Big Oil has beatin me down
5/15/07, 12:13 PM
#42
I think a lot of the complainers should have bought V6s instead....
Really, with the recent history of gas prices, how many of you expected pump prices to remain the same or go down???
Really, with the recent history of gas prices, how many of you expected pump prices to remain the same or go down???
5/15/07, 03:34 PM
#43
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Again, quit picking sides. Neither side is doing squat to help us out.
5/15/07, 04:48 PM
#44
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So you want the government to set limits on how much profit a company can make? How about 10% of gross sales? But I'll only go along with that if we also set it so that GOVERNMENT (in all it's forms, Fed, State, County, etc. COMBINED) can ONLY take 10% of the GDP in the form of taxes.
You think a company is robbing us when they make a 10% profit, I say the government is robbing us when they TAKE 25% PLUS from our pay. And then they have the gaul (sp?) to tax us on the other side (sales tax, property tax, registration "fees", etc) for another 10 to 15 percent.
Plus, you have the OPTION of NOT doing business with the oil companies. You CAN build a house that does not rely on oil or gas (or even electricty off the grid). You CAN chose to live close enough to work that you can walk or ride so you don't need a car. But the last time I looked, the government (in the form of the IRS) tends to take a REAL dim view if you decide that 40% is confiscatory and you were going to "opt out".
The oil companies might look like villians in all this, but the governemnt is a much bigger one. I almost had to scream this morning while driving in to work when I head a report that another mornonic Senator was going to have an inquiry into "price gouging" by the oil companies.
How many of these have the held? Have they EVER found evidence that there was gauging going on? No. The market works pretty good in the USA. Generally, it works the best when the government meddles the least.
I wonder if one of these Senators will ever have the ***** to hold an inquiry into "tax gouging" by the government...
You think a company is robbing us when they make a 10% profit, I say the government is robbing us when they TAKE 25% PLUS from our pay. And then they have the gaul (sp?) to tax us on the other side (sales tax, property tax, registration "fees", etc) for another 10 to 15 percent.
Plus, you have the OPTION of NOT doing business with the oil companies. You CAN build a house that does not rely on oil or gas (or even electricty off the grid). You CAN chose to live close enough to work that you can walk or ride so you don't need a car. But the last time I looked, the government (in the form of the IRS) tends to take a REAL dim view if you decide that 40% is confiscatory and you were going to "opt out".
The oil companies might look like villians in all this, but the governemnt is a much bigger one. I almost had to scream this morning while driving in to work when I head a report that another mornonic Senator was going to have an inquiry into "price gouging" by the oil companies.
How many of these have the held? Have they EVER found evidence that there was gauging going on? No. The market works pretty good in the USA. Generally, it works the best when the government meddles the least.
I wonder if one of these Senators will ever have the ***** to hold an inquiry into "tax gouging" by the government...
If you want the government to control gasoline prices and put a cap on it you might as well call us the People's Republic of the United States.
5/15/07, 09:11 PM
#45
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sure, but lets put it into a useful context like profit margin, rather just blurting out a big dollar number. I find it odd that every other company has a right to earn a 10-14% margin on thier products, but for some reason people scream bloody murder when oil companies do the same. Besides this is the "free market" scenario that is supposed to drive people into buying more fuel efficent vehicles rather than the "supposed" gas hogs on the road today, sadly it appears, people would rather we adopt a more socialist solution.
5/15/07, 09:24 PM
#46
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sure, but lets put it into a useful context like profit margin, rather just blurting out a big dollar number. I find it odd that every other company has a right to earn a 10-14% margin on thier products, but for some reason people scream bloody murder when oil companies do the same. Besides this is the "free market" scenario that is supposed to drive people into buying more fuel efficent vehicles rather than the "supposed" gas hogs on the road today, sadly it appears, people would rather we adopt a more socialist solution.
For the record - I've only bought gas once this month and still have a quarter tank. My 16 year old Acura has paid for itself once again. I wish I could afford to enjoy the Mustang more... but that's my 'choice'.
5/15/07, 09:37 PM
#47
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Not sure if the electric company is such a good example to use, since the consumer can't switch utility companies like one can go to different gas stations when shopping for a "cheaper" price.
5/15/07, 09:45 PM
#48
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I mean, what's the difference if you pay $2.29 at BP or drive down the road a mile to Shell and pay $2.28?
5/15/07, 11:03 PM
#49
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5/16/07, 04:29 AM
#50
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its a pretty competitive business when it comes to fuel pricing, My own employer will send people out at least once a day to comp its competitors, and I'd probably say it really happens twice a day (we dont sell fuel in my area so I'm not privy to that end of the business beyond basic info), however based on the fuel pumped in a day, a penny probably adds up pretty quick,
5/16/07, 05:14 AM
#51
5/17/07, 02:12 AM
#52
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Fuel price differences here can vary as much as $.05 (Woo-hoo, big savings!!!) within a mile of each other the difference can beome greater as some stations knock off a few cents depending on the day of the week. There has been a lot of talk about collusion between the gasoline suppliers and stations keeping pricing close so as to minimize the effects of all-out competition and keep everyone (except the end-user) happy. Unfortunately, that hasn't been proven, given the veil of secrecy the oil companies insist upon compared to how a utility company is scrutinized by a PUC when requesting rate hikes, for example.
BTW, LBJay? Checked that link, and think it's pretty cool to at least be offered the chance to choose.
Speaking of gas, last year on our way to Delaware, me and my brother were trying make our fuel stops at the gas stations on the Pennsylvania side of the interstate as opposed to the ones in New Jersey.
Didn't quite work out. 
(My brother hated the NJ stations because the attendants tended to top off the tank - and the lines were long because there weren't enough people to service everyone at the pumps. 
)
BTW, LBJay? Checked that link, and think it's pretty cool to at least be offered the chance to choose.
Speaking of gas, last year on our way to Delaware, me and my brother were trying make our fuel stops at the gas stations on the Pennsylvania side of the interstate as opposed to the ones in New Jersey.
Didn't quite work out. (My brother hated the NJ stations because the attendants tended to top off the tank - and the lines were long because there weren't enough people to service everyone at the pumps. )
5/17/07, 08:17 AM
#53
One more comment on "regulated utilities". Most people don't realize that the only part of their bill that is regulated is the COS (Cost Of Services). That is the cost of delivering the energy to you. (wires, pipelines, maintenance, etc)
Raw energy cost increases to the energy utilities (coal, NG, oil) are passed directly through to the customer with a "Fuel Adjustment".
Raw energy cost increases to the energy utilities (coal, NG, oil) are passed directly through to the customer with a "Fuel Adjustment".
5/17/07, 09:50 AM
#54
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I can remember paying 86 cents for a gallon when I first started driving! That won't ever happen again I bet! LOL
I walk to work though, and believe me, it's great! No traffic to deal with, no headache of rude drivers in the morning, and a nice 10 minute walk. It's really the only excercize I get, as I sit at a computer just about all day at work. My mustang is a weekend mountain cruiser
I walk to work though, and believe me, it's great! No traffic to deal with, no headache of rude drivers in the morning, and a nice 10 minute walk. It's really the only excercize I get, as I sit at a computer just about all day at work. My mustang is a weekend mountain cruiser
5/17/07, 12:37 PM
#55
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Honestly I don't get all the griping here about gas prices. I drive a lot due to the long commute to work and I spend about 150 bucks a month on gas for my car, lawn tractor and motorcycles. A 25% swing in gas prices still affects my pocketbook less than 40 bucks a month. If you sit down and actually put numbers to what the increase in gas prices is costing you, I think you'll find it's really not that significant unless you're only making 12k a year. What cracks me up is the people that dump their SUV and take a 20k kit on it due to lack of interest, then go out and buy a marked-up Prius to "save" money on gas! How long will it take them to recoup that investment?
To tell the truth despite the fact that I drive a GT I would love to see gas go up even more. Why? Because as the gas prices rise, more people get out of their monster SUVs and get into more environmentally friendly vehicles. They also insulate their homes better, turn their t-stats up higher in the summer and buy more energy-efficient appliances. All these things add up to a cleaner environment and in the long run drive oil prices back down again. I know, it's kind of hypocritical of me to say that since I drive a GT, but I drove Civics for over a decade, so it's my turn to have some fun for a while
To tell the truth despite the fact that I drive a GT I would love to see gas go up even more. Why? Because as the gas prices rise, more people get out of their monster SUVs and get into more environmentally friendly vehicles. They also insulate their homes better, turn their t-stats up higher in the summer and buy more energy-efficient appliances. All these things add up to a cleaner environment and in the long run drive oil prices back down again. I know, it's kind of hypocritical of me to say that since I drive a GT, but I drove Civics for over a decade, so it's my turn to have some fun for a while
5/17/07, 12:40 PM
#56
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5/17/07, 03:09 PM
#58
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Not sure about you but on the highway I average 28-29MPG in mine.
And even around town, as long as I'm not driving it like I stole it I get 20-22.
That's not too far off from my 4cyl commuter-beater I use for work.
But to the gas price point - Yeah, it's the limited refinery capacity coupled with multiple boutique blends that's really putting the pressure on pump prices.
And that's where 'Big Oil' has been making their huge profits in recent years.
But consider this - the 'average' profit a company makes on a gallon of gas is between .19 and .25 cents per gallon.
The 'average' profit that federal, state and some local governments collect through taxes is anywhere from .50 to 1.00+ for that same gallon.
So I guess the question would be -
Who's screwing whom?
5/17/07, 04:20 PM
#60
May 1992 1.12 (2006 dollars = 1.60)
May 1997 1.21 (2006 dollars = 1.50)
May 2002 1.45 (2006 dollars = 1.62)
May 2007 3.26 (2002 dollars = 2.28)
Now I agree that it's a free market but the oil companies say prices go up when there is increases and decreases in demand...I'd like someone to explain that.