They do the *same* damned thing and get away with it every time. How stupid do they think we are?

[Stinky The Clown]

Gas goes up at a steep rate. We duly shit our pants. They get a few quarters of obscene profits, Then they come to our "rescue." Gas goes down, but only half of how much it rose. We breathe a sigh of relief. This is not as bad, we think.

Welcome to New Normal™ R6.7.

How stupid do they think we are? They don't even think about that anymore. They fucking own us.

[WinkyDink]

1. "they think"? Is there even room for opinion on this?

[hobbit709]

2. They know how stupid we are.

we're Charlie Brown and they're Lucy with the football.

[bettyellen]

3. Charlie Brown stupid.

[jp11]

4. They also own our government which makes the laws.

Investigations into whether speculation is legal, please, it is legal they wrote the damn laws.

[xchrom]

5. we are that stupid. nt

[no_hypocrisy]

6. They don't care.

They've decided that we're going to take it no matter if we're stupid or understand what's going on.

[tularetom]

7. In the dictionary, next to the term "rhetorical question"

Your post appears.

[TheCowsCameHome]

8. Just stupid enough to fall for it every time.

over, and over, and over....

[global1]

9. They've Effectively Created A New Normal Price For Themselves........

I've been saying this all along. I wish someone could track this with a graph. Gas will be at $3.00/gal. They run it up to $4.50/gal - then they bring it down to $3.50/gal and we all breathe a sigh of relief and pay that because it's way better than $4.50/gal. They effectively take it up $0.50/gal and we're fat, dumb and happy to pay it.

If you can - go back and look at how they took the price up in increments from when it was a buck a gallon. It's always the same pattern.

I guess they've got our number - huh? We're not really that stupid as we are 'helpless' to defend ourselves against this tactic.

BTW - what are you referring to when you say - Welcome to New Normal™ R6.7?

[Atman]

10. Your sub line answers its own question: they keep getting away with it.

Clearly they don't think we're stupid, we've proven to them that we're stupid.

[Bluenorthwest]

11. Calling those with no choice 'stupid' for being ripped off is

not my choice of words, that's for sure. I also by the way don't 'duly shit my pants' nor 'breath a sigh of relief' as you seem to do. People selling me crap at steep prices are stealing from me, they do not 'own' me. They are thieves and you would have us call them Masters, and call ourselves stupid.
Blech. Feh.

[seabeyond]

15. agreed. not only are we stuck with little recourse, we have some op on du ranting ugly

blech. feh. absolutely

[Stinky The Clown]

20. Hahahahaha

:rofl:

What an odd thing at which to be outraged.

oh wait, its *me* you're outraged at.

I get it.

Hahahahahaha

:hi:

[seabeyond]

28. meh... on the outrage. and meh... not about you, lol. if i had

known it was your post, i probably would have not said anything. (i didnt pay attention)

i

like

you

[Stinky The Clown]

19. Hahahaha

Oh geeez.

Relax, willya?

You buyin' gas?

I thought so.

[ElboRuum]

38. +Several Million. You nailed it.

[deacon]

12. We're puppets at the end of their strings. n/t

[pintobean]

13. Who are 'they'?

OPEC, oil companies, refiners, speculators, governments, gas stations or all the above?

[Stinky The Clown]

21. Does it matter, really?

[pintobean]

32. That depends on what the op is supose to be.

Is it suppose to be factual, or just blindly swinging at anything that moves out of desperate frustration.

[baldguy]

14. The Bush Regime had the US military invade & take over Iraq

so the US oil cartel could have greater control over world oil markets.

What? Did you think this was just propaganda?

[Zorra]

16. Just one day when nobody in the country drives a petroleum fueled vehicle

would fuck them up royally. They only have power over us because we allow it. They get away with it because most Americans are too unwilling or soft or afraid or all 3 to challenge them.

I'm in anytime.

[Solly Mack]

17. Perhaps not stupid so much as well trained.

[msongs]

18. ummm, drive your car less? ride a bike? walk? take a bus? nt

[Stinky The Clown]

23. You live in a city on a bus line or train line?

By the way, I bet I drive less than 90% of working people. Maybe 95%

[underpants]

22. Meet the Press is awash with commercials reminding people that they probably own oil stocks

The Energy Future organization or something like that.

This is a RW talking point on the radio - THEY OWN YOU!!... NO NO YOU OWN THEM!!!

[Iggo]

24. Completely. (n/t)

[Nye Bevan]

25. Why would "they" "come to our rescue"?

Why don't "they" continue to make "obscene profits" indefinitely?

Do you think that some executives are sitting in a boardroom somewhere, saying "OK, that's twelve quarters of obscene profits we've made, let's come to everyone's rescue and lower the price"?

[Stinky The Clown]

26. You're right

They're honest brokers and the price fluctuations are all pure market forces. Nothing nefarious.

I was monumentally unkind to criticize them.

You win. I was wrong.





















:eyes:

[Nye Bevan]

27. How can I be "right"? I was asking questions, not making assertions.

On reflection, however, your theory is *highly* plausible. It is a very well-known fact that big corporations, after a "few quarters" of "obscene profits", suddenly acquire a conscience and decide to come to their customers' "rescue". Sure, their profits will be lower and their executives' bonuses will be reduced, but it's worth it to them to make the public think that they are not "as bad". Excellent post.

[Stinky The Clown]

29. Actually . . . .

. . . . if they never had to lower prices they wouldn't. They do it until we choke. When we choke, their hired guns, the people we "elect" get an earful. They hold hearings. They get to look tough. We feel heard. They look like we slapped them.

It is all a sham. Theater. Absurdity.

[Lugnut]

30. They don't care if we're stupid or not.

They line the pockets of those who make the laws and pick the pockets of the rest of us.

[MindPilot]

31. No, we are not stupid.

We are powerless. And we will remain so until there is a break in the unholy alliance between government power and corporate wealth.

[toddwv]

33. Well, oil supply issues were a known problem in the 70s

It's been nearly 40 years now and we still haven't really done anything worthwhile to fix the problems. So yes, we are, in general stupid (otherwise how could they convince us that it was the oil-hating liberals who won't let oil refineries be built) but there is another more darker explanation.

Where all a bunch of oil addicts constantly seeking a new fix:

[mountainlion55]

39. Holy Jeebus

Best cartoon I've seen in awhile. Thanks:smoke:

[deaniac21]

34. I just wish I could convert the gas I produce.

[bvar22]

35. The only way to get out from under...

...is to stop using Petroleum Products,
or find a political party that represents the lower 98% of Americans.


Funny how its ALL about "Free Markets",
except when it comes to the Oil Corporations or Wall Street Banks.



Who will STAND and FIGHT for THIS American Majority?
"By their WORKS you will know them."

[Odin2005]

36. People ARE stupid, that is why they are getting away with it.

If people weren't the Oil Barons would be having their palaces fire-bombed.

[Raine]

37. Yup ... same old, same old

they do it again and again and again. :mad:

[Initech]

40. Definition of insanity - doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.