Consumers spread the blame for gas prices

PRINCETON, N.J., Aug. 6 (UPI) -- U.S. consumers blame speculators, the U.S. Congress, emerging markets and themselves for the high price of gasoline, Gallup researchers said.

"People obviously feel there is a lot of blame to go around," Gallup said in a statement.

In a survey of 1,007 adults conducted July 25-27, Gallup said 52 percent of respondents indicated commodity investors were to blame for high prices at the gas pump. Fifty-one percent indicated the lack of an effective energy policy was to blame, while 48 percent indicated consumers in general didn't practice conservation.

Almost as many -- 46 percent -- indicated the demand for oil in developing countries was to blame, Gallup said.

Recently dropping gas prices may even add to consumer worries, Gallup said. "The timing of the current price decline -- coming just about three months before the November elections -- may actually end up increasing consumer concerns about gas price manipulation," the statement said.

The survey carried a margin of error of 3 percentage points, Gallup said.