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#3
06-14-2008, 05:27 AM
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If there are 300 million Americans, then, for each $13 of gas each of them use, oil companies make about a billion bucks. That 10%($1.30) is what we are talking about. That would vary from $0.40 to $1.30 if there was competition involved. There isn't. They've agreed to all charge pretty much that same 10%, and nothing is done to get competition into the market that would cut that down to 5% etc. It's not capitalism. It's something else, and that's why they wanted to tax that industry. It's a protected monopoly. Americans claim foul at taxing them, but don't realize their is no competition in this industry. If it was an open competition to get you the best price possible, then all these Republican claims to leave them alone would be quite valid. As the price of oil rises, this monopoly's 10% profit goes way up. They made a quarter when it cost $2.50 a gallon. When it hits $5.00 a gallon,they will make fifty cents a gallon. Still no competition to allow others to get you gas for less profit than that 10%. You can buy oil, but they control all the refineries. They keep the refining capacity very limited. Unless more companies own refineries, there will remain virtually no competition. At some point Americans will get it, but not soon. Generally ignorant about the lack of competition, and that is crystal clear each time someone says it's capitalism(it isn't.) Capitalism would involve many companies trying to get their part of that 10% of the price you pay for gas. That isn't allowed to take place. It isn't Capitalism. You look like a fool each time you say it is.
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#4
06-14-2008, 09:08 AM
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Imo the bottom line is that oil is limited
and we are being forced to become innovate which will be painful at first, but will pay off later. China's thirst followed soon by India will only add to the problem. No way we go 100 years based on their consumption. Not even close. We have got to find alternative sources. Oil's main use in this country is for transportation of materials and people. Making plastics, using it for heating, etc... secondary. Our source of electrical energy is mainly Coal. (Which we have lots of but is dirty) Need to go nuke and then turnover to more wind, solar, tidal, geothermal, etc... which we are actually doing slowly (not the nuke part) Oil prices going crazy like this will force us to look into alternatives. Solar (because it is so readily available) is the obvious alternative with one huge problem... We cannot store it efficiently. If we could store it, cloudy days, and all the other problems, wont matter. Imo there is not near enough money put into research on "batteries" to store this energy. If someone comes up with a "battery" that stores solar energy, the world will change drastically imo. So Morty, get to work. I will need the battery design yesterday. My electric car run by stored solar energy is waiting in the garage. Last edited by pgardn : 06-14-2008 at 09:30 AM.
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