It's the futures traders' fault!

Gas prices going down before the election--GOP's fault? Actually, gas price fluctuation is the futures traders' fault. Mike has been trying to explain the futures market for years and now I finally get it...I think. From the article:

"When gas prices soared last year, it was only partly the result of such physical issues as oil fields burning in the Middle East. In a more real way, it was the result of traders investing heavily in oil on the bet the price would go up because of the hurricane season, the Iraq war and other factors that could decrease the supply. And because they bought so much oil, the price did go up. That's how the futures market, and the overall stock market, works: When people are buying big on the bet they're going to be able to sell even bigger, prices go up. The futures market is at least partly driven by self-fulfilling prophecy."

But also:

"Prices tend to go up in the summer, when people drive more; and they tend to go up in the winter, when people need more gas to heat their homes. In the fall, we face a sort of lull. With less demand comes greater supply, and with greater supply comes lower prices."

I guess the Republicans are God's angels.