Uh, I only have one question. If all this stuff is responsible for the increased prices, and I should just go and be jolly about it, saying "OH BOY, IT'S LIKE PRICE ADJUSTED 1974!," why are the oil companies posting exorbitant RECORD profits? Hmmm. . .gee, it must be all those factors out of their control. Should have bought Exxon stock. It's amazing how these terrible world conditions always seem to favor Big Oil. And W. And Friends.
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Uhhh. . .did you flunk math? Let's not get into semantics of exorbitancy. Uh, if their MARGIN was the same, they would be making the same profit or less, because volume is the same. Remember, we're at max output. Hehehehe. . . right.
Your analogy is severely flawed. Prices of American homes are dictated by what people want to pay. There is no shortage of residences in this country. The same is not true of oil. The country currently cannot live without it, which is certainly part of the problem. Thus, big oil can charge whatever it wants an most folks can't do anything about it in the short run, except try to drive less. Many of us can't afford to upgrade to more fuel-efficient vehicles.
It used to be that the way you ran a business was to make a "fair and honest" profit. This is the age of the robber barons all over again, execpt without all the philanthropy (if at least that can said about Rockefeller and the lot).
Your analogy is severely flawed. Prices of American homes are dictated by what people want to pay. There is no shortage of residences in this country. The same is not true of oil. The country currently cannot live without it, which is certainly part of the problem. Thus, big oil can charge whatever it wants an most folks can't do anything about it in the short run, except try to drive less. Many of us can't afford to upgrade to more fuel-efficient vehicles.
It used to be that the way you ran a business was to make a "fair and honest" profit. This is the age of the robber barons all over again, execpt without all the philanthropy (if at least that can said about Rockefeller and the lot).
You're terribly funny. Let me see if I can translate "BWAAHHHHH. . .BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH EEERRRRRRG" from your post into slightly more meaningful blather.
Your points appear to be:
1. It's the EPA's fault for high prices, despite few authorities appearing to agree with you.
2. Increased demand (which happens every year) is affecting us extra special this year.
3. Refinery capacity is low (but then again, if it wasn't Katrina, they always find reasons to shut down lots of refineries for "repairs"). I remember when folks like you said that Enron was just following market forces and that Californians should stop whining. No, no manipulation anywhere!
4. Regardless of curent climate conditions, apparently you also feel that global warming does not exist, even though Bush and his three neurons has finally acknowledged that this *might* be a problem.
5. Hey, the economy is slow to compensate. Gee, thanks, Adam Smith.
6. I don't smoke and I don't drink. Maybe I should give up eating instead?
Lotsa love, jackass,
Your Friend,
Luddite Loser
Your points appear to be:
1. It's the EPA's fault for high prices, despite few authorities appearing to agree with you.
2. Increased demand (which happens every year) is affecting us extra special this year.
3. Refinery capacity is low (but then again, if it wasn't Katrina, they always find reasons to shut down lots of refineries for "repairs"). I remember when folks like you said that Enron was just following market forces and that Californians should stop whining. No, no manipulation anywhere!
4. Regardless of curent climate conditions, apparently you also feel that global warming does not exist, even though Bush and his three neurons has finally acknowledged that this *might* be a problem.
5. Hey, the economy is slow to compensate. Gee, thanks, Adam Smith.
6. I don't smoke and I don't drink. Maybe I should give up eating instead?
Lotsa love, jackass,
Your Friend,
Luddite Loser
Lord, almighty, I can't continue! You've misplaced your brain.
1. Your first point certainly doesn't serve you. Profits are WAY up, look in the Wall Street Journal. WTF do "costs of business" have to do with increased profits in this case? Are you going to argue that they have somehow killed off their R&D, marketing, and all other programs, somehow become "leaner and meaner," and generated all this extra profit on the same (actually LESS) volume?! You're on another planet.
2. Exorbitant (learn to spell) is when the CEO of Exxon is compensated 686 million or so over 8 years. And it's getting even better! Save your Adam Smith "people pay what it's worth" crap. This is out of control. You'd like to see us back in the 20's, wouldn't you? Supply and demand worked then, too! Some people just couldn't afford anything.
3. Your argument about homes doesn't make any sense. Using completely unreasonable figures, of course your argument works. No, genius, there are few if any $500 homes. But we do not have a problem with living space supply in this country. We have little control over oil supply because it is manipulated behind the scenes by corporate interests. A man can still build a house.
4. This is the stupidest statement yet. Why wouldn't they charge $50 a gallon? Well, HMMM. . .let's think. What would happen at $50 a gallon? Riots? Probably? Emergency legislation to regulate the prices? Probably. These companies understand you can only steal so much before people get really upset. They're not limited by the economic system, you idiot. They're limited by what they can get away with. People would have to pay unless they stole it.
5. Well, you're not quantifying anything, either, you brilliant theoretician, you. "Fair and honest" is subjective and is assessed via the public view of businesses. Most people agree the oil companies are making too much profit. But then, you would say it's just part of the system. I can't wait until you get jacked by some part of the system and complain. I'll be there to tell you to be self-reliant and to understand it's part of the system.
6. Uh, WTF? To what foundations are you referring? Are the voices in your head inserting non sequiturs again? Most foundation funding doesn't come from Big Oil! The robber barons did lots of good, but look at where a lot of funding comes from now, and it's from entrepreneurs who appear to run more and fair and honest businesses. Take Ronald Burkel, one of the biggest philanthropists in the world. His first business was grocery stores. In the LA riots, his were the only stores not burned down. Why? Because he paid his employees an honest wage and treated his customers right, charging them fair prices--not the highest prices he COULD charge them. He's a billionaire, by the way.
You seem to think the system is wonderful because it is self-regulating, however woefully ineffective it is in certain markets. An unregulated market would have crushed people like you and me entirely by now, which you seem to forget. Markets take a long time to stabilize and regulate themselves, and in the mean time, people suffer disastrous consequences. Caps and controls are often necessary to keep things fair. There are countless (literally) incidents of companies unfairly exploiting and even killing workers, because they could, and because it was profitable. You seem to like these companies. If it weren't for regulation, these companies would be widespread.
The public is not aware enough to be able to fight forces it can't see. We don't get to see what goes on behind the scenes in corporate boardrooms and in closed congressional sessions. All we can do is fight for laws that even things out a bit. A little regulation can go a long way.
But you don't seem interested in making anything other than the most ridiculous arguments with no middle ground. Good luck and good riddance.
1. Your first point certainly doesn't serve you. Profits are WAY up, look in the Wall Street Journal. WTF do "costs of business" have to do with increased profits in this case? Are you going to argue that they have somehow killed off their R&D, marketing, and all other programs, somehow become "leaner and meaner," and generated all this extra profit on the same (actually LESS) volume?! You're on another planet.
2. Exorbitant (learn to spell) is when the CEO of Exxon is compensated 686 million or so over 8 years. And it's getting even better! Save your Adam Smith "people pay what it's worth" crap. This is out of control. You'd like to see us back in the 20's, wouldn't you? Supply and demand worked then, too! Some people just couldn't afford anything.
3. Your argument about homes doesn't make any sense. Using completely unreasonable figures, of course your argument works. No, genius, there are few if any $500 homes. But we do not have a problem with living space supply in this country. We have little control over oil supply because it is manipulated behind the scenes by corporate interests. A man can still build a house.
4. This is the stupidest statement yet. Why wouldn't they charge $50 a gallon? Well, HMMM. . .let's think. What would happen at $50 a gallon? Riots? Probably? Emergency legislation to regulate the prices? Probably. These companies understand you can only steal so much before people get really upset. They're not limited by the economic system, you idiot. They're limited by what they can get away with. People would have to pay unless they stole it.
5. Well, you're not quantifying anything, either, you brilliant theoretician, you. "Fair and honest" is subjective and is assessed via the public view of businesses. Most people agree the oil companies are making too much profit. But then, you would say it's just part of the system. I can't wait until you get jacked by some part of the system and complain. I'll be there to tell you to be self-reliant and to understand it's part of the system.
6. Uh, WTF? To what foundations are you referring? Are the voices in your head inserting non sequiturs again? Most foundation funding doesn't come from Big Oil! The robber barons did lots of good, but look at where a lot of funding comes from now, and it's from entrepreneurs who appear to run more and fair and honest businesses. Take Ronald Burkel, one of the biggest philanthropists in the world. His first business was grocery stores. In the LA riots, his were the only stores not burned down. Why? Because he paid his employees an honest wage and treated his customers right, charging them fair prices--not the highest prices he COULD charge them. He's a billionaire, by the way.
You seem to think the system is wonderful because it is self-regulating, however woefully ineffective it is in certain markets. An unregulated market would have crushed people like you and me entirely by now, which you seem to forget. Markets take a long time to stabilize and regulate themselves, and in the mean time, people suffer disastrous consequences. Caps and controls are often necessary to keep things fair. There are countless (literally) incidents of companies unfairly exploiting and even killing workers, because they could, and because it was profitable. You seem to like these companies. If it weren't for regulation, these companies would be widespread.
The public is not aware enough to be able to fight forces it can't see. We don't get to see what goes on behind the scenes in corporate boardrooms and in closed congressional sessions. All we can do is fight for laws that even things out a bit. A little regulation can go a long way.
But you don't seem interested in making anything other than the most ridiculous arguments with no middle ground. Good luck and good riddance.
1 - 4 of 124 Posts
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