The Feb. 16 Sun Journal story, “Crude down, but gas still up,” presents an elaborate rationale for this being an “unusual year” for oil pricing. The fact is that nothing is unusual about it at all. The oil companies either actively or passively collude to maintain prices. It is against the law to do that, but Congress and the Justice Department have decided to cast a blind eye toward the price fixing. I wonder why.

Drive from any point A in Maine to any point B; the difference in the price of gasoline along the way is seldom more than a penny or two a gallon. Does anyone think that happens by chance?

Since the costs vary for different producers, one would think that there would be more evidence of competition in the price at the pump. What happened to the free market component of capitalism? What is the consumer to do?

At the very least, we might wonder, with our elected representatives, whether we are missing something or whether this coincidence at the pumps is indeed a form of price fixing.

Jim Tierney, Auburn