it sound like we are all in this together. I know that goes against my self stated belief in capitalism. And I know that we here in America get some of the cheapest gas prices in the world. And people kept driving which according the the law of supply and demand means that the price should continue to go up. I think I just really see greed as one of the main roots of evil. And I see greed in this equation. Greed that is just like a 4 year old that cannot stop eating the candy even if he has a stomachache until his mother comes and takes the bowl away from him. Even then he throws a fit.