Driving up to the gas pump these days is not as frightening as it was just a year ago. Prices are not down to my childhood 49 cents a gallon, but today’s petrol has dropped significantly from the heart-stopping hundred dollar SUV fill-ups.

Members of a pro-government “colectivo,” or “collective,” march in downtown Caracas, Venezuela, this year. President Nicolas Maduro and his supporters say the escalating protests against his socialist government in the oil-rich but economically stru… — Members of a pro-government “colectivo,” or “collective,” march in downtown Caracas, Venezuela, this year. President Nicolas Maduro and his supporters say the escalating protests against his socialist government in the oil-rich but economically struggling country are part of an attempted coup. Rodrigo Abd Associated Press file

That is good news for American commuters, with the extra buck or two of savings possibly going toward holiday gift spending. But this good news for U.S. consumers is bad news for countries and governments that rely heavily on high prices for gas exports to pad their leaders’ slush funds or pay their nations’ bills. (Read More)