Hey Kossacks,
Remember January 2001? Those were the good old days before George Bush and Dick Cheney took office. At the time, gas cost just a dollar fifty-one a gallon. And now? $3? $3.50? Even four dollars for a gallon of gas.
The cost of driving to work and flying to visit family keeps going up. Meanwhile, Exxon-Mobil made more profits last year than any corporation in human history.
The cost of driving to work and flying to visit family keeps going up. It's long past time for real energy independence in America and that starts by making sure oil companies pay their fair share.
That's why we've set up a one stop page where Americans from all walks of life can send their personal story about gas prices to congress.
Check it out here: http://www.StopPainAtThePump.org
(Full Disclosure: I am the Online Organizing Manager at TrueMajority.org)
Members of Congress still don't get it. Along with oil companies and lobbyists, they underestimate the power of a movement of people from all walks of life. This debate isn't just about dollars and cents. It's about real people whose lives are suffering while corporations continue to rake in record profits.
We've already collected over 8,000 comments about how gas prices affected people's lives. I wanted to share just a couple for now.
Rhonda in Sebastopol, California:
I am disabled and a very low fixed income: not enough to live on......The lowest gas priices here where I live have risen to $4.29/gallon!!! This insane, and I can't afford to drive my car to healthcare appts., etc. So my health is being greatly affected by this besides my financial debt from battling illness for 15 years.
And one more:
Jonathon in Hamphire, Illinois:
As a minister in charge of 49 churches, I have to drive hundreds of miles a month often to churches which are in desparate need of care. Yet, the price of gas today makes much less of this "face-to-face" care possible.
We just held a press conference call with 5 ordinary Americans who submitted heart wrenching stories like these. Do you have a story to share?
Share your story and tell your Senators to take action:
http://www.StopPainAtThePump.org
This is just the beginning. Let's put a human face on the sacrifices we're all making. Together, we can magnify our individual struggles and make Congress pay attention. I'll be around throughout the day sharing more stories as they come in.