This is political pandering. Any politician who votes Yes will try to say he was helping Americans when in actuality if you think of the whole economic picture this vote is a vote for crippling the US. We have a large group of people close to retirement that are relying on investments to reach that goal. With the recent housing collapse of the housing sector the market has went into a bear market. If caps were put in place the main stocks that are still supporting the market at this time (Energy Stocks) would collapse. The market as a whole would collapse and those people trying to retire in the next couple of years would not be able to do so as all those shares they paid big dollars for would be worthless. Since most Americans do not have pensions and the Social Security system is broke what else do these hopeful retirees have to finance their retirement? The end result is the next great depression.
Additionally if the government caps the price of gas without actually taking control of the industry then the industry can cut production and actually cause shortages during critical times of the year. Why produce gas when it is more productive to make heating oil? These refineries don't just make gas, they make a lot of other things and if they are more productive to make can you blame them?
A lot of other economic issues would be created as well. The only way to reduce the cost of gas is to use less. Unfortunately at this time any surplus the oil companies have would be shipped to other countries. With this said it would have to be a world wide reduction in the use of gas. Hmmmm not going to happen until their economies are hurting. The only way we can do that in the US is to stop buying their goods every chance we get. Insist on "Made in America" products! If it is not made here and you can live without it, don't buy it! This is where the power of the US actually exists, not our government!
Just my
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