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So, crude oil prices are going down, but gas prices are going up.

Why? Because the refineries are cutting back on production.

Why? To keep gas prices, and their profits, high.

But, and see, here's the thing, I thought the magic of competition meant that they had to be all seeing who could cut their prices the most to get the most customers. Yet, you never see a refinery price war, or a gas station price war.

Funny how competition doesn't magically work out for the best for the consumer, when all the people in charge of a market decide to keep their prices all the same. But I'm sure there's some crucial bit that we just don't know about that explains it.

Kind of like how, in spite of the fact that in any given market, there's usually multiple companies that offer individual health insurance, they all use the exact same standards to determine if they'll insure you, and if one won't, none of the others will either.

I guess the magic of competition only applies to some markets, and that it's not stronger than the magic of "fuck the consumer, they have no choice but to buy our product, why should we hurt ourselves for them? What, they're going to just build their own refinery/health insurance company in their garage? BAAAHAHAHAHAAHAHA".

Remember that the next time someone is yammering on about competition like it's some magic fucking spell.

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