Unhappy with Oil profits? READ AND POST HERE!

[Huskerman]

I have been reading a LOT of posts here from folks who think that the oil companies are sticking it to us. I thought it would be fun if took it a step further and looked at other things as well.



SO, if you think "Big Oil" profits are obscene, if you think CEO's make too much $$$ the game is simple. Post what you do for a living, what you make and what your company makes!!



Then the rest of us will let you know if you are making too much. We'll let you know if your company makes too much and whether or not they are screwing us with what they charge for the product!!!



Sound like fun?? It sure does to me!! Let's start!



I will be waiting... . but I won't be holding my breath.



Huskerman

 

[GFritsch]

I make a fraction of what my company does, but of course it is my choice to erect buildings while others who own the company make more. I can quit anytime, they can fire me anytime. We both choose to keep the arrangement. My boss and I make a clear choice, I am not a victim, nor is he. He takes all the chances for success and failure while I draw a check. They could lose everything while I have nothing to lose, but looking for someone else to pay me for what is needed. Seems to work well.



I like the example of home sales. Would you sell your house for less because making 3 or 4 times profit is considered obscene? Oil companies get away with what we let them at the pump. Pure and simple.

 

[RTillery]

The nice thing about big profits and retirement settlements is they are taxed at top rates. No doubt our friends in Washington will wind up with one third to one half of it. With all these big numbers rolling in I am sure that my taxes will be going down since the government will be getting more than they can spend.

 

[elandon1201]

The nice thing about big profits and retirement settlements is they are taxed at top rates. No doubt our friends in Washington will wind up with one third to one half of it. With all these big numbers rolling in I am sure that my taxes will be going down since the government will be getting more than they can spend.

Do you really think they will pay taxes on that!!???? There are lots of tax shelters and tax lawyers to keep that to a minimum I guarantee

 

[Huskerman]

You know its funny. Its always obscene profits or an obscene salary when somebody else is making it.



Never in my life have I heard somebody say "Man, I just make too much money. Tomorrow I am going to tell the boss that I shouldn't make so much and ask him/her to cut my salary and give it to somebody else. "



I haven't ever met a business owner say "My small/medium/large business made too much money last year. I think I will lower prices. "



The fact is, more than just the "evil" CEO work for Exxon. I don't know how big Exxon is, but I would be willing to bet that there are employees with very little education making some pretty darn good money. Does it make sense? No. Is it capitalism at its best? YES.



I will give you an example of what I do know. I know a manager who is currently paying $90-$100k+ to highschool drop-outs to run a rock drill. Why??? Because that is what the market requires where he is located. Does that seem reasonable to me? Hell no! But, its the way capitalism works.



Huskerman

 

[nps]

I will give you an example of what I do know. I know a manager who is currently paying $90-$100k+ to highschool drop-outs to run a rock drill. Why??? Because that is what the market requires where he is located. Does that seem reasonable to me? Hell no! But, its the way capitalism works.



Huskerman

Is he hiring? :-laf

 

[Huskerman]

I had a feeling that none of the whiners would have the stones to post. It's funny how THEY aren't making too much $$$ but apparently everybody else is.



Huskerman

 

[klenger]

What about the obscene incomes for movie stars, pro athletes, entertainers, or for that matter, even Bill Oreilly.

 

[TJSHOTROD]

I work for the ATT and yes we get paid good the only diffrents is the fact we are regulated on what we can charge you for phone service as is the power company. I spend almost as much on fuel for 2 vehicles than I do for phone and power and the Gov. sees no reason to regulate it. I think people are more worried about fuel cost then they are about their $30 phone bill. Most people do not work for a company that everyone needs to use so you argument does not work.



TJ

 

[REFLOYD]

I had a feeling that none of the whiners would have the stones to post. It's funny how THEY aren't making too much $$$ but apparently everybody else is.



Huskerman

Ok I will post where I work and how much I make. I am in the Marine Corps and I only make about $1900. 00 before taxes :{ ... ... as for who I work for they don't make money they just spend it.

 

[Huskerman]

Floyd,



Anybody who risks their life defendning my right to run my pie-hole on a message board gets a free pass!!



No, you don't make enough money and quite frankly what the gov't pays the military folks is the only intelligent use they have for my tax dollars.



Thanks for your sacrifice.



TJ, if you HONESTLY think that having the gov't regulate fuel prices would make everything better then 1) you don't remember the Carter years and 2) you must live on a different planet than I do. I can't think of the single thing that the gov't hasn't screwed up by taking it over. TSA comes to mind for a recent example.



Huskerman

 

[AMink]

I work for a local government agency. (shhhhh) I know I make too much money because all government employees suck at the public teat, but they won't cut my salary. I do, however, pay higher taxes which help pay the local government agency employees. Does that make me self employed? :-laf

 

[klenger]

US Gov't regulation of fuel prices + world market = fuel shortages. Think about it, if you make something that you can sell for more $ overseas than at home in the good old US of A, where would you sell it.

 

[Bob Cochran]

You know I am on the fence on this idea of to much profit!! First it is free enterprise to make a profit that is what America is all about not like Communism. Second how much is to much profit? What % of of the gross product is the profit. 1/2%, 1%, 2 , 5 10; what is to much and does anyone have a right to say what is obscene not sure and if we did would we be communists? Now if the market is open and fair and there is competition then that competition will cause prices to lower so a company my get more of the gross sales from other companies thus more profits. Now if there is no competition then it is a monoply or if a few companies price fixing perhaps. Now I worked for a public power utility that is highly regulated. A number of years ago I remember a bank(I think Bank of America) was deemed to have a monoply and was forced to divest by our government. The same is true of the MA Bell forced to divest to baby bells. Was this good or bad, not sure everything seemed to work out for the most part. I think the bigger question is the market starting to be monoplized by the oil companies(to few), is there price fixing? For free enterprise to work correctly monoplization or price fixing is not going to work. Not sure I know if the government should be deciding what is an approprate profit wither it be the oil companies, car dealers, or Ma and Pa stores but should be envolved if a monoply or price fixing is found. As to executives salaries, retirments, etc. I think a person has to look at the profits that executive made for the company and its share holders to which he recieves a percentage. Lets say an big oil exec gets 1% of the profits for the period he is in control. That is one hell of a lot of money but a small price to pay by the company and shareholders. It seems obscene to us but is it really? I wish like heck that hey would take some of the profit and lower prices but for some reason it just don't seem to be free enterprise. Now if they did that and then got a higher percentage of the market then hell yes go for it. I guess that is why the big oil exec's get the big bucks. By the way I am not one of those exec's and I doubt they read this forum or post, but they could surprise me. This is my thoughts and after writing it I still am not sure and on the fence.

 

[EDunford]

I'm a Firefighter/Paramedic... and i don't make squat. But it's my choice. I've noticed everyone is talking about the Big Oil profits and a way to lower the prices at the pump. The Gov, can start by lowering taxes on fuel. The amount of taxes the Gov collected is several BILLON dollars over the profits anounced by Big Oil.

 

[HRDROKN]

You know I am on the fence on this idea of to much profit!! First it is free enterprise to make a profit that is what America is all about not like Communism. Second how much is to much profit? What % of of the gross product is the profit. 1/2%, 1%, 2 , 5 10; what is to much and does anyone have a right to say what is obscene not sure and if we did would we be communists? QUOTE]



I'm right there with ya brother..... and if the government lowered the taxes at the pump, then they would probably tax "big oil" more which would be passed right back to us again! So what the hell... can I get some KY jelly with that fill up... . :-laf

 

[RColston]

Ya Know, I like Bob, am on the fence a bit on this one. I am a retired respiratory therapist, who made ok money providing a service to sick people in the hospital. Did not complain about wages, did my job, provided for my family. Now I manage property for our family based business and act as the GM. We make money renting to the general public. About half of our income comes from mobile home parks, a great portion of those spaces are rented by seniors ( no offence to all of us who earned that handle ). If we always raised our rent every chance we could, we would probably put some people out of their homes, which would be immoral IMHO. So we don't. We do raise our rates to keep making a fair return on our investment and keep up with inflationary increases in our expenses, not including this ridiculous hike in fuel prices. The oil companies seem to be operating under the impression that they should make as much as possible, seemingly without concern for issues of morality. Yes, this is capitalisim at it's finest, ( or worst ), but I do not belive that capitalisim should be used as an excuse for taking advantage of a society that could be crippled by the inability to afford to injoy it's benefits. I am conservative politically, and I believe in capitalisim, and I would like to belive that I do not have a socialist bone in my body. This oil thing is tough. Our infrastructure at this time does not lend it's self to conserving fuel. Our mass transit system dosent work, or at best it is not convenient. People are moving farther from their jobs due to the inability of affording closer housing, crime that is allowed to run rampant, etc. Maybe, fuel prices should be controlled, but what about corrupt politicans whose only interest is their own pocket or job security? Well, our country was founded by brave people tired of the situation that they were in, and I think that those brave people, you and me, are faced with a tough situation. No easy answers on this one me thinks. We need to plead with our young people to care about their future, be more informed, be cautious of revisionist history and play a role on trying to manage our government by fighting socialisim. As for me, I make enough money, I lay my head on my pillow without tormentful thoughts about screwing anybody because of greed, I conserve the best that I can, I VOTE, and I think personnaly without faith in Jesus that all we do is think of self. Sorry about the soapbox and Ihope I did'nt offend.

 

[BFoster]

The Govt is already regulating the oil companies, regulating them right into higher profits. by preventing competition(no new refineries can be built cost effectively), allowing Big Oil to have a hand in the epa requirements to certify a new fuel(if you make Bio-diesel on a large scale it will cost you around $2 million to get the fuel approved for sale) the ASTM spec for Bio-diesel in only good up to B20, not B100. I could go on. So when our govt is (and I Believe this) trying to do what is best for the US, they have regulated the small guy out of the ability to compete with the mega corporations. so we don't truly have pure capitalism, just a sad fact

 

[dezeldog]

I am a retired shtmtl. worker. I made a decent living and a so so pension. I woked very hard for everything I made but you can bet it was nowhere near what Mr. Raymond made or got as his pension. Do I think the govt. should regulate the oil industry??? HELL NO That would only make the situation worse. If the govt. wants to do anything it sould hold them accountable for all their environmental blunders such as the exon valdez. To this day they have not paid one red cent for the clean up. Next, stop the tax breaks and subsidies. The energy bill that the Pres. signed last Nov. included a 6 billion dollar tax break. To me that is like giving Donald Trump food stamps. Let them... . make them build more refineries. All we hear is that is the reason for the high cost of doing business. I honestly think they don't want to as this keeps the cost of oil high and thus hugh profits. Same with alternate fuel... . do we honestly think that that is a high priorty of thiers???? I don't think so. That would be like telling cummins to start building isuzu's. Just doesn't make sense. Just my . 02 worth



Jim

 

[RustyJC]

If the govt. wants to do anything it sould hold them accountable for all their environmental blunders such as the exon valdez. To this day they have not paid one red cent for the clean up.

Well, actually:

The End Result

Exxon paid the price for its actions in several different ways. The cleanup effort cost the company $2. 5 billion alone, and Exxon was forced to pay out $1. 1 billion in various settlements. A 1994 federal jury also fined Exxon an additional $5 billion for its "recklessness," which Exxon later appealed.

Source of above - University of Florida study.



Rusty