Gasoline Consumption and Expenditures

In the international community, gasoline consumption is the symbol of America's profligate energy waste. In domestic politics, gasoline lines—variously attributed to the foreign oil cartel and/or the ineptitude of government regulation and/or the machinations of a domestic energy oligopoly—are the symbol of American frustration and impotence. This chapter analyzes gasoline consumption by lower income households. It demonstrates that consumption of and expenditure patterns for gasoline are consistent with the characterization of gasoline as a necessity for those lower income households that use it. The most important test of whether gasoline should be considered a necessity for low income households is the relative expenditure patterns for gasoline. Gasoline consumption and expenditures exhibit a uniquely regional pattern that is of special importance in analyzing the burden on the lower income population. Very high home energy expenditures in the Northeast by lower income households are offset by low expenditures on gasoline.