Low Gas Prices Are Groovy

It's 2016, do you know where your kids are? If you're a parent, there's a good chance that you drove them somewhere today, so hopefully, you know where they are. Heck, you might even be driving them right now! If that's the case, then I ask of you to please be careful whilst driving and reading at the same time. In any event, there's good news for you, American driver, although I'm sure it will come as no surprise: gas prices are still low! How low, on a nationwide scale, you want to know. Our wonderful friends at the American Automobile Association (AAA) told me that 71 percent of gas stations in the U.S. of A are letting people have one gallon of regular unleaded gasoline in exchange for $2.

This news makes me happy even though I do not currently own an automobile of my own. The reason that it makes me happy is because my whole life I have been hearing people complain about “prices at the pump.” The minute I was born the doctor said to my parents, “That is the coolest baby I've ever seen. Too bad it's going to cost you so much to take him home. Gas prices are outrageous these days.” People just love to complain for some reason. No matter what the price of gasoline is, people are going to complain about it. If you mentioned to a curmudgeon that you're as pleased as punch with today's gas prices, he'll give you an earful about “back in his day...”

More than 99 percent of Americans know only two things about the economy: roughly how much a gallon of gas costs at their local gas stations and the word “recession.” They don't know what recession means, but they sure toss it around more than they do a football. And that's fine, people don't have to know anything about the economy. However, it would be greatly appreciated if they stopped pretending that they do.

American gas prices won't remain at these low levels forever, but for the near future, it is time to rejoice when refueling at your favorite gasoline retailer. Over the next few weeks, the price of gas is expected to drop by about another ten cents or so. Prices will begin to rise again when oil companies do their winter maintenance routines at their refineries. But that's no reason to panic, automobile lovers, because the average price per gallon of gas for the year 2016 is expected to be between $2.25 and $2.45. Last year's average gas price was $2.40. Does that news give you a nice feeling about the coming year? I sure do hope so. And don't worry yourself over your increasing home heating costs because you are a frugal consumer who sticks to a budget and saves money for a rainy or snowy day.

Most people are thrilled with these very low gas prices, except for the people who are losing money and/or their jobs because of them. In 2015, over 250,000 oil workers have lost their jobs throughout the world, according to an analysis done by industry analysts Graves and Co. And the loss of jobs will continue this year as oil powerhouses such as Chevron and Halliburton plan on cutting thousands of jobs in 2016. A large number of the oil jobs that were lost in 2015 is due to the fact that there is a huge surplus of crude oil in America and other oil producing nations. This surplus of crude was brought on (mainly) by fracking in the U.S.A. and Saudi Arabia's refusal to decrease production as demand continued to drop.

Oil rig workers and others in the business of “big oil action” were paid handsomely, so, for the sake of their families, I hope they put their money to good use and didn't blow it all on new pickup trucks, alcohol, chewing tobacco, and country music concerts.

So, you have your inexpensive gas and everything is going well as far as John Q. Public's economy is concerned. Isn't that just about the time that stagflation rears its ugly head? That's what is supposed to happen, but the economy is only going to adjust its self a little bit. Unless, of course...