The set-up is becoming clear; get us to okay taxpayer subsidized refineries.

[Atman]

Every station is on the same page; even while Exxon-Mobile and Philips et al are reporting record profits, 5X in one quarter what it would cost to build a new refinery, we're being hammered with the "but it's too expennnnnnnsive" whining. And don't forget, Cheney's energy task force built in fast-track authority to assure that none of the oil companies actually has to comply with pesky regulations. We're being played once again. But what did America expect when it "voted" for two oil barons to run the country?

.

[unpossibles]

1. isn't this kind of what Enron did a few years back?

artificially drive down the supply side of the equation to make the price go up?

[Atman]

2. Kind of? I think it's exactly what Enron did.

Kenny Boy has a guest room in the Caymans reserved for Unka Dick.

.

[elehhhhna]

6. Be assured their money's in Cayman, but I looked for KennyBoy

last month while I was there and the island is too small for him to hide out on...even on the North side near Rum Point, he'd be recognized. Methinks he'[s in the South of France.

[mnhtnbb]

3. The capitalist mantra is to socialize the costs and privatize the profits

If they can do it with baseball/football stadiums, why not refineries?

[TahitiNut]

7. Exactly. It's the same with pollution ... the public pays.

It's called "externalization" ... and it's the whole basis of supermarkets and "self-serve" gas stations and ATM machines. The double scam of the ATM machine just indicates how stucking fupid the public is.

[guitar man]

4. well then

maybe they should knock off the $400 million retirement packages for execs :grr:

how much are they ALREADY getting in subsidies?

[Trillo]

10. I was thinking something much broader.

Food security and free health care for all U.S. citizens, mostly subsidized by oil co profits.

Corporate/social welfare is as corporate/social welfare does.

[spanone]

5. There is NO incentive for big oil to build new refineries with THEIR money.

When you are having RECORD PROFITS who cares?

[Robbien]

8. That is because Exxon, Shell and BP pay big money to

network and cable news stations in advertising dollars.

Of course network/cable news will pimp for bigoil.

[onethatcares]

12. they don't pay big dollars to anyone.

it's an interconnected scheme to make the average american pay for their lifestyle. I'm finding it harder than ever to begin thinking of America as a land of equal opportunity. The money made by the goobersmoochers is obscene and they would never stoop to thinking of you or I going hungry/homeless/or dying. The fix has been in from day one, and p.t. barnum was correct.

[Greyhound]

9. Another argument for nationalization of vital production. Our nation runs on oil

and until there is an alternative we simply must have it to exist. The idea that the very existence of our country is hostage to these vile sociopaths, is unthinkable and a direct threat to our national security.

A tight-knit cabal of a few executives has the capability to literally destroy our nation on a whim.

[Chemical Bill]

11. Not building refineries...

is how they get record profits. Supply and demand, you know? If they build more refineries, there would be more supply, prices would drop, and they would have to work for a living. As it is now they just have to scare us away from any meaningful discussion about our petroleum addiction.

Bill

[ComerPerro]

13. Does seem to be the way conservatives like to do things

For a group of people who supposedly hate big government and wasteful spending, and who are supposed champions of the free market, they sure don't mind spending millions and billions of taxpayer dollars to fund corporations.

Its like they want to take all of the risk out of capitalism, but let the preferred companies keep all the reward.

[Atman]

14. Yes, and remember, we cant TAX corporations, because "WE" pay it anyway.

It's nutty. Just nutty. Corporations don't want to pay any of their own money for ANYTHING, be it a stadium or a refinery, and yet the right wingers say they also shouldn't pay taxes because they'll just shift that burden back to the consumers. I guess corporations just shouldn't be allowed to make money at all, because to do so they'll charge us consumers. :crazy:

In reality, they don't want to have to have to play by the very "free market" rules they say are so important. That is, if the "free market" says they won't pay more than $15 for a stadium seat, then dammit, don't build the stadium. If they can find a way to make a profit off of any endeavor, they will. They've determined the easiest route is to simply have us pre-pay their profits for them so THEY have to risk nothing. And we wind up with $60 bleacher seats and $4 gasoline.

.

[ComerPerro]

15. Best example is drug companies

Taxpayers fund their research, but then when they get the drug to market, they are justified in charging high prices for essential medicines because "they spent the money and time to develop it".