What is driving the price of gas down? Election?

[Predicto]

Oh for the love of God, you two are getting obnoxious. Of course that's the motive of the individual actors, but my point is SOCIETY is benefitted through the self-interested actions of these individual actors. Society as a whole doesn't have one large overseer directing resources. Resources flow naturally in a free market by going to the highest bidder. The efficiency of this system is self-evident in the wealth of our society.

Honestly, you two, I could go on to try and dissuade you from your fantasies of "oligopolies" and "collusion," but what good would it do? Never has there been a case (at least in America) where this has happened. NEVER. Yet you throw around the charge based on a hunch. It's pure conjecture.

I'm obnoxious now? Jeez. I thought I was trying.

I guess you quit your Economic studies at Macro 101 if "oligopolies" is too complicated a concept for you to understand. Yes, yes, "free market" yes yes "wealth of nations" - these are basic things that we all understand. I am a SUPPORTER of our free market capitalist system. However, sometimes it doesn't quite work like it is supposed to due to various externalities, and society as a whole does not benefit. I am becoming amazed at your ability to ignore the information we are giving you and return to Adam Smith generalities about the wonders of the free market. Substantial evidence points to the idea that the oil market may not be a free and competitive market after all.

PS - If you want a case where oligopolies and lack of real competition have had a negative effect on society as a whole, look no forther than the California electricity market, circa 2001.