Fuel prices and ignorance

Today, Exxon makes approx. 9 cents for every gallon gas we buy. Take that 9 cents away, and then what? Go try to make your own and see how you do.

The biggest supplier of crude oil to the USA is Canada, and they are not a member of OPEC.
Last I heard, George Bush is not in control of Canada.

For anyone the cares about reality - here are a few facts. Many politicians thrive on the type of ignorance that's been displayed here, and then get voted in by promising to go after fictious enemies. There are so many moron voters - even if we had a candidate with good ideas he or she couldn't dare make those ideas public.

Here's the breakdown from last month of one day and gallons of crude the USA bought:

CANADA 1,780 gallons (non OPEC)
SAUDI ARABIA 1,675 gallons
VENEZUELA 1,246 gallons
MEXICO 1,234 gallons (non OPEC)
NIGERIA 1,210 gallons

Point #2 Right now, gasoline is $3.33 in my town.
From that, Exxon makes 9 cents profit on one gallon.

Today - here is where the $3.33 goes for 1 gallon:

Distribution and Marketing - .05

Crude Oil cost - $2.35

Refinery cost and profits .30 State and Local Sales Tax .25

State Excise Tax .18

Federal Excise Tax .18

IT'S NO DAMN WONDER THAT THE GOVERNMENT PAYS FOR RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT- THEY HAVE A BIGGER INTEREST IN FUEL SALES THAN THE OIL COMPANIES DO!

MAY GOD BLESS THE USA

If you think the oil companies are paying commidity market prices think about it some more.

2. 100 years ago Teddy Roosevelt broke up Standard oil by getting competition to lower the price. Rockfeller and his henchmen were crooks, plain and simple. His Mafia like business practices in the late 19th century and early 20th century are disgusting. 3. The oil companies are much fewer, for example. Exxon/Mobil---use to be separate companies. Chevron/Texaco---used to be separate companies. Phillips/66 (I think)--used to be separate compaines. I will say that the government is also to blame for high prices by having to many regulations to build refineries. One fella says, "buy the stock of those oil companies so you can profit too" the stock price is too high now and the dividends are poor. less then 5% for Exxon/mobil.

bless my heart, I would sure expect to earn millions per year personally when I begin to manage a $2,100 billion dollar business

somewhere in that calculation we missed what the local seller earns...but from what I understand, it ain't much. I'm told that your typical gas station makes more off the coffee pots than they do off the gas.

"1. Exxon mobil made a $41 Billion profit a year ago. I call that gouging. Plain and simple."

Appears to me, it's your reasoning that is "simple."

If I said that I believe - that YOU believe what you say - I'd be insulting your intelligence.

Many drug companies, computer software companies, and even McDonald's hambergers make more profit pe dollar.

Seems not. Cite your sources please. Total "profit margin" for Exxon last report is 10.4%

Acutal profit per gallon of gasoline sold by Exxon is 2.5%

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Some of you guys farm. When the price of wheat hit $13.50 a bushel last year, did you think that the wheat growers were being greedy to sell at those prices. Just like oil, the wheat price was demand driven. We are all ( or probably most of us are) big supporters of the free enterise system that lets market forces (supply and demand) set the price of commodities, yet here we are complaining that our ox is getting gored because we don"t like the price that our (the royal our!) demand is setting! Well folks, you can"t have it both ways. Thanks jdemaris for trying to inject some rational thought into what always turns out to be an emmotional issue.
I will now get off my soap box.

My comment was directed towards those people making claims about property not selling and losing value.

The only thing about the auto industry that upsets me at all - is how they are held hostage by the Unions at present. This is one factor that gives the foreign companies an advantage.
I hate to see Ford and GM go under - but also hate to see the huge and rediculous pay packages many unskilled workers get working for those companies. And, when they lose those jobs - their lack of skills are often not marketable elsewhere - and we are supposed to feel sorry for them?

In regard to your witicisms about "altruistic" oil companies - I don't expect any corporation to care about anyone or any thing but istelf. That's the definition of a Corporation. But, they have to be cost-efficient in the long run - or they fail. Most are publically owned via stocks - ergo anyone can be a part-owner. If all they do is do is screw their customers - they usually fail.

Back in the 76s we had a warning. Whether it was real or not there were shortages and warnings of worse things to come. Anyone of any intelligence would have to think that with increasing population,and more and more of that population using more and more oil, that there would be, because of supply and demand, increases in price at some point, and someday real shortages. The problem is people didn't wake up and demand other sorsres of power, wind, solar, hydrogen, etc. and real energy efficiency of autos, appliences, and buildings. Our leaders are all at fault too for letting us get into a position where we are importing so much oil from people who hate us.

Tell your story to the men and women who are fighting to keep that oil flowing to the U.S.

As far as wealth I have more than a lot of people in this world have. I have the love of Christ Jesus and that my friend is worth way more than Exxon will ever have.

THEN WE HEAR NOT ENOUGH REFINERIES SO CUT THE LITTLE GUYS OUT AND JOIN TOGETHER...

MAY GOD BLESS THE USA

"right or wrong everyone has a right to there view. That doesn't give you the right to call people names or put them down."

Yes, all are free to think what they want in parts of the free world. But I do NOT agree that all should be free to make unfounded accusations towards corporations, our president, etc. There was a time in the USA, and it still happens in other parts of the world, you could get hung or jailed for such behavior. I made well-founded accusations - but did not target anyone by name.

I'm all for the free exchange of information and beliefs - but am not a supporter of gross ignorance.

You go on to say:

"That doesn't give you the right to call people names or put them down."

If by chance, you are referring to me - I mentioned no names of any individuals here.
If you think that you have been personally targeted, you must have a guilty conscious.

In regard to the reasons you mention as a cause of this country being out of control. I don't agree, not even close. We are out of control because of ignorance and short-sightedness. If people, in general did even a little work to get a grasp of reality, we would not be in the mess that we are in.

I've worked hard all my life also - as a garbage man, truck driver, farmer, logger, carpenter, mechanic, house builder, truck driver, etc. I do whatever works, at the time. I've never made "big money", I've raised four children with no government help, and am now on a fifth new child.
My wife and I have lived carefully, and done fine. We are poor if we compare ourselves to the affluent in this country, but we are also rich if compared to much of the world. I will also add that I live in an area with some of the highest fuel prices in the country along with some of the coldest weather. Most people in my area have to heat their homes with fuel-oil - which adds greatly to the high fuel-costs.

"Either make it better or you are part of the problem."

I think I've done just about all I can. What have you done besides whine and complain?

I own two small wetland and forest preverves - in order to do what I can to preserve some natural habitat. 100 acres in total.

I have zero debt, I don't get any government hand-outs. I make all my own electricity via a 5400 watt solar-elecrric system and 2000 watt wind.

I heat my home and barns with wood. Heat my hot water with wood and solar.

I spent years doing grunt-work, but also went to college nights when I was in my mid 40s - that I paid for out of my own pocket - and did this so I could use my degrees for a "sit-down" job, in case I ever needed one. That has not happened yet.

I will also proudly say - I've never bought a new car or truck in my life - and hopefully never will. Most of the old rigs I drive get better fuel mileage than anything new. My newest truck is a 1992 and my oldest a 1918. I even have one that runs on firewood-smoke.

My house was built in 1820 and I spent years restoring it - on my own while raising a bunch of kids.

So again - tell us what you have done.

E.g. we bought 1,780,000 barrels from Canada in one day, not 1,780 gallons. Sorry about that, I'm typing from government PDF files.

That is for a product they sold throughout the world.

How much of that profit was derived from sales of gas to the US customers?

Wal Mart made a profit last year of nearly 12 billion dollars selling it's products mostly in the U.S. I don't see anybody suggesting they be taken to the woodshed for it.

• Wal Mart

BTW, what did the federal government do to earn the taxes paid for all the fuel purchased last year? Absolutely nothing except passing laws requiring higher and higher taxes on fuel....