Americans believe there is price gouging after Katrina

WASHINGTON (AFP) — Most Americans believe oil and gas companies are gouging consumers in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina but are split in their assessment of the government's response to the deadly storm.

A survey conducted by The Washington Post and ABC News found that 72 percent of the respondents believed oil companies and gas suppliers have taken advantage of the storm emergency by raising gasoline prices, which spiked virtually overnight last week to three or more dollars a gallon in many areas.

Eight in 10 say the federal government's handling of surging gas prices was "not so good" or "poor," the poll showed Sunday.

The survey also found that Americans were sharply divided over the performance of President George W. Bush and local, state and federal governments in the aftermath of the ...