Sunday, February 10, 2008
Why Do They Keep Attacking Exxon?
I saw Obama attacking Exxon Mobil on one of the cable news channels last night as an aside to his "new" energy policy. I couldn't find the transcript on the www. Maybe it'll come later.
Exxon Mobil is a private, publicly traded company. That means anyone who buys stock in the company can share in its profits. Sounds pretty good to me.
Who's making the real money off oil? Your friendly federal and state government, that's who. The average oil company makes 10 cents per gallon profit on gas. In Ohio, where I live, the state makes 26cents and the federal government makes 18.4. That's over 4 times the company profit. (Find your state HERE.) Microsoft's profit margins are over double that of Exxon Mobil. Where's the outrage??
Liberal politicians never saw a dollar they didn't want to take. They talk about corporate greed. Is there a greedier bunch of people than the politicians who want to take the money you earn and the corporations earn and use it to build their power base and control over your life? They don't just want your money. They want control.
Oil companies do a damn good job getting gasoline to the citizens. I rarely wait in line for gas. Gas is available in thousands, if not millions, of convenient locations. The clerks at the stations are generally friendly and helpful. Compare that to your last visit to the DMV or other government agency.
I'd be much more impressed (especially since I'm not impressed at all now) if politicians promised to make government as efficient and cost effective as Exxon Mobil.
Exxon Mobil is a private, publicly traded company. That means anyone who buys stock in the company can share in its profits. Sounds pretty good to me.
Who's making the real money off oil? Your friendly federal and state government, that's who. The average oil company makes 10 cents per gallon profit on gas. In Ohio, where I live, the state makes 26cents and the federal government makes 18.4. That's over 4 times the company profit. (Find your state HERE.) Microsoft's profit margins are over double that of Exxon Mobil. Where's the outrage??
Liberal politicians never saw a dollar they didn't want to take. They talk about corporate greed. Is there a greedier bunch of people than the politicians who want to take the money you earn and the corporations earn and use it to build their power base and control over your life? They don't just want your money. They want control.
Oil companies do a damn good job getting gasoline to the citizens. I rarely wait in line for gas. Gas is available in thousands, if not millions, of convenient locations. The clerks at the stations are generally friendly and helpful. Compare that to your last visit to the DMV or other government agency.
I'd be much more impressed (especially since I'm not impressed at all now) if politicians promised to make government as efficient and cost effective as Exxon Mobil.
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While I'll never complain about someone arguing for more efficient and cost effective government, do keep in mind that in many states, the tax on gasoline goes to road construction and infrastructure maintenance.
Having lived in Georgia, where they do this pretty well, I can raise my right hand and attest to the quality of road and infrastructure building. They repaved roads that were already paved, just to make them better, stronger and last longer. If it takes taxing gasoline to get that done, then so be it. It may suck at the pump but round those parts, you can't say you don't get a return on your investment.
Because I used to complain about high taxes on gasoline right up until I moved to a place where oil companies were catered to and the taxes on gasoline went somewhere other than roads. Yes, I'm talking about Louisiana.
I can only imagine in my wildest dreams how different history would currently be if gasoline taxes had gone to major infrastructure improvements round these parts. A stitch in time and all that.
Instead, the roads down here look like a bad day in Bosnia, and the oil companies were allowed to gouge thousands of miles of canals into wetland and cypress swamps between the population centers and the coast. So accomodation policies brought money and lower gas prices, but allowed important infrastructure projects - including man made and natural barriers to hurricane surges - to lapse.
The idea isn't that the government is doing something wrong to tack that price onto the gasoline, the idea is: What are you getting for that price? Is the money going where it needs to?
Liberal and conservative has far less to do with that than competence vs incompetence.
Having lived in Georgia, where they do this pretty well, I can raise my right hand and attest to the quality of road and infrastructure building. They repaved roads that were already paved, just to make them better, stronger and last longer. If it takes taxing gasoline to get that done, then so be it. It may suck at the pump but round those parts, you can't say you don't get a return on your investment.
Because I used to complain about high taxes on gasoline right up until I moved to a place where oil companies were catered to and the taxes on gasoline went somewhere other than roads. Yes, I'm talking about Louisiana.
I can only imagine in my wildest dreams how different history would currently be if gasoline taxes had gone to major infrastructure improvements round these parts. A stitch in time and all that.
Instead, the roads down here look like a bad day in Bosnia, and the oil companies were allowed to gouge thousands of miles of canals into wetland and cypress swamps between the population centers and the coast. So accomodation policies brought money and lower gas prices, but allowed important infrastructure projects - including man made and natural barriers to hurricane surges - to lapse.
The idea isn't that the government is doing something wrong to tack that price onto the gasoline, the idea is: What are you getting for that price? Is the money going where it needs to?
Liberal and conservative has far less to do with that than competence vs incompetence.
Good points. Corporations live and die by the quality of the products and service they provide. Governments only die when their services become so bad that they crumble under their own weight.
I'm going to have to visit Louisiana just to see the crumbling infrastructure. I haven't been there in your life time. It didn't seem that bad in 1969.
I'm going to have to visit Louisiana just to see the crumbling infrastructure. I haven't been there in your life time. It didn't seem that bad in 1969.
One could write a book about Louisiana.
Exxon made 34 billion in profits, after paying 44 billion in taxes. Microsoft's profits blow Exxon's out of the water. Microsoft doesn't have near the overhead, and doesn't have to drill for software.
It ain't easy, but I am able to make one tank of gas last me two weeks. A little planning is all it takes (for me). I know most others have to drive more than me. My kids are older, work and back is an 18 mile trip, etc.
Democrats need an evil corporation to get people to vote for them. Exxon is the big dog. Wonder how many portfolios, 401K plans, retirement funds, etc. are invested in Exxon? Worth considering.
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Exxon made 34 billion in profits, after paying 44 billion in taxes. Microsoft's profits blow Exxon's out of the water. Microsoft doesn't have near the overhead, and doesn't have to drill for software.
It ain't easy, but I am able to make one tank of gas last me two weeks. A little planning is all it takes (for me). I know most others have to drive more than me. My kids are older, work and back is an 18 mile trip, etc.
Democrats need an evil corporation to get people to vote for them. Exxon is the big dog. Wonder how many portfolios, 401K plans, retirement funds, etc. are invested in Exxon? Worth considering.
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