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LINDA PENCE CALLS FOR INVESTIGATION INTO HIGH GAS PRICES
Hard-Working Hoosiers Deserve An Attorney General Who Will Advocate For Them
Indianapolis, Ind. - Today, Linda Pence, candidate for Attorney General, held a press conference to call attention to the skyrocketing price of gas. In Indiana, the average price of gasoline hit $4.17, marking a sudden and across-the-board increase in the state. Indiana is paying higher prices than 44 other states, but no one is currently investigating why. "When Hoosier families are wondering about the sudden and uniform increase, it is the responsibility of the Attorney General to look into the matter and demand an answer. The people of Indiana need someone who will advocate for their interests, and not roll over for Big Oil," said Linda Pence, candidate for Attorney General. Right now, the Attorney General's office touts a gas price-gouging hotline. However, when a constituent called the number, the message merely stated: "Thank you for calling the gas-gouging line. We want to let you know that we can only pursue gas gouging complaints when the governor declares a state of emergency. The governor has not yet declared a state of emergency, but we want to go ahead and collect your information. Please remain on the line for a representative, and thank you."
Linda Pence knows the Attorney General should do more, and stated today that she would "take a more aggressive and vocal role to investigate price gouging, price fixing and potential anti-trust violations." Leaving an innocuous outgoing message is not action; it is not the solution or answer Hoosiers deserve. They deserve a person of action; not simply empty words and rhetoric. While at the U.S. Department of Justice, Pence fought oil companies over oil pricing. She has a history of standing up for honest, hardworking Hoosiers in the face of Big Oil and the special interests. She believes it is not the job of the Attorney General to make excuses; it is the job of the Attorney General not to turn a blind eye to Big Oil. Rather in this situation, the Attorney General should actively investigate them with a robust, proactive agenda that will ensure consumers are protected.
If Pence were attorney general today, she would launch a serious investigation into the pricing practices of gasoline in Indiana. She would publicly pursue complaints in order to deter oil companies from trying to reap more money at the expense of Hoosiers. She calls on the Attorney General's office to report to the people of Indiana what they have done to ensure that the Hoosiers are protected and not being treated differently than any other state in the country, and make known what--if any--lawsuits have been filed. "Price gouging is good for the oil companies, but bad for all of us. This is all happening at a time when the oil companies are reaping record profits, but Hoosiers are paying record prices at the pump," said Pence. ###
1 comment:
She might be able to beat up on some independent gas station owner but she won't get near the the likes of BP.
What rolled out as the price jumps was on purpose to protect pending (prior)and post hurricane gass reserves.
The oil companies, and I believe with the Gov. approval, jacked prices prior to the hurricane to start shoring up reserves of gas that was in the system. Then as the hurricane track became better known the price was jacked again.
It slowed down demand, but without going to true rationing. Had there been a nationwide rationing the people would have gone nuts, mile long lines, and over demand on the system.
Then the price has been jumped two more times to better match up demand to available supplies. That way no area of the US has ran out of gas.
Along the east coast a couple areas went to rationing and it caused lines, a run on fuel, and stations ran out of gas. Here is Fort Wayne the demand dropped and dropped as the price increased making the system work.
The way it worked is the people that had to have fuel could get it. Those who did not need it did not buy it. But we still have gas.
Heck, BP shut down their credit card system nationwide just before the storm hit and it did not come back up until Monday... No credit card then people will not fill up their tanks and hence reduces demand.
To me the honesty of the oil companies will come when they get everything running again and prices drop. Do they give the excessive profits back. I don't know and it would be difficult to prove. That is the sad thing.
I would rather see rationing by price over rationing by the gallon. I lived with rationing by the gallon in the 70's. It sucked and did not work. People kept their tanks topped nearly every two days.
Now the small one station independent gas stations get their fuel on what is called the "spot market." They call several suppliers and get a quote on gas price. However, my guess is when they called just before the hurricane came in they where told... NO GAS AVAILABLE FOR SOME TIME... So they have bills to pay and with a limited supply in their tanks. So they jacked the price a bunch to get as much cash as they could because they didn't know if they may be out of fuel a day, week, or a month. I am not sure what I would have done if I was in their shoes...
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