will there ever be a check on oil companies profits so the average person can afford to drive again?

Answer 1

Before you ask about curbing oil company profits ask how much it costs to build one refinery, if the environmentalist will even let them do it.

Right now gas prices are spiking because we do not have refinery capacity. The same thing will begin to happen with electricity because we are not building our generation capacity.

Everyone wants to drive and have power but no one wants to deal with the hard questions of where to put the generation sources to fill these increases.

Answer 2

before you ask for something like this, i strongly advise getting the facts.

Exxon's return on equity over the long run is far lower than MicroSoft's, Apple's, and many other consumer goods organizations.

The biggest problem in your "can't afford to drive" issue is Congress, not the oil companies. The second biggest is that you don't make enough money -- which is, imho, a personal problem, not an issue for government.

Answer 3

A barrel of oil (42 gallons) will turn out 20 or so gallons of gas (the remaining becomes other products like petroleum jelly)

Each barrel of oil costs $70.

You do the math while lets blame the gov't/corporation/terrorists of our own laziness/stupidity/ignorance.

Answer 4

Bill Clinton put a huge tax on cigaretts and GAS in his last days in office.
It isnt the oil companies. it is the government trying to make us drive less and we are not able to, so they take advantage of it and tax it anyway.
Look up how much tax is paid out of what you are charged for one gallon