No COVID criminals – Drs. Fauci, Brix and Walensky – have been charged or are ever likely to be charged – with anything. No pharma cartel executive – Albert Bourla of Pfizer, for instance – has faced or is ever likely to face any consequences (liability) for the harms caused by the drugs that were pushed on people. The clients of Jeffrey Epstein remain safely redacted. But there is one thing President Trump said he would do if elected that appears to have been done.
Gas is getting less rather than more expensive.
As of late May – just after Memorial Day weekend – the average cost of a gallon of regular unleaded has dipped to about $3, according to AAA and other sources. That is about 35 cents per gallon less than it was last May.
Interestingly, gasoline is significantly cheaper in blue states – that is, the states that are less red (that is, leaning toward socialism on the way to outright communism). In North and South Carolina, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Texas and Oklahoma it is closer to $2.75 per gallon – which is remarkable inexpensive when you take into account the devaluation of money that has taken place over the past 4-5 years.
Even more interestingly, if you plug the current buying power of 35 cents back in 1970 into the Bureau of Labor Statistics Inflation Calculator – which you can find here – you will see that it is equivalent, in today’s debased buying-power money, to $2.97. So, we’re paying today about the same in real terms for a gallon of gas as we were back in 1970. It just takes more paper than coin to buy it – even though we’re not actually paying more for it.
This is really interesting – on several levels.
The first being that gas today would be even less expensive if regulatory costs were not as high as they are. They are much higher than they were back in 1970, when gas was still gas – and not adulterated with other, cost-adding/BTI (energy) reducing “oxygenates” and refineries did not have to pass along the costs of compliance that did not exist back in 1970, before there was an EPA. One can of course take the position that the EPA has been a force for good but that didn’t come at no cost.
Yet, all of that notwithstanding, a gallon of regular unleaded today costs about the same as a gallon of leaded regular did back then. This is remarkable. An unnoticed and unacknowledged tribute to the near-miraculous cost-decreasing capability of the free market, even when it is hardly allowed to operate freely. Just imagine what a gallon of gas might cost today if it were allowed to operate freely.
Also if 50-75 cents (or more) in today’s money was not folded into the cost of a gallon of gas – in the form of taxes. These taxes are among the most regressive taxes there are – amounting to about 20 percent of the cost of each gallon and that cost being heaviest upon the means of the working and middle income people.
Then there is the issue of supply, which usually correlates with price. If a thing is in abundant supply, it generally costs less rather than more because there is more than enough to go around. Well, for more than 50 years, we have been told that the supply of the oil that is distilled into gasoline is running low; that we approach “peak” oil production – any day now – and that once we reach it (which was supposed to have been decades ago) the supply would steadily diminish, causing prices to steadily rise. But that has not happened.
Prices have gone up – intermittently – chiefly on account of government, including the governments of foreign countries that restrict supply as well as the government of this country, as when it was under the control of the people who used Old Joe as their Weekend at Bernie’s front man. You may recall that, prior to this interregnum – during the first Trump presidency – this country for the first time in many years no longer needed imported oil to meet internal demand for gasoline. It was on the verge of becoming a net exporter of oil – a remarkable development. 
We are now five months into Trump’s second term and the cost of gas has at least gone down rather up. At least relative to what it was five months ago.
Thirty-five cents less per gallon less amounts to more still in one’s pocket. About $6 more per 15 gallon fill-up. Put another way, the typical driver is getting about half a tank of gas for “free” per month – relative to what it cost him to fill up four times a month a year ago. This may not offset the devalued purchasing power of money we’ve suffered over the course of the past four years – but it helps, a little.
And that may be as much as we can expect.
It is also one thing that must be credited to the election of Trump rather than Harris. Had she been anointed empress it is doubtful the cost of gas would have gone down. It is a near-certainty it would have gone up, a lot – as it did under her non compos mentis mentor.
So – while we will probably never see anyone associated with “COVID” jailed or even charged and Epstein’s clients remain safely redacted, at least gas costs a little less – and that isn’t nothing.
. . .
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“which is remarkable inexpensive when you take into account the devaluation of money that has taken place over the past 4-5 years.”
When you put it like that, gas holding around $3 in VA is an achievement. Good on Trump. At least his presidencies have put “Failure Theater” on notice. We realize we don’t hate politicians enough.
In Midwest City, Oklahoma I can buy non-ethanol premium 91 octane gas, don’t know if it’s more expensive than ethanol gas, I buy it, regardless of price.
With my discount I paid 3.12 USD for premium gas today.
World of difference in engine performance.
80 mph roll, runs better than ever. Knock on wood.
Gasoline is as expensive as ever in Commiefornia. Diesel is over $5/gallon.
[…] Guest Post by Eric Peters […]
The criminal thing about it is that Lee Zeldin could have relaxed the summer oxygenated fuel requirements and allowed winter gas the whole year. If that was done, costs would drop between 30 and 50 cents depending on the region. At $60-65 per barrel, we should be paying $1.90-2.29 per gallon. Not $2.50-3 we are paying now.
Can’t allow that Swamprat, how else are those corn farmers in Iowa going to get the presidential candidates to go schlepping up there in the middle of winter to kiss their asses and promise never to repeal the deathanol mandate.
The gas price is purely political and has been for at least 54 years (since ’71 creation of the petrodollar standard) but maybe more like 100 years. Did you see the love fest over in Saudi Arabia recently between OF and MBS? The Saudis, themselves a creation of Rockefeller and certain elements the US deep state, are the 800lb gorilla in the “market” and when they say, “we’ll take less to help our good friend, OF”, the price of oil and gasoline comes down. Supply/demand, inflation, etc., none of it matters. Food still parabolic, at least in my neck of the dunes. Pretty much everything else, too.
Gas might cost a little less in some areas since November or whatever, but in most, it’s costing more. Despite the fall in oil prices to 60-65 per barrel, gas is hovering between $2.40 and $2.80 in Texas.
The reason: an oxygenate required by the EPA for fuel “volatility” costs more than the “normal” isobutanol used in the winter. This is despite the fact that every gas powered vehicle manufactured since 1978 requires an evaporative fuel emissions system to be installed and also, the fact that almost all modern gasoline pumps have vapor recovery systems built in.
If people knew the reason (none) that they pay 50 cents more in the summer than in the winter, they might get mad. No, they won’t. They’re sheep. It’s not in their nature. Baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
Another illusion. Fuel is NOT the major cost of operating a motor vehicle, unless you drive a LOT.
50k per year here
It baffles me when people trade cars for more mpg. I show them the math, and they never care.
Modern economics
“We’re going to save a buck no matter what it costs!”
That’s good news that gasoline has dropped in price. But diesel fuel on the other hand has not. It is $3.49/gallon in my area of Virginia. Everyone with basic economic knowledge knows that the economy runs on diesel. Fueling trucks and cargo ships that move everything from food to toys. Until that drops in price, consumer goods will remain with high prices.
I wish the price of pure gasoline (https://www.pure-gas.org/) would at least go down to the price of the ethanol adulterated crap available at the pump. Add a little detergent to it and that’s all I’d use in my vehicles. I already use it in my small engines.
’35 cents back in 1970 into the Bureau of Labor Statistics Inflation Calculator – which you can find here – you will see that it is equivalent, in today’s debased buying-power money, to $2.97.’ — eric
That’s almost a 90 percent loss of purchasing power in 55 years.
Over the weekend I came across an NYT article from August 1865, at the end of the inflationary War Between the States. On a tour of the iron mines in northern N.J., the reporter cited a wage of $1.50 per day. Houses rented for $3.00 to $4.00 a month in the mining towns. Remarkably, this meant that miners could earn their monthly rent in two or three workdays — not possible now.
Even in those early postwar days, wages and employment were starting to fall, as greenback-fueled war inflation ended. No one had a clue that after 1871, when the dollar’s gold convertibility was restored, the U.S. would enter its longest-ever recession during 1873-1879. Nor did anyone foresee that richer, cheaper sources of iron ore, such as the Mesabi range in Minnesota, would wipe out iron mining near New York City, leaving behind old brick forges now buried deep in the forest.
But with 160 years of hindsight, we can plainly see that the average wage level is over 20 times higher now, thanks to the depredations of Federal Reserve counterfeiters with badges. This was once a capital offense, and (Dog willing) may be again some day.
Meanwhile, rental of a dwelling is hundreds of times higher, pointing to how living standards have fallen as income and payroll taxes leech away the fruits of labor. This is a great crime.
Gas prices in Orygun are $3.79 cheapest to way over $4. Way over spot, RBOB contract: bigcharts dot com enter RB00. Should not be $1.25 over the wholesale contract price.
Amerika is not a free market because in Caracas, Venezula gasoline is still (for over 20 years) only 12 cents a gallon:
https://money.cnn.com/pf/features/lists/global_gasprices/
In my state (communist republic of Washington), gas has gone up to $4.50 a gal. Where is Ron Widen (Oregon Liberal Senator) calling for investigations of the oil industry for collusion and price gouging?
You and I share the pain of living inside this socialist lying mess of a state. Our former “leader” Jaydolf Dimslee also accused the oil guys of price gouging. Of course our in bed with politicians media never asked him why gasoline was so much cheaper next door in Idaho.
On a motorcycle trip several years ago I filled up in Pomeroy WA at near $5.00 a gallon. Crossing into Lewiston ID a short time later, the first station across the border was showing $3.79
The carbon tax impact plus all the other state and Fed fuel taxes mean we’re well north of a buck a gallon in tax load. Another 6 cents a gallon coming in July and that is now indexed to inflation.
The Horst floor is $1.79. That’s what I paid for gas on Jan 19, 2021.
Both Trump’s (remember when he called Massie a third rate congressnam the first time?) and Creepy Joe’s massive money printing ensured that we’ll never see that again.
Sorry, that was supposed to be a reply to Jason.
That $0.50/gallon gas tax was considered a “fair” way to pay for road construction and maintenance. Unfortunately it wasn’t needed for the first decade or so after the roads were constructed, so it became excess revenue. Should have been invested or just stowed away until needed, but instead it went to mass transit boondoggles and roads to nowhere for the politically powerful districts. Now that the roads can’t keep up with the increase in traffic, those city busses continue to take money away from highway maintenance. Because while everyone complains about potholes, the bus driver’s union rep has the ear of the politicians.
How much cheaper would it be if the Russians were able to sell their crude to US refiners on the open market?
And how cheap would 7.62×39 ammo be if Russians could still import that too?
Now that You-Crane is back in the news, prices probably be headed back up.
Damn. Yeah. I know. I thought th e same thing.
I am 75 this year
When I started driving there was still silver coin in circulation.
A silver dime contains .07234 ounces of silver.
At close yesterday, May 23, 2025, silver was valued at $33.71 per ounce.
Yesterday a silver dime was worth $2.44 (.07234 X $33.71 = $2.43858144
Yesterday regular gas where I live was $3.26 per gallon.
Yesterday, you could buy a gallon of gas for 13 cents per gallon in real money (silver coin).
It would take 33 fake dimes to buy a gallon of gas.
United States currency is not real money.
In terms of Real Money, gasoline is cheaper now than it has ever been since I started
driving in 1964.
Not one man in a thousand understands this truth!
Well done BK!
Disappointed our gracious host has decided to use the price of gas example to justify the immoral practice of voting rather than point out this truth regarding the value of sound money.
Likewise the BLS inflation calculator vastly under reports true inflation by neglecting this comparison to the value of real money.
There are many economists who discount the need for a monetary standard based on precious metals (silver or gold) but a standard is the only way to keep the banksters and country treasuries honest. In the old days, the only way to “short” a coinage was to “shave” the edge from silver or gold coins; hence the process of “reeded edges” on coins (grooving the edge of coinage) which was instituted to keep the banksters and everyone else honest.
Now, back to a gold standard…
The same amount of gold that would purchase a car in 1920 will purchase a car today. This is due to gold having intrinsic value which is free from manipulation or the printing of “more dollars” (which reduces the true value of every existing dollar).
The last thing the banksters or world leaders want is a monetary standard that (((they))) cannot manipulate.
We know who (((they))) are…it is long overdue for a country 110 to institute the process…
Sure, gas may be down slightly but cars are more expensive. So are we any better off?
Ethanol gas slowly corroding the fuel system of seasonal equipment gets expensive if you don’t watch out.
Maybe it’s time to bring back real cars and real gas.
I’m not so sure it’s true that gas prices are declining. The benchmark I use is the USA retail gas price average at GasBuddy dot com. If you go to their website, you’ll see the updated graph on the landing page. Nationwide gas prices soared above $3/gallon beginning in early 2021 when Biden started his oil exploration and gas refinery restrictions, and they’ve remained above that level (which I call the “Biden floor”) ever since.
Since Trump took office, the GasBuddy version of the retail gas price average has actually been trending higher and is currently around $3.15. I’m not buying the mainstream media narrative that nationwide gas prices are declining (although they may be in some locales). What started as the Biden floor at $3/gallon has now become the Trump floor. I hope he does something to reverse this dynamic, but somehow I doubt he will.
Actually, the chart I referenced is at: https://www.gasbuddy.com/charts
I agree, Jason. I haven’t noticed a decline and this appears to be wishful thinking on Eric’s part. Of course, we don’t know what pain might have visited us under the reign of Heels-up.
Gas VS Silver price’s would show a drop in the price of gas relative to the price of silver.
That might be true, Landru, but the value of silver isn’t necessarily static either. There are speculative forces at play. Look at the ratio of gasoline/silver prices around Jan, 2011, for example. Silver was at about $40/oz and gas was about $3.15/gallon, so the ratio was about 0.079. Now, that ratio is about 0.099, meaning that gas prices are significantly higher relative to the cost of silver now, in the Orange Epoch, versus (one part) of the Obama’s reign.
Good morning, BaDnOn!
In my area, at least, the cost of gas is definitely lower. $40 now mostly fills up my truck’s 15 gallon tank.
I’m glad you’re getting a little relief, Eric. Here, prices have been pretty flat since the Weekend at Biden’s. Sadly, I thought that a significant gas price decline was one thing that might come from the return of Darth Tangelo, but I haven’t seen it. Last time, following the departure of Obama, gas dropped to around $2.25, seemingly for years. Now, I know that our Monopoly money (the monopoly being the Fed) has decreased in value since then, but that doesn’t make it much less disappointing.
The criminal thing about it is that Lee Zeldin could have relaxed the summer oxygenated fuel requirements and allowed winter gas the whole year. If that was done, costs would drop between 30 and 50 cents depending on the region. At $60-65 per barrel, we should be paying $1.90-2.29 per gallon. Not $2.50-3 we are paying now.
Hey Swamprat,
Yes, this Zeldin seems to be giving us lip service about improving the vehicular situation, but forgive me if I feel it to be less than sincere. I’m fairly sure fuel worked well in the summers before it began being “oxygenated”.
From what I understand, the difference between summer and winter fuel is vapor pressure, the summer fuel having a slightly lower value thereof. This impetus for this is principally to lower summer concentration of ozone, theoretically. It would stand to reason that, at very least, “winter” fuel could be used year-round in rural areas, where ozone is seldom or never a problem.
Gas prices rise in the spring/summer because of oxygenated fuel volatility requirments. Said requirement cost close to 50 cents a gallon. That has the same effect as a $20.00 per barrel increase in oil prices. Prices are somewhat lower today than last year because oil is now trading around $60.00 versus $80.00 two years ago.