Gas price

[Watchtower76]

And everyone thinks it's the oil companies fault....well $1.50 tax in Cali and NY i think is a little off course

[10DimeBry]

OK then the price of $4 gas in your state is not Exxon or Conoco's fault even if they are making billions..it's the price of the state's tax which has NOTHING TO DO WITH what your paying that is all i am saying. you can have a nation wide $2.50 if each state wanted that, but each state is different..

i agree. exxon has no choice when it comes to the taxation part of fuel prices. that is decided on a state by state basis. But that is why the prices vary from state to state. I was just trying to clear that up for people that might be wondering

[10DimeBry]

And everyone thinks it's the oil companies fault....well $1.50 tax in Cali and NY i think is a little off course

again i agree, taxes in ny are out of control, thats why more people/businesses are leaving NY state and going to states with much lower taxes on everything from property,school,fuel,income taxes etc..

[Watchtower76]

i agree. exxon has no choice when it comes to the taxation part of fuel prices. that is decided on a state by state basis. But that is why the prices vary from state to state. I was just trying to clear that up for people that might be wondering

Gotca bud....i'm with ya

[10DimeBry]

i honestly believe its our own fault that gas is how it is. Fact is there IMO has to be a more efficient way to run a car. ie hydrogen/electricity/natural gas/vegatable oil and on and on. My point being is that the oil companies line the pockets of politicans and nothing ever changes. Thats the fact. Also americans use way to much fuel. I've been to europe a few years back and i couldnt believe how few trucks/SUV's there was on the roads. Everyone owned a small car. Most families only had 1 car. Some had 2 cars. Many people walked/biked to work. Also to go places EuroRail was just as popular if not more than driving. Rich people had luxury CARS none had SUV's or pick up trucks. Reason being.....fuel was $1.25 a liter. People didnt want to pay. Thats what it comes down to.

[winner]

Just out of curiousity, I wonder how people get their opinion that politicians' pockets are lined by oil companies. Aren't there campaign contribution limits? How does everyone see that playing out? And I realize Cheney and his ties to Haliburton, and Bush a former oil man, but how do you all think this pocket lining works? And I'm certainly not saying it doesn't happen, I just wonder how.

[10DimeBry]

Just out of curiousity, I wonder how people get their opinion that politicians' pockets are lined by oil companies. Aren't there campaign contribution limits? How does everyone see that playing out? And I realize Cheney and his ties to Haliburton, and Bush a former oil man, but how do you all think this pocket lining works? And I'm certainly not saying it doesn't happen, I just wonder how.

its called a simple handout.i'm not refering to campaign contributions persay. handouts are in countless forms. ie cash,vacations,jewlery,information, and on and on. there are ways around everything.

[Watchtower76]

That's the question i asked myself with Jim Cramers' Mad Money....You give him 100k to pup up the stock and then not only the insiders make money but a lot of others around his crew would too. I've told many to stay away from this guy, It's only a matter of time for stocks to tumble and the average invester that doesn't know much will lose what they had. Everything is done under the desk, it's not what you know it's who you know and how to make an extra $....And the higher you are in the rankings, the easier it is to make more cash undercover...

[winner]

its called a simple handout.i'm not refering to campaign contributions persay. handouts are in countless forms. ie cash,vacations,jewlery,information, and on and on. there are ways around everything.

So someone from ExxonMobil goes to Bush at asks for what after handing over cash, jewelry, trips, etc? Or uses a liason between the two? There just seems to be too many people in the decision making train to be able to take care of such a big situation. Unless you are saying that every member of the govt who has a say in oil biz is on the take?

[BettorsChat]

I believe it was the other day late at night they were having a small congress session on cspan and they were talking about the oil companies and gas prices.

Specifically they were talking about exxon/mobil who went from making $34 billion in profits in 2002 to making $114 billion in profits in 2005. They wanted to know how a company could increase profits that much in 3 years without any ant-trust or price gouging being looked into.

Also our Government lets the oil companies drill on private land owned by the Government yet they made the comment we don't tax them on that thus it was like giving money away in tax dollars.

They also quoted that exxon/mobil I believe in 2005 made something like $38 billion profit in 1 quarter which is the most profit by a company in History and this was only 1 quarter of the year.

They were also talking about how the market is suposed to be a free market trading, however they said with a company going from $34 billion in profits in 2002 to $114 billion in 2005 that it wasn't a free market.

[10DimeBry]

So someone from ExxonMobil goes to Bush at asks for what after handing over cash, jewelry, trips, etc? Or uses a liason between the two? There just seems to be too many people in the decision making train to be able to take care of such a big situation. Unless you are saying that every member of the govt who has a say in oil biz is on the take?

no not everyone in gov't is on the take. What they ask for all depends. could be less regulations,could be to vote a certain way on something relavent to that particular company, it could be lots of things. There are lots of people in the decision making that is correct. Problem is with lots of people you often have votes coming down to only 1,2,5 votes. and that is where the "handouts" matter.

[winner]

I believe it was the other day late at night they were having a small congress session on cspan and they were talking about the oil companies and gas prices.

Specifically they were talking about exxon/mobil who went from making $34 billion in profits in 2002 to making $114 billion in profits in 2005. They wanted to know how a company could increase profits that much in 3 years without any ant-trust or price gouging being looked into.

Also our Government lets the oil companies drill on private land owned by the Government yet they made the comment we don't tax them on that thus it was like giving money away in tax dollars.

They also quoted that exxon/mobil I believe in 2005 made something like $38 billion profit in 1 quarter which is the most profit by a company in History and this was only 1 quarter of the year.

They were also talking about how the market is suposed to be a free market trading, however they said with a company going from $34 billion in profits in 2002 to $114 billion in 2005 that it wasn't a free market.

But I still go back to the question of this all falling on Bush. I see the insane numbers and profit, but just wonder how Bush is supposed to be the one resonsible for it all as a former oil man himself? I mean he can't just increase mileage standards or adjust prices or investigate all on his own. To me it's just too many resons to fall on one person. I realize it's the top guy who takes the fall for poor performance (managers/coaches), but it's not like one person can change everything.
If Congress wanted to investigate, don't you think they would? I mean they go after steroids in baseball but can't look into how gas in the ground at the station goes up when that cost is alrady set and paid for? And they say no gouging? And why in the world do people expect the OIL companies to invest their profits into alternative forms of energy? Does McDonalds take their profits and invest in Burger King? Without sounding like a tree hugger, I think there are some possible solutions here. Increased fuel standards, comparing $$$ with alternative energy. But to think oil co will do it on their own, or the govt parting with that amount of tax $$$ is unrealistic.

[winner]

no not everyone in gov't is on the take. What they ask for all depends. could be less regulations,could be to vote a certain way on something relavent to that particular company, it could be lots of things. There are lots of people in the decision making that is correct. Problem is with lots of people you often have votes coming down to only 1,2,5 votes. and that is where the "handouts" matter.

With all the investigative journalism now adays, you'd think stories like that would have broken by now. In the internet, information age, how do you think it goes down? Envelopes of cash, etc? I mean there's not one person who controls the situation.

[BettorsChat]

But I still go back to the question of this all falling on Bush. I see the insane numbers and profit, but just wonder how Bush is supposed to be the one resonsible for it all as a former oil man himself? I mean he can't just increase mileage standards or adjust prices or investigate all on his own. To me it's just too many resons to fall on one person. I realize it's the top guy who takes the fall for poor performance (managers/coaches), but it's not like one person can change everything.
If Congress wanted to investigate, don't you think they would? I mean they go after steroids in baseball but can't look into how gas in the ground at the station goes up when that cost is alrady set and paid for? And they say no gouging? And why in the world do people expect the OIL companies to invest their profits into alternative forms of energy? Does McDonalds take their profits and invest in Burger King? Without sounding like a tree hugger, I think there are some possible solutions here. Increased fuel standards, comparing $$$ with alternative energy. But to think oil co will do it on their own, or the govt parting with that amount of tax $$$ is unrealistic.

Where did I mention it was Bush's fault?

And Congress and the Senate is Republican held meaning more of them on each side. So I doubt that's why anything is being done. And mileage has nothing to do with this.

[BettorsChat]

With all the investigative journalism now adays, you'd think stories like that would have broken by now. In the internet, information age, how do you think it goes down? Envelopes of cash, etc? I mean there's not one person who controls the situation.

If you don't think there's members in Congress getting nice perks for making things happen then you're dreaming.