Story Tags ? oil_executives government oil

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Comments So Far: 20

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  jovial1 month, 2 weeks ago

  It's the governments responsibility to protect the people. It's the governments job to make money. It's the people's job to make sure the government does their job.

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  jovial1 month, 2 weeks ago

  I meant in the second sentence to say,"It's the corporation's job to make money." The edit key is gone.

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  bigurn1 month, 2 weeks ago

  What a truly wonderful synopis of free markets! Rarely have I seen the subject so simply and clearly explained. And, yes, the author is exactly right that the emotion-free explanation of supply and demand simply will not be good enough for some.

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  Harbeas1 month, 2 weeks ago

  I can't believe what I just read. Let's see now. His comment was that the high profits by the oil companies reflect that they are more correctly identifying the wants of the consumer! Yes, of course, the consumer wants the price of oil to be so high that he has to cut back on the amount of traveling he does and purchase smaller vehicles.Not only should we be railing against the oil executives but against the majority of business executives

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  Georgia501 month, 2 weeks ago

  Good but the professor was quite restrained. There are many more arguments that could have been made, not so much in support of oil companies, but moreso to defuse the empty criticism of oil industry critics.

  A few facts. Over the past 15 years, oil companies have paid much more in taxes than they have reaped in profits. Governments make more off a barrel of oil in taxes than do the oil companies who produce it. When the cost of crude goes up. profits go up. That is true of any industry when its cost of "raw material" increases. Oil industry profit margins have been and remain on par with that of other manufacturers.

  Those are the facts. Any criticism of oil companies that refuses to address them is unworthy of consideration.

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  coolrayfruge1 month, 2 weeks ago

  Whats new! Capitalism has always been deciptive.
  Like the title "Free Market" there's nothing free about it.
  If it was free,
  There would be more people shopping there.
  Capitalism is a pay as you go world.
  You have no Freedom cause you pay for everything you need to survive in this world.
  And if someone has control over it so you can't have it of free.
  Your Freedom is based on what you can afford on your income.
  You can bet your ass the more you make the more they'll take.
  Cause this society is base on selfish greed and the lack of concideration of your fellow man.
  There is a swindler on every corner ,there to pick your income clean.
  Life is harder because of money and those who control your life with it.

  It doesn't take money for a society to function .
  It takes people willing to work together , to help one another.
  This idea builds friendships ,brings people closer together,builds a stronger community.
  Built for the people ,by the people and
  Provided freely.
  To preserve our Freedoms.
  From those that would like to control them.

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  gadgetstoday1 month, 2 weeks ago

  What a truly wonderful synopis of free markets! Rarely have I seen the subject so simply and clearly explained. And, yes, the author is exactly right that the emotion-free explanation of supply and demand simply will not be good enough for some.

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  gadgetstoday1 month, 2 weeks ago

  I can't believe what I just read. Let's see now. His comment was that the high profits by the oil companies reflect that they are more correctly identifying the wants of the consumer! Yes, of course, the consumer wants the price of oil to be so high that he has to cut back on the amount of traveling he does and purchase smaller vehicles.Not only should we be railing against the oil executives but against the majority of business executives

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  MelindaGene1 month, 2 weeks ago

  I don't quite understand how the oil industry work, but I love the idea of where do we draw the line between "obscene" and "nonobscene" profits for oil industry, and personally, I think we are headed for disaster when we too depend on oil energy.

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  coolrayfruge1 month, 2 weeks ago

  The problem is that we depend on government (Which consist of a group of self serving individuals from the predominant wealthy class to make decisions , that we exspect to benefit us) sigh!
  How many more centurys does man have to endure before man realizes that concept is only profitable for them, ,not the hard working class..
  As long as they have that power ,you will be their slave.

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  72LIAME1 month, 2 weeks ago

  The oil cpmpanys do not have clean hands--after the 70s oil scare--they purposly lower prices ro keep us from going after alternative fuels..They have run every independant gas station out of business, to control prices..They purposly built no more refinerys--to create "shortages", and there by raise prices..
  We should either--nationalize all oil in this country--Or create our own United States Energy Company..--By- and for this country..with the clear road in mind for cleaner energy, and lowering currant prices..
  We must stop sending our enemies billions of our dollars each year..
  Invade Arabia--the worlds arch enemy..AND the sole cause of world terror..
  Try Bush for treason--he made secret deals with the /Saudis at his ranch, and let all the Bin Ladins go after 9-11..Since then--the Saudis have protected Osama...Bin ladin..

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  chevydog1 month, 2 weeks ago

  Several thoughts;

  In my dealings with them I've found oil companies to be remarklably competent--at finding and producing oil. Any time they try to go to oher industries, they seem to fail. Their management expertise is not nearly as transferable as that of some other industries.

  Free markets are very efficient, but not very common. The tricky part is generally freedom of entry to new providers; there are often many natural barriers (capital requirements, knowledge, etc.), let alone those legal ones that are promoted by the current suppliers. The classic free market, agcricultural commodities, bit us in the b*tt last year with acreage that might have been used for other crops being readily moved to corn production for ethanol. IMHO computer software, at least some types of it, is also a free market. Oil production is not and is not likely to become one; though some parts of the process probably are.

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  doppich1 month, 2 weeks ago

  No need to "string up" anyone. It's only necessary that government serve the people rather than be the servant of the oil oligarchy and other corporations. But what else should we have expected when we hired a couple of guys from the oil patch to run the country?

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  unome21 month, 2 weeks ago

  We have spent three trillion dollars taking over Iraq for these giant oil corporations.
  We have wasted several thousand US military lives for these giant oil corporations.
  We have murdered nearly a million Iraqs for these giant oil corporations. The US military has always been the world bully for big oil.

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    DropkickaLib1 month, 2 weeks ago

    Right, we're getting so much oil from Iraq.

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