[Coco] OT - Oil Companies

[Bill Barnes]

Wanna add insult to injury??? From what I understand, our (U.S.) Gov't subsidizes these companies in the name of "finding alternate power sources." They dont want to build new refineries due to "cost" of making a new refinery that complies with regulatory standards for new refineries.

Hmmm, They Got us by the nose when it comes to gas prices.... they get $$$ to find something they are in no hurry to release to the public, if they even are seriously researching alternatives... They raise prices at any excuse, and lower only as they see fit (usually as slow as they can get away with, as you noted Frank).

They argue through their special interest groups that govt regulation of prices is guaranteed to lead to the shortages of the '70s AND try to convince any of us who attempt to research of the same. (I wouldnt doubt that the shortage was artificial, as in the oil companies made sure we didnt have enough.)


I wouldnt doubt the first level of gouging is at the corporate level, and then by some stations (where they think they can get away with it). As you also said Frank, one company's price rises, the others follow suit. Through "zones" a gas station near a freeway can be more expensive than one further from the freeway.

It does boil down to one thing: corporate greed, and the buying off of our elected officials (using FUD and other propaganda techniques).

--- ORIGINAL MESSAGE ---
> Date: Mon, 15 Sep 2008 10:45:58 -0400
> From: Frank Swygert <farna at att.net>
> Subject: Re: [Coco] Eye of Ike approaching my home
> To: coco at maltedmedia.com
> Message-ID: <48CE7526.6070400 at att.net>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
> 
...
> price of gasoline rose to just under $5 a gallon in SC in
> "anticipation" of the oil refineries being shut
> down for a while. We HAVE to have gov't regulation of
...
> I can see prices going up a little in anticipation -- no
...
> $4.99-$5.15 the next. The SC governor passed an emergency
> law against price gouging and the next day the price went
> down a little to $4.69 in my home town (on average). My
...
> there's actual damage to something. They are quick to
> anticipate and raise prices, then very #$%^ slow to drop
> them back. 
> 
> How many of you remember the mid and late 70s oil crisis?
...
> things, and at first it was a good thing. Now it seems the
> bas#$%ds at the oil companies have learned to cooperate with
> each other. They all seem to go one after another -- if one
> raises prices, the others follow suit shortly. 
...
> the number of gallons sold!). They are raised due to
> supply/demand (supposedly), and we're all sc$%^wed.  The
> real reason is they see that they can make a lot of money
> off the misfortune of others (those in the wake of the
> storm). I can't see any other reason, it's not to
> cover loss of profits, which would be a justified reason for
> raising prices -- they are report
>  ing even higher profits! 
>