Gas Prices

And that my friend is why things aren’t right. Why should the consumer pay that price just so oil companies can pay the same dividends too thier stock holders. I,,,for one wouldn’t even come close to buying stock in oil when those dividends are been payed at the expense of those who are taking it from behind and trying to make it. What ever happend to paying lower dividends just because they don’t want to make it harder on the American public in general. Look back and read throughly what Eisehower was like when he became president, maybe that will change your mind on how past presidents used to look out for the American public and the American economy in general, and believe me he ruled with an Iron fist and so did his cabinet. He was a full blown republican right out of world war 2 as a general and what he and his cabinet said went, period. I think your in for an informative read on the way past presidents used to look out for the American public and its growth and unfair priceing like thier is today.

You are right. We should just let the government come in and take any profits from all companies. That would solve everything and be fair as to not single out just one sector of our economy. I say we also take it a step further and make everyone wear brown uniforms, after all, God created all men equal, so we should look that way.

Quote:

---

And that my friend is why things aren’t right. Why should the consumer pay that price just so oil companies can pay the same dividends too thier stock holders. I,,,for one wouldn’t even come close to buying stock in oil when those dividends are been payed at the expense of those who are taking it from behind and trying to make it. What ever happend to paying lower dividends just because they don’t want to make it harder on the American public in general. Look back and read throughly what Eisehower was like when he became president, maybe that will change your mind on how past presidents used to look out for the American public and the American economy in general, and believe me he ruled with an Iron fist and so did his cabinet. He was a full blown republican right out of world war 2 as a general and what he and his cabinet said went, period. I think your in for an informative read on the way past presidents used to look out for the American public and its growth and unfair priceing like thier is today.

---

These subsidies were in place prior to Ike. “As early as 1916, the federal government instituted income tax incentives to encourage individuals and corporations to drill for oil. During the 1930s, federally financed dams created hydroelectric power. From the 1950s onward, the federal government financed research into nuclear power. More recently, the federal government has provided research funding and other financing to expand the availability of renewable energy sources. 2 Virtually all U.S. energy resources have received or currently receive subsidies.”

In theory, the consumers are not paying the price. Oil companies pay taxes A LOT of taxes (not to mention leasing land from the govt that goes into the pot as well). They, perhaps, should pay more. If you eliminate the subsidies, all things being equal, less land would be profitable for drilling and gas prices would rise.

General Electric pays no corporate taxes.

I hear ya Dave…and agree I was watching a show last weekend and it sickens me to hear politicians using “closing loopholes” as a bargaining chip ! I realize somebody will always find an end around, but let’s at least make them work harder at stealing our tax dollars

Quote:

---

you guys do know that the big oil companies are publicly owned right?
so if you really believe your own babbeling why don’t you take every thing you own, morgage it to the hilt, buy some stock in one of the big bad oil companys then you can just sit back put your feet up and ride the gravy train in to the sun set.

---

Do you really think you and your 200 or 1000 stocks will lead to prosperity along these lines ???

Exxon Mobil (XOM) is raising CEO Rex W. Tillerson’s salary 6 percent to $2.72 million on Jan. 1.

The oil giant said Tuesday in a regulatory filing that Tillerson will also get a bonus of $4.59 million and 225,000 shares of restricted stock.

You do realize that buying stock does not put you on the board of directors… who are laughing at you as they steal from you with subsidies and you “invest” in them !!! I find it SO FUNNY that people can actually “defend” a CEO and their bonuses, all the while pumping their gas that went up 10% overnight…. do you think these CEO’s are your friend or what ????

I have no problem with CEO pay. If you have the skills and experience that few others have and create a higher return on a company’s capital than the next best can, then you deserve it.

Exxon Mobile has a market cap of $402 billion. They have shareholder equity of $161 billion (as of 12/31/2011). Their return on equity is an amazing 27.5%. Each 1% drop in ROE costs them $1.6 billion in annual income.

If an outfielder hits .270 with 15 HRs he gets 2 million, if he gets to .300 with 25 HRs, he gets 10 million. Why? Because few people can do it.

I would say their CEO is worth every penny.

oops…… i was misstaken, the profit will be $450 billion from being hit with a $4.5 billion fine.

Quote:

---

You do realize that buying stock does not put you on the board of directors… who are laughing at you as they steal from you with subsidies and you “invest” in them !!! I find it SO FUNNY that people can actually “defend” a CEO and their bonuses, all the while pumping their gas that went up 10% overnight…. do you think these CEO’s are your friend or what ????

---

I am still trying to decide if this is a strawman, red herring or some unique hybrid. I am going to go with a straw herring.

Never mind, that is definitely a strawman.

Quote:

---

I would ask anyone to make a case where government manipulation of the markets has had a positive impact.

---

How about the housing market…

Quote:

---

Quote:

---

I would ask anyone to make a case where government manipulation of the markets has had a positive impact.

---

How about the housing market…

---

Gold is doing pretty well too.

Quote:

---

Quote:

---

you guys do know that the big oil companies are publicly owned right?
so if you really believe your own babbeling why don’t you take every thing you own, morgage it to the hilt, buy some stock in one of the big bad oil companys then you can just sit back put your feet up and ride the gravy train in to the sun set.

---

Do you really think you and your 200 or 1000 stocks will lead to prosperity along these lines ???

Exxon Mobil (XOM) is raising CEO Rex W. Tillerson’s salary 6 percent to $2.72 million on Jan. 1.

The oil giant said Tuesday in a regulatory filing that Tillerson will also get a bonus of $4.59 million and 225,000 shares of restricted stock.

You do realize that buying stock does not put you on the board of directors… who are laughing at you as they steal from you with subsidies and you “invest” in them !!! I find it SO FUNNY that people can actually “defend” a CEO and their bonuses, all the while pumping their gas that went up 10% overnight…. do you think these CEO’s are your friend or what ????

---

i wasn’t defending any body or any thing i was just pionting out that if you all think the pie is big that you to could have a piece of it.
if you think the CEO of exxon is over paid then why don’t you work at becoming the CEO of exxon and change it.
if you don’t like the price of there product, quiet buying it.

I think a monkey could be CEO of Exxon or any of the Oil Companies… do they really have to “market” gasoline ??? Just make your price the same as your competitor and walla, your a genius !!! Do you think the CEO is out working on the platforms, coming up with new ways of extracting the product more efficiently ? Even if he was, is it worth $4.6M ??? I am not against free enterprise, but a compnay that can pay $4.6M BONUS on top of salary to 1 CEO, does not need any of my money as subsidy. The lemmings can go on happily paying it (can’t believe some of you, it’s like your best buds with the CEO’s or something, that or your grandstanding) I will choose to question the validity of it, all the while paying for the gasoline in everything I consume daily.

I smell a dead rotted carp in some comments… that or a load of crap. No wait, its a pile of crap on a rotting carp

Does anyone really know how gas prices are determined? It seems interesting to me that 4 years ago the prices went down during a Presidential election and the did last year as well. Is that just a coincidence or does the governement have control over setting the costs?

Quote:

---

Does anyone really know how gas prices are determined? It seems interesting to me that 4 years ago the prices went down during a Presidential election and the did last year as well. Is that just a coincidence or does the governement have control over setting the costs?

---

That depends.

There are a few things the Feds can do to try and “influence” prices. About the only thing that has been done was the release of some of the oil reserves under Bush. There are other things, but it is a commodity, and not only that, but prices are determined by speculation of future supply and demand.

So short of the Feds nationalizing domestic oil production, there isn’t much that they can due other than threaten.

That’s I guess another thing they did try which amounted to nothing more than chest thumping. They were going have a congressional investigation into the speculation market.

Demagoguery…

It is speculation and supply and demand, I believe… I cringe when I hear the words “expect gas prices to go up” on the news. When you hear that, they go up I also believe the industry has alot of control over price, by what they say and do. For example, weather, terrorists, tension in the middle east, holidays, none of these should have an “immediate” overnight effect on the price at the pump, but they do I am not against paying for my gas, but don’t think we should be sudsidizing it in any way shape or form. Free market should be exactly that. I also believe that petroleum has long been a “controlled” monopoly, you figure out who “controls” it (think $$$ & power)

I am against subsidies and takes break for corporations AND individuals. That may be a bit of an exaggeration. There may be some temporary exceptions to that I would say was Ok.

The friggen legislatures can’t help but always being doing something and that has resulted in a spaghetti tax code and not oversight for money being doled out almost arbitrarily. But I digress…

I also do not agree with subsidies for sectors that do not warrant it… I don’t need a subsidy for my mortgage, but I am “paying” for it, so I take it.(there is not a subsidy tree full of money) If gas would be $9, $15 or $20 a gallon, without subsidy, it is what it is… (I would venture to guess without manipulation, the price of gas would be what the economy could handle any given period) it will take major pain and hardship to right this ship, but unless it is righted, it will sink eventually. I would just as soon fix the hole, rather than keep bailing until I am overcome. A major correction is coming, because we refuse to address the simple things today, because they are so “minute”… added together, they can actually address this thing we call an economy, but continuing to ignore the greed and corruption built into our system, will be its downfall. It may not be in my generation, but it is coming…

[quote

Pie hole ??? Bully much as a kid….? Try to make me

---

your easy…..hand you a and sweep the knee….get a body bag then.

Quote:

---

I think a monkey could be CEO of Exxon or any of the Oil Companies… do they really have to “market” gasoline ??? Just make your price the same as your competitor and walla, your a genius !!! Do you think the CEO is out working on the platforms, coming up with new ways of extracting the product more efficiently ? Even if he was, is it worth $4.6M ??? I am not against free enterprise, but a compnay that can pay $4.6M BONUS on top of salary to 1 CEO, does not need any of my money as subsidy. The lemmings can go on happily paying it (can’t believe some of you, it’s like your best buds with the CEO’s or something, that or your grandstanding) I will choose to question the validity of it, all the while paying for the gasoline in everything I consume daily.

I smell a dead rotted carp in some comments… that or a load of crap. No wait, its a pile of crap on a rotting carp

---

not once did i defend the CEO of a major corporation, not once did i defend subsidies for a majoe corporation, i just pointed out the reality of it.
do i think oil companies should be subsidized? NO
do i think farners should be subsidized? NO
do i think ever home owner in MN should have there property tax’s subsidized? NO
fact of the matter is they all are.
if your boss came to you and said “G profits are up and we think you’ve been doing a great job, we want to give you a 6% raise and a nice bonus” would you tell them “no thanks” and they should pass the profits on to the customer by lowering the cost of the services you provide?
i think not. just because your playing field is a lot smaller then there’s, doesn’t make you that much differant.
as i said i am not taking sides on this, just pointing out a few things.

Gas would not be $9 without a subsidy. It wouldn’t change the price much at all, unless refineries lost subsidies.

It might lead to less domestic oil production and less domestic exploration, but that’s about it.

Pug I agree with you on alot of things and some I don’t. If you think that were all going to be wearing brown cloths and sandles because we want to put opecs nuts in a vice and squeez your missing the point. Some here don’t want to do anything about the high price of oil and the products they make out of it and they could. How about all the countries that manufacture products and sell them to opec countries, We tell them for each day they don’t lower thier prices we inturn don’t sell to them or at such a high price they begin to feel the pressure. How about we pull all the people out of those countries that help develope and produce thier product. Theres many ways to bring opec to thier knees but some think its not cool or commie to do so. So many people are used to listening to what they have been told for so long they think its thier only choice. Believe me if this and other countries wanted to drop the prices of opec, and other oil produceing countries they could in a minute. I can’t believe how gullable some people are.

Do they teach exaggeration, hyperbole and sarcasm in Iowa?

So you’ll have the government strong arm countries. And we will impose punishments using the governments power for the common good. Yeah, I see nothing wrong with that. If it ain’t communism, then it is her ugly cousin fascism.

Let me get this straight. Are you suggesting putting sanctions and tariffs on OPEC countries? You really think that is a game of chicken we have a chance of winning? Have you seen pictures of Dubai? All they would have to do is say, alright we just cut off the X,X and X countries. Then guess what happens to the price of gas.

If that’s gullible, I don’t ever want to be naive.

Lets see if this post enters because I just typed two responses and both never entered.

So lets try again but a little later today because I’ve got to get ready for work. Just remember guys, Opec and other oil producing nations who sets the prices could give a rats [censored] about you and its time to play a darned good hockey game and pound them into the ice. I’ll give a few examples of why they don’t care and what they did years ago to a company here in town.

Any of you guys remember gas lines? Even odd rationing? I sure like pulling into a station and getting gas and diesel any time and any where I go.
Hard to go fishin’ for most of us if we had to walk, and I can’t pull even my row boat with a bicycle.

Quote:

---

Any of you guys remember gas lines? Even odd rationing? I sure like pulling into a station and getting gas and diesel any time and any where I go.

Hard to go fishin’ for most of us if we had to walk, and I can’t pull even my row boat with a bicycle.

---

Exactly, they got you by the short hairs don’t they…. Heck of a marketing scheme them CEO’s came up with. We need more subsidy for oil companies…..I don’t want to wait in line…? WTH does that mean ??? Free enterprise, should be exactly that….

Quote:

---

Lets see if this post enters because I just typed two responses and both never entered.

So lets try again but a little later today because I’ve got to get ready for work. Just remember guys, Opec and other oil producing nations who sets the prices could give a rats [censored] about you and its time to play a darned good hockey game and pound them into the ice. I’ll give a few examples of why they don’t care and what they did years ago to a company here in town.

---

90% of our oil comes from Canada, Mexico and domestic sources. Middle eastern OPEC nations sell most of their oil in the eastern hemisphere half of the planet.

OPEC does not set the price for oil, that that done through world supply AND demand. They do have some control over the supply coming from their nations (when they dont cheat-which is the rule, not the exception).

I don’t know about all you guys, but I feel alot better after hearing the good news and what the State of our Union is Sounds like for most pressing issues we face, there can be commissions, groups, programs, task forces and studies done on everything by the Government to make them better

Darn, I missed the state of the union again, 20th year in a row.

Any chance Ronald Reagan’s name came up with this in the caption ?

” We don’t have a trillion dollar debt because we haven’t taxed enough; we have a trillion dollar debt because we spend too much. ”

Hey, I can dream…

This is an apples and oranges statement about how the Opec countries think about America and how they stand behind thier promises. When I was a welder and worked here in town for a company that made complete rock crushing plants, the Saudis ordered 13 complete plants. As soon as Reagan got voted in as president they cancelled all 13 plants. We had enough orders from other countries so that no one got laid off but it does show the mid eastern countries could care less about doing anything for America and standing behind thier word.

I did some math on how much I’ve paid out in the last 5 years and how much I’m going to pay out in the next five, not only myself but my kids and others too and alot of those other people, have a hard time feeding thier familys now as it is.

I use about 3 gallons of gas a day and if a gallon was a dollar a gallon cheaper Id save $3 a day. X’s 5 days and thats $15 and that number x’s 4 weeks and thats $60 a month. Take that number x’s 12 months and thats $720 a year. Now that number x’s 5 years and thats $3,600.00. Now do that times the 10’s of millions of people who drive and you can hear that sucking sound that Ross Peroe and T. Boone Pickens were talking about, especially T. Boone Pickins.

Too make things are showing up and I for one know the Opec countries and other oil produceing countries aren’t going to do a darned thing about bringing down oil prices. With Americas output at an all time high and the recent jump in gas prices at .65 cents does anyone really think prices are going to go down a dollar a gallon. Alot of other companies need that money too and its a big part of why the employment rate is where its at. And yes I think that all the non oil produceing countries ought to get together and put as much pressure and any way they can to drop those prices. Look at where were going to be and how much money Americas going to have to ship over seas as gold bullion in the next 20 years, still think its not worth putting thier nuts in a vice?, think about it because its already happeneing and its going to get worse. Hey but some think its wearing brown cloths and sandles, but I’ll hang in there with T. Boone Pickins.

I tell you, wind powered cars and solar tractor trailers, that’s the ticket.