LMAO

Okay, so why do rates ever go down? Why don't the oil companies push it to $20 per gallon?

Ah oh, now we're ****ed.







I'm sure it's been discussed in the board rooms, but it was probably pretty hard to hear with all the greedy palms being rubbed together.

I think it is different when it is a utility company, and oil companies fit into that IMO.

I would also say that they have no real competition, because obviously the price in one company isn't holding down the price in the others, like what happened to long distance telephone companies in the 90's.

I wonder why the parts manufacturers haven't got into that kind of reasoning yet? Let's just limit the amount of parts we make until the price goes through the roof, and then clean up.

Hell, why not farmers? Gotta eat too. :hmmm:

Haven't you asked this question before and gotten the answer?

The reason that they've been making record profits is because their refining costs don't increase with the price of crude, which they don't control mind you.

Oh, and last I checked, their profit margins are still right around 10%

At this point, nobody in the general public cares about that little stat you like to bring out. If you can't understand that the petroleum industry and their rising price has more negative effect on the economy than any other industry out there, I can't help you. Nobody can.

The price of gas goes up, everything goes up.

Some things are more important than profit margins and 400 million retirement packages.

there are so many people who live on the edge
of their incomes -bought the bigger house -nicer car
people will be hurting quickly

I'll believe that when SUV sales start plummeting and people are trading them in for Civics and Corollas.

I only mention their profit margin when someone brings up oil company profits. It's just a fact. Sure, when they make a profit, it's huge because of the size of the market (you and me and everyone else that buys gasoline). But, there are plenty of other industries out there that make vastly higher PM.

I realize that high gasoline prices have an effect on most prices, thanks. Should the oil companies be selling gasoline below cost?

a Caddy Escalade would be nice
and it wouldn't have to be licensed
like I could afford to drive it

You have me confused with someone else. That is the first time I've asked that.

He asked a similar question, but he got the answer to that one as well in post #136.

Okay, that's certainly possible. I've answered that question multiple times in many threads. I think I answered it in this thread, too.

* EDIT - Post 104

Correct. There two reasons why the oil companies haven't built one: profit and red tape. A new refinery would be a huge capital expense. Sure, they presently have the cash, but realizing a profit from a new refinery would take years. Also, our government has made building (let alone getting one approved) a refinery an extremely painful process. Environmental regulations, politics, etc. Instead, they have chosen to expand existing refineries to meet demand (and import refined gasoline).

Sorry, for some reason I thought you had asked it before.