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hamguy · 08-29-2007, 02:11 PM

In the words of the late Dan Rowen, "I think you have it Wacker!". The largest chunk of the price of gas goes to GOVERNMENT. To replace Bridges IN MINNEAPOLIS (unless, they divert the $$ to their pet projects!).

DonavonP · 08-29-2007, 03:59 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by hamguy:
To replace Bridges IN MINNEAPOLIS (unless, they divert the $$ to their pet projects!). </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

The money is already being squandered on a "light rail" track to be incorporated onto the new bridge. We need more antiquated streetcars like we need more buggy whips. These euphorians are nuts.

The small gas stations went out of business because they earned it. My friend sold his gas station and property for millions because he is smart.

Sonny in WV · 08-30-2007, 01:49 AM

I watched the mom and pop stations disapear here along with brands. Now all you see are the big brands, and looking at the high price of gas and the profits of big oil, one has to asume that they are gouging. 14 BILLION in three months is way too excess. Everything in the country is going up due to the higher price of gas. As to other countries having higher prices, well, this is the US and cannot be compared to other places as the tax to run a country may come more or less from the sale of gas. Maybe they have free medical or something. No don't make that comparison. The way the gas goes up when someone hicups and then takes forever to go back down is nothing but gouging. How can a manuafacture here be competive with China with the higher overhead that is being imposed by these gouging prices?

hamguy · 08-30-2007, 04:53 AM

Sonny,

A couple of points.

1) "Big Oil" sells hundreds of products other than gasoline. I don't have a clue what their mix is but gas is only a part of their sales.

2) Considering the billions of gallons sold and that there are only a very few companies selling, the profit/gal. is low. In fact democrat and republican led hearing have shown (I think conclusively) that they make about $0.10/gal on the sales.

3) Government makes far more/gal. than Big Oil, intermediate gas/oil handlers or local stations.

We may not like the big numbers and most people cannot even fathom what a billion is but to a company selling 100,000,000 units/day at $0.10 profit per unit is a big amount but not all that much overall.

Also, consider the billions of money they have invested in their operations. Much, if not all, comes from investors and those investors expect a reasonable return on their speculation on those returns. I would bet you have money invested in Mobil or another Big Oil company.

I have heard that about 70% of Americans do in some way or another. Either stocks directly or through Mutual Funds, we are invested.

Just points to ponder.

**Petro** · 08-30-2007, 06:09 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by hamguy:
Sonny,

A couple of points.

1) "Big Oil" sells hundreds of products other than gasoline. I don't have a clue what their mix is but gas is only a part of their sales.

2) Considering the billions of gallons sold and that there are only a very few companies selling, the profit/gal. is low. In fact democrat and republican led hearing have shown (I think conclusively) that they make about $0.10/gal on the sales.

3) Government makes far more/gal. than Big Oil, intermediate gas/oil handlers or local stations.

We may not like the big numbers and most people cannot even fathom what a billion is but to a company selling 100,000,000 units/day at $0.10 profit per unit is a big amount but not all that much overall.

Also, consider the billions of money they have invested in their operations. Much, if not all, comes from investors and those investors expect a reasonable return on their speculation on those returns. I would bet you have money invested in Mobil or another Big Oil company.

I have heard that about 70% of Americans do in some way or another. Either stocks directly or through Mutual Funds, we are invested.

Just points to ponder. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

hamguy;

You said it very well. In our state we have a company named Oshkosh Truck. They own Pierce Fire Truck among other companies. They used to make RV chassis as some will remember. Thy manufacture 4 wheel drive trucks for the Military. Their stockholders earn a better return on their investment than Exxon-Mobil( so I have been told as I don't own either)

Don

Sonny in WV · 08-30-2007, 09:15 AM

No I don't have stock in any company anymore. You have raised some good points about the oil companies. If they are as you say, only making a small profit from gas then we must look to the oil suppliers to see why the price of crude is so high. How about the Cartel? Isn't that a monolpoly of the highest kind? Those guys are all rag heads and control the price of oil. The terriost's are from that area. Could that be a way they have discovered to kill the US? In my opinon the Saudies are two faced and cannot be trusted. How about our own Government? Why aren't they more involved in the situation? They should be funding research to put what we have to better use, and make it more open so as to put pressure on those that are receiving the funding, if they are. Anyway you look at it, the middle class will soon be history, all because of our doless government!

Tom N · 08-30-2007, 09:55 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by hamguy:
I have heard that about 70% of Americans do in some way or another. Either stocks directly or through Mutual Funds, we are invested.

</div></BLOCKQUOTE>

And, if you're collecting a pension your pension fund is almost certainly invested in oil company stocks.

-Tom

Izzyblueye · 08-30-2007, 10:14 AM

In a sense then, since you already earned your pension once, now you must fund it again through the oil companies. Let's face facts, you are being whipped at the stake. Gas prices are definetly manipulated daily.

Sonny in WV · 08-30-2007, 01:35 PM

Another question is about the wholesale of crude here in the US. Big oil owns the crude and pumps it into the big pipeline and then buys it back at what ever price they want to pay for it. No, I cannot be convinced that the oil companies are doing anything less than gouging us the citizens.

hamguy · 08-30-2007, 02:06 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Sonny in WV:
No I don't have stock in any company anymore. You have raised some good points about the oil companies. If they are as you say, only making a small profit from gas then we must look to the oil suppliers to see why the price of crude is so high. How about the Cartel? Isn't that a monolpoly of the highest kind? Those guys are all rag heads and control the price of oil. The terriost's are from that area. Could that be a way they have discovered to kill the US? In my opinon the Saudies are two faced and cannot be trusted. How about our own Government? Why aren't they more involved in the situation? They should be funding research to put what we have to better use, and make it more open so as to put pressure on those that are receiving the funding, if they are. Anyway you look at it, the middle class will soon be history, all because of our doless government! </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I think you get it now. OPEC is the controlling factor in the price of crude. But you are wrong about our government. They are totally involved but short of nuking every OPEC country, I don't know what we can do. There has been hearing after hearing relating to oil prices. Nothing has come of them because out government does not control OPEC.

One thing would make a HUGE impact. Open ANWR, and our coastlines to oil exploration. Another thing would be to issue long awaited permits for new refineries.

I recently drove trough Canada and Alaska and saw the pipeline. I also saw caribou, bear, eagles, moose and othe animals that are supposedly not compatible with such devastating activities.

I, personally, am convinced there is a group of radical people in this and other countries that want to destroy the US. Look at the record.

Were we to tap the KNOWN oil reserves available to us currently, we would have enough to last us for OVER A CENTURY. It may be slightly moire expensive but at the current cost of crude, it is very competitive. I have yet to see an convincing argument to show drilling in ANWR and offshore.

Remember the Exxon Valdez? The devastation caused by that incident was supposed to last for dozens, if not hundreds, of years. I soent a week in Valdez and could see no ill effects and the locals laugh at such a notion.

One other thing would happen if we utilized our resources. OPEC would drop their prices immediately. They need to compete also.

Then, let's build more nuclear plants. The technology is such that they are substantially safer than coal exploration (recent events).

Does anyone remember Al Gore? Since recent "valid" science has shown his radicalism to be based on false premises, he has been rather quiet. Of all the ecology based exhibits we have seen up in Canada and Alaska, I couldn't find one person who believed the 'story line' of human caused global warming (Except CBC).

hamguy · 08-30-2007, 02:34 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Homer:
In a sense then, since you already earned your pension once, now you must fund it again through the oil companies. Let's face facts, you are being whipped at the stake. Gas prices are definetly manipulated daily. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Homer, old chap, I fail to see ANY logic in your comment. Pensions and mutuals are funded by thousands of different investments. Is oil the only one that makes a profit?

Tom N · 08-30-2007, 02:42 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Homer:
Gas prices are definetly manipulated daily. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Manipulated?? I'll call them adjusted and they are adjusted more than daily. Try hourly according to supply and demand. The American free enterprise system and it works well.

-Tom

Izzyblueye · 08-30-2007, 03:24 PM

HAMGUY: I should have been a bit more succinct in my response. I should have said, should we be funding our pension plans through oil companies by price gouging. It's the working stiff and the young families that are hurt the most with this price gouging by oil companies. Yes, I own oil stocks, they are not the best investment I have made. Not certain where all those profit dollars are going. Most of these oil companies are not American owned any more. When you have an oil "White House" don't expect to get honest answers on investigations.

hamguy · 08-30-2007, 03:58 PM

Homer,

Keep drinking the kool-aid. The DEMOCRAT controlled congress who would like nothing better than to catch President Bush in some kind of impropriety has had 30+ (IIRC) investigations. They have yet to get any connection.

Yes, the oil companies may not be wholly owned by US interests but the Stockholders "own" the business and can direct a lot of the activity.

Dean