do you think oil prices are high because the oil company's are a really jacking up prices to pay for thewar?

Answer 1

The oil companies aren't paying for the war. The U.S. is.

Answer 2

The problem is multi-layered. #1 we forgot that there is a limited amount of this stuff and the people in this country lost their minds and went hog wild with giant SUV's. It's like 1979 never happened. We went from driving Hondas to Tahoes and I mean look around, they are everywhere. Then the US government says let's give people tax relief if they buy these hogs. Drive around the Sooner State and every SUV has "COM VEH" on the bumper, even though we all know "wink - nod" that all they do is haul their kids to school in it. Just imagine the huge amount of oil consumed in the 1990's by SUV use alone.

#2 The US Government decided to allow monopolies -- Banks can buy each other willy nilly and Conoco-Philips, Chevron-Texaco, BP-Shell, etc, etc. So the country that extols competition doesn't really mean it.

#3 The oil companies reduced their refineries to a national security risk level and again our Govt. doesn't do a thing.

#4 We decide to invade Iraq for dubious reasons, rather than make Saddam play nice and buy his oil. He knew how to keep order there and the oil would still be flowing.

#5 YES the oil companies are in a profit taking mode and the Govt is allowing it. Ever ask yourself why the gas prices change daily even though the gas at your local gas station was purchased at an oil price that is 6 months old?? That's how you make huge profits. You make people pay for something at today's price, when you bought it at a far, far lower price.

A guy here in Oklahoma tried to refuse raising his price because he knew the gas he had wasn't that price. They came and pumped it out. NO LIE.

In Tennessee, Wal-Mart got in trouble for selling gas cheaper than everyone else. The Tennessee State Legislature slapped them on the wrist and said stop it. WOW...we live in a free market economy....where are my boots...this is getting deep...

Let's put this into some perspective, companies all over this country are facing higher fuel costs, higher metals costs, etc, etc. and guess what, they can't pass it on most of the time. They have to find a way to stay profitable by leaning their business.

NOT the OIL Companies. Nope they can continue to operate as ineptly as they have for the past decade, because the govt. is in their back pocket.

Lastly, the Govt has their hand in the oil till BIGG time. An average of $.30 per gallon goes to the Federal Tax on gas. Uncle Sam is loving this tax money. This really makes your $600.00 tax cut from Bush seem kinda inadequate.

Let's see, you fill your 20 gallon tank on your Tahoe once a week, that's about $224.00 dollars a month (at today's OK price of $2.80 probably higher where you are) and a total of $2,688.00 per year. OK now for the government's share of that Let's see subtract $.40 from $2.80 --- which means the Federal Government makes $384.00 annually off your gasoline Taxes. And this is a very conservative number and represents only 1 vehicle. The reality is that you are probably paying to fuel two vehicles and giving Uncle Sam about $768.00 annually.

If the Federal Govt. were serious about tax relief and rising gas prices, it would cut the tax on gasoline...but it's too big a cash cow....so they won't!!

And somewhere a guy in a tent in Saudi Arabia is scratching his head....

Answer 3

There's a limited supply of oil. With China and India growing and improving their roadways, there is going to be an even greater demand for oil. And it's not only the oil companies that make money, it's also the shareholders. We need someone to figure out an alternative for oil or else this world will be at a standstill.

Answer 4

NO, The price of a barrel of oil is set by speculators in the world market. With India and China growing economically by leaps and bounds, coupled with uncertainty in many of the worlds oil producing countries, demand is high, supply is uncertain. Speculators are betting that the price per barrel will continue to rise. So they bid the price up and up. Oil companies make a profit of about 9 cents a gallon. Federal,and State taxes are several times that per gallon. So when your politicians start screaming about "windfall profits" ask them what they are going to give up in the way of tax breaks to help out.

Answer 5

Oil companies aren't paying for the war in Iraq: if you're an American taxpayer, YOU'RE paying for the war!

Oil companies could lower their profit margins to keep gasoline prices low, but why would these greedy bastards do that? When they sold gas for $1.00 a gallon at a 10% profit margin, they earned ten cents a gallon profit. Now, with virtually no added investment or expense, they sell the same gallon of gas for $3.00. If they still earn the same 10% profit margin, they make thirty cents a gallon profit! Multiply that by the billions of gallons of gas they sell, and you can see why they're laughing all the way to the bank.

Then the Bush administration will come along and generously give them tax credits (aka 'corporate welfare') so they can get away with paying fewer taxes than most middle-income families - and that simply makes Dick Cheney and his buddies at Exxon-Mobil richer and richer and richer. -RKO-

Answer 6

NO. The oil prices are high because oil company executives are greedy. Bush can't say a whole lot about it because
(1) he's being paid by them and
(2) it's really a waste of good money on their part; he wouldn't know what to say if they wrote it down for him .

Answer 7

The oil companies are extremely greedy. I wonder when they will have enough, when all of the other businesses are out of business from lack of customers? They are so greedy they may just do themselves in. When they cause the rest of the economy to crumble people won't be buying gas. Oh and the oil companies are not paying for the war, we are.

Answer 8

Who can trust what the oil companies say? Remember how the tobacco companies lied? The are both in back pocket of Bush Chaney.

Answer 9

No. The oil companies are not paying for the war. We are.

Answer 10

No.. beause the middle east controls what price per barrel America has to pay.
at the moment it's above $70 per barrel