Fuel prices and % of income

[Tigermike 3,055]

"Gasoline prices reached a national average of $4 a gallon for the first time over the weekend, adding more strain to motorists across the country.

But the pain is not being felt uniformly. Across broad swaths of the South, Southwest and the upper Great Plains, the combination of low incomes, high gas prices and heavy dependence on pickup trucks and vans is putting an even tighter squeeze on family budgets."

This is an outstanding map that shows just how distinct the differences are between rural America and the rest of the country in terms of the percentage of income currently being spent on fuel.

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2008/06...APHIC.html#tab1

In fact the map looks similar to the last several election maps showing the red and blue states and counties.

Why do you think dims from Massachusetts and California are willing to advocate bills (Energy and Cap and Trade, for example) that makes gas more expensive while simultaneously ignoring the plight of most American families – those living outside large cities and those without access to mass transportation?

[TitanTiger 20,511]

To be fair however, people in rural areas also pay much lower taxes, much lower for housing and many other expenses as well.

[bigsixfive 328]

Something that would make that map more interesting is heating oil prices. They'd have to change the scale to include the Northeast.