A Single Mom Delivered Over 160,000 Signatures To Congress After Launching A Petition Discussing Her Everyday Financial Battle At The Gas Pump
The 2022 U.S. cost of living has increased faster than it has in decades– pushing Americans around the country to think long and hard about their routine spending habits.
For Carrie Ann, a single mom of two from Florida, this has meant making all-around budget cuts, clipping coupons, and pulling her girls out of fun extracurricular activities in order to make ends meet.
“However, all of that frugality goes out the window when I get to the gas pump,” Carrie said.
“Every penny I managed to save elsewhere ends up going in the tank to get us where we need to go– school, work, Girl Scout meetings.”
And unfortunately, Carrie is far from alone in her experiences. Aside from the skyrocketing costs of homes, vehicles, and food, the price of gasoline has actually increased 59.9%.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, this is the steepest twelve-month increase since March of 1980.
But, even though Americans’ bank accounts cannot keep up, oil companies have been soaking up the gauge.
In fact, recent second-quarter earnings reports revealed jaw-dropping figures from some of the largest oil and gas companies in the nation.
BP, for example, reported profiting $8.5 billion– its largest take-home sum in fourteen years.
Stuart Monk – stock.adobe.com – illustrative purpose only, not the actual person
Sign up for Chip Chick’s newsletter and get stories like this delivered to your inbox.
ExxonMobil surpassed that by earning $17.9 billion in net income, marking the company’s largest quarterly profit ever.
Plus, Chevron and Shell are also raking in record-high profits while millions of Americans are stuck counting pennies at the pump.
This tragic reality even forced Carrie Anne to take matters into her own hands and launch a Change.org petition directed toward decision-makers in the Senate and House.
“Please join me in signing this petition to tell Congress they must support everyday Americans immediately by either reducing the price of gas or getting extra cash to folks to cover these added costs,” Carrie pleaded.
“Send the message: enough is enough. Congress must support and prioritize everyday people, not big oil.”
Her all-too-relatable story clearly resonated with Americans throughout the country since the petition has already gained over one hundred and sixty-three thousand signatures.
“I am a student driver with a low-paying job, and I fully agree with this petition. Since the lockdown, I have had my wage lowered and can barely afford to drive to school and work,” wrote one petitioner, Dominic Malo.
“I have to make a decision every month about whether to buy my medicine or buy food. The cost of gas has made it to where I cannot afford to drive– so I literally have to stay home!” wrote another petitioner, Deborah White.
The overwhelming response that Carrie’s story received was even enough for her to partner with Income Movement to deliver all of the petition’s signatures to Congress on August 31.
Afterward, she shared a highlight reel of the deliveries along with an update.
“Thank you again for all of your support. Congress is supposed to work for us, so we have to let them know what we want,” Carrie said.
To view the original Change.org petition, visit the link here.
If true crime defines your free time, this is for you: join Chip Chick’s True Crime Tribe.
More About:Human Interest
Read This Next
