The obvous difference is that most Americans don't feel that strong of a need to buy the house at 150,000, because they usually can find other options. Most everyone, however, has to go to work, and has to have gas to get there.
The point is simple to see:
1. Big oil says they have to raise prices to stay afloat because of <inset excuse here>.
2. Big oil jacks the price of gas too high.
3. Big oil maintains record profits because nobody holds them accountable for their inconsistency.
4. When regular Americans point this out, they get mad, call people names, and then throw a bunch of "marketplace" bull out there to intimidate us to shut up. Well, guess what? I am not shutting up. I don't want to run for president. I have no political axe to grind. All I want is a fair price.
Joseph Botwinick