Something is wrong in America (Gas Prices)

You've asked some provocative and significant questions.

Personally, I think that the run-up in oil prices is a speculators' bubble.  Certainly there's more demand for oil, especially from China and India.  There's also instability in some oil-producing regions.  But such a rapid increase in price doesn't make sense.  People are essentially investing in oil because the price is going up.

Like all bubbles, I think this one will burst.  Maybe we won't see $30 barrels of oil -- but I've heard one economist say that $50 is possible.

If it doesn't burst ... well, I think we are in for more class conflict.  The haves would drive and fly where they want ... and the have-nots wouldn't.  That's a problem.  It wouldn't be the end of America.  America has been through greater crises.  But it wouldn't be a happy time.

Anytime a product or service that is needed so badly goes up in price,  the price will never come back down.  That is a fact.  Regardless of what the price of the barrel costs,  under a dollar gasoline is a thing of the past.