Most of the high gas prices are calculated by the cost of
crude oil which, right now, is going at $107 / barrel USD.

That's probably 50% of the total price of gas.

The rest is calculated in the costs to move it from point
to point ( trucks ) state and federal taxes ( about .40 per
gallon ) refinement costs, then finally the little guy at
the gas station gets his cut. ( a very small one at that )

While Big Oil isn't solely the one to blame, it's within
our power to limit their profits to something acceptable if
it will help turn the economy around. I don't mind Big Oil
making a profit, after all, that's what companies do.

Just bring their profits down to a reasonable level ( one
that isn't record setting every !@#$!@#!$ quarter ) and cut
the taxes in half for a while.

It is not, however, within our power to persuade OPEC to
increase supply. Nor would it help much to be honest.

Our biggest problem is the devaluation of the dollar. It's
killing us. We are paying $107 / barrel, whereas
( if my math is right ) Europe is paying about ~69 Euro
for the same oil. Yes Europe pays through the nose for gas
( somewhere in the realm of $12 USD / gallon ) but this is
because their government taxes the living hell out of it.
Like 75% tax I think.

As the dollar keeps dropping, oil will keep climbing.
It will reach a critical point where folks can no longer
afford to even drive to work. Long before we reach that we'll
see consumer spending taper off due to high gas / energy prices
and that will hurt business even moreso.

It is at this point when the economy will officially implode.

Yeah, I could take the bus. Which would connect with
another bus, which would connect with another bus, which
would ultimately get me to my building some two hours later.
That's not gonna happen.

Biking / walking to work is out of the question as it's forty
miles *points* that-a-way.

Can't move INTO Houston as I can't afford the $300,000+ they
want for condos inside the loop.

So, I'm stuck driving. While I drive a Volvo that gets
30mpg, gas is still a very noticeable expense every month.

It isn't going to get any better until / unless the dollar
rebounds and gets some of it's bite back.