Blunt Defends Exxon’s Record Profits: Stop Complaining That An ‘American Company Made Money’
Blunt Defends Exxon’s Record Profits: Stop Complaining That An ‘American Company Made Money’
Yesterday, House Minority Whip Roy Blunt (R-MO) appeared on a C-SPAN Newsmakers roundtable and defended Exxon Mobil’s recent record-setting quarterly profit of $11.7 billion. Blunt tried to minimize the wealth and influence of Exxon, then went on to blast the company’s critics, saying they should be overjoyed that an “American company made money”:
[T]hey’re the 14th biggest oil company in the world, and the only U.S. company in the top 20. So in all likelihood, the 13 companies bigger than them made a whole more money than that, and that all went somewhere besides the United States. That went to Saudi Arabia, that went to Russia. [...]
We can complain all we want to about American stockholders and American company made money. That’s what our friends want to do — the Democrats.
Watch it:
It’s not clear where Blunt is getting his numbers to downplay Exxon’s over-sized influence. According to Petroleum Intelligence Weekly’s 2007 ranking of the world’s 50 largest oil companies, Exxon ranked third. It beat out state-owned companies such as CNPC (China) and Gazprom (Russia). In Fortune’s 2008 list of America’s top corporations, Exxon ranked second overall and first among petroleum refiners.
It’s astonishing that Blunt could claim, with a straight face, that Exxon’s massive profits are good for America. Sure, the company’s stockholders are getting rich. But most Americans continue to pay skyrocketing gas prices. Exxon is certainly not giving back to the American public either. ABC recently reported that the company has invested just 1 percent of its profits on alternative energy sources.
Even more appalling than Exxon’s record profits, however, is the fact that conservatives feel the need to boost the company with massive tax breaks. Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), whom Blunt supports, has a plan to cut the corporate tax rate from 35 percent to 25 percent. It would give nearly $4 billion in tax breaks to the six largest oil companies.
(HT: Heather)
Transcript:
SCULLY: One part of the debate — Exxon Mobil last week, $11.7 billion in profit, the largest ever in quarterly profit for a U.S. company. Should they be required to use some of that profits investing in alternative energy?
BLUNT: They may very well be. Now whether they should be required to, I don’t know. But the interesting thing, I think, Steve, about Exxon Mobil is — which I don’t own any of their stock; I don’t own any oil company stock — their profits were big like you said, and they’re the 14th biggest oil company in the world, and the only U.S. company in the top 20. So in all likelihood, the 13 companies bigger than them made a whole more money than that, and that all went somewhere besides the United States. That went to Saudi Arabia, that went to Russia.
We can complain all we want to about American stockholders and American company made money. That’s what our friends want to do — the Democrats. And I’ve had this debate almost the end of every week with my good friend, the Majority Leader, as we wrap up the week. I hear what the Exxon Mobil profits were that week.
But just remember. They’re way down the list. They control 3 percent of the oil in the world. Most of the 97 percent of the world that they don’t control is controlled by some foreign government that we’re sending money to, and that’s a foolish thing to continue to do. That’s a whole lot bigger deal than what Exxon Mobil does with their money.
The big deal here, is we’re sending $700 billion of our money, every year as Americans, to other countries, and we certainly don’t have any control over what they do with it, but it’s certainly not good for us.
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Let me be Blunt; it's time for the Minority Whip to be whipped.
August 4th, 2008 at 12:12 pmTranslation:
"Stop whining when my rich friends in a GLOBAL CORPORATION whine that they can't take AMERICAN oil out of the ground and SELL IT OVERSEAS FOR MASIVE PROFIT and then NOT PAY TAXES"
geez
August 4th, 2008 at 12:14 pmBlunt, I'll spell it out for you because you are either too stupid to understand the problem, or you are too corrupt and in the pockets of the Big Oil companies to care about your constituents.
Americans are paying more for gas at the pump than they ever had before. People like you keep defending the oil companies claiming that they aren't the ones getting rich off the amount we're paying at the pump. If they raised their prices just enough to cover the increase in their expenses, then wouldn't their profits stay at right around the same amount? But they don't, do they? Their profits are reaching record numbers because the increases in prices to us are more than the amount needed to offset their added expenses.
And this is what happens when you put making profits ahead of everything else. They, and you, are disgusting.
August 4th, 2008 at 12:19 pmBlunt Defends Exxon’s Record Profits: Stop Complaining That An ‘American Company Made Money’
We will
Just as soon as you and the rest of the oil company owned GOP stop trying to enrich them even further .............
August 4th, 2008 at 12:23 pmWayne A. Schneider Says:
Their profits are reaching record numbers because the increases in prices to us are more than the amount needed to offset their added expenses
Bingo!!
Now if the MSM would report that fact.......
August 4th, 2008 at 12:23 pmSo lemme get this straight -- we're supposed to cheer for the Exxon profits and hope they get even larger because there are oil companies in the world that are even bigger greedheads? This doesn't even make sense.
I have no problem with a company making money. I especially have no problem with an American company making money. I have a problem with profits this obscene coming off the backs of people who are hurting.
Whenever Joe Citizen fills up his tank just so he can get to his job, he's paying oil companies' lobbying fees and executive expenses, so the oil companies can influence legislation to get bigger subsidies, grab more oil leases, and get their taxes cut, so they can make even bigger profits.
Meanwhile, Joe is now having to take money from another part of his budget just so he can afford to do this. So what does Joe give up? Food? Medical care? Does he just max out his credit cards?
Any thinking person can see what a travesty this is. Yes, Exxon is entitled to make a fair profit. But there's a big difference between that and our country becoming an oiligarchy (pun intended).
August 4th, 2008 at 12:23 pmI still see this ad, where the ceiling convoyor belt is running down the length of the board room table, with all the Exxon Mobil executives laughing their asses off, while the consumers hanging by their feet empty their wallets, the coins and bills raining down on the jovial suits.
August 4th, 2008 at 12:24 pmGuido the Loving OBGYN Says
August 4th, 2008 at 12:17 pm
Isn’t it high time for a civic minded oil company to start up?
______________________________________________________
Yeah, but Ben & Jerry are still spending their time in the ice cream biz...
August 4th, 2008 at 12:26 pmYes, RUC, I like that image for a commercial. Maybe if you post explicit permission to whomever weants to make that ad, they might use the suggestion. It would be a very powerful image. Timing would be critical.
August 4th, 2008 at 12:28 pmGWB told us that while we are at war, Americans must sacrifice. OK, but what did the oil companies sacrifice? Really, what other industry is doing well? Look how they have hurt the auto, airline, food and too many other industries to count. All the while, the lobbyists for big oil still have our politicians ear, while our country is almost in ruins.
August 4th, 2008 at 12:28 pmRB is a POS!
You'd best believe that 14th biggest talking point came from Exxon itself. It could be the projected size of oil reserves.
Big oil fell over itself to not highlight the record nature of their revenues and profits in the second quarter. They read like a "we feel your pain".
My hope is the angry public does a modicum of research in order to properly focus their rage. Blount and Exxon stand atop the list.
August 4th, 2008 at 12:29 pmIt’s astonishing that Blunt could claim, with a straight face, that Exxon’s massive profits are good for America. Sure, the company’s stockholders are getting rich. But most Americans continue to pay skyrocketing gas prices.
Not only is it getting increasingly difficult for working Americans just to afford to drive to work, we have to make up the taxes these fat cats aren't paying. All for what? I thought this was supposed to be our country.
http://progressiveworldreview.com
August 4th, 2008 at 12:30 pmBush said "rising gas prices are like a tax". Well, part of that price is profit. Follow your leader, Mr. Blount. The public is tired of being taxed by big oil. Roy can crow about Exxon's record bottom line, but I'm not buying.
August 4th, 2008 at 12:33 pmAt the intersection of Business and Government is a place we call fascism. We are staring at that now. Most loyal politicians would be demanding that the oil companies making the most money divert some of that profit to alternative energy and consumer assistance. Our right side politicians claim we are - again - whiners for expecting more from our engorged companies.
When politicians - from any side - stand behind obscene profits, while their own constitutants suffer, they need to be removed immediately. They have made their alliegence known, and it is not with the American people.
August 4th, 2008 at 12:34 pmI found one list of oil companies, ranked by the size of their reserves.
http://www.petrostrategies.org/Links/Worlds_Largest_Oil_and_Gas_Companies_Sites.htm
Guess who's #1 and #3? Iran and Iraq. Exxon came in at #17. I bet #17 is chomping at the bit to get at both Iraqi and Iranian oil.
August 4th, 2008 at 12:38 pmRight on Blunt.
August 4th, 2008 at 12:38 pmWhy should everyone else in the lifeboat be complaining that the fat guy is drinking all the milkshakes?
Doesn't Unilever own B&J now?
August 4th, 2008 at 12:40 pmWe fail to appreciate the simplicity or effectiveness of the Blunt argument. American companies make a profit, Americans are better off.
1. Remember, from the Great Depression up to Reagan, income inequality was much lower and wages tended to increase in real terms as profitability improved. Thus the public has been primed to see corporate profitability or increase in GDP as profitable for them.
2. The Republicans spent a lot of time creating scapegoats to explain why people could fail to get ahead. High taxes, welfare cheats, affirmative action and illegal immigrants as a few examples. Remember, these scapegoats were designed to create divisiveness and to mask the real role of corporate America in exploiting the economically vulnerable to drive down labor costs.
3. Reagan began the process of actively debasing the American dream by preaching tax cuts to the rich (trickle down) and subverting organized labor. Bush I continued while Clinton tended to moderate the trend. Bush II has taken it to a whole new level.
4. Only now are the majority of Americans suffering from the long term affects of Republican income redistribution plans. They are still unsure as to why they are losing. This must be an education process utilizing equally as simple and direct language as has been used by the right.
August 4th, 2008 at 12:41 pm"Which one do you want?"
Neither, an extended period of high gas prices may be a bit of a burden but it also brings with it other benefits which may outweigh the pain.
August 4th, 2008 at 12:43 pmThere are only two ways to control oil profits: Work to lower the price of oil or introduce artificial caps on profits.
Which one do you want?
Because oil is vital to our infrastructure and way of life, we should nationalize the entire industry - top to bottom.
No profit on oil anymore, No speculators anymore. No curious 'maintenance issues' to deal with.
If the oil dries up, or becomes too expensive to purchase, the industries will stop and a worldwide financial meltdowns will commence. Our way of life will be history.
August 4th, 2008 at 12:44 pmWhy don't we just nationalize the oil industry so that we can all share in the profits?
Oh, that's right, that smacks of socialism and that's a bad thing...
August 4th, 2008 at 12:46 pmBlunt is a jerk! Hope he is not reelected. People in Missouri and all over the country are hurting while these greedy companies make obscene profits.
Missouri can do better than to have Blunt represent them.
August 4th, 2008 at 12:47 pmJust remember that Republicans will spend all summer trying to convince America that it is Republicans we need to elect in November to fix the Republican mess they created.
August 4th, 2008 at 12:55 pmOh, I see.
The economy is doing just fine, thank you, and Americans would fully appreciate that fact if only they stopped their whining.
Is there any other name you'd like to call your constituents, Mr. Blunt? Crybabies? Bellyachers? Snivellers?
I suppose as long as someone up the food chain is making money, Americans don't have the right to complain.
August 4th, 2008 at 12:58 pmobamagr8 Says:
Oil company profits are way up because, thanks to record high crude prices, revenues are way up and their profits are a function of a percentage of the gross. Raise the total income, profits will rise.
There are only two ways to control oil profits: Work to lower the price of oil or introduce artificial caps on profits.
Which one do you want?
August 4th, 2008 at 12:39 pm
I disagree with the notion that "profits are a function of a percentage of the gross." The percentage of the gross that they want to take as profit can be lowered. Has it occurred to you that they could lower their prices and still make huge profits?
There is no defense of the oil companies that are making huge profits while we pay through the nose. Ultimately, they are making that money off of us.
August 4th, 2008 at 1:01 pmA republican defending Exxon's record profits? Who could have possibly predicted that?
Maybe the skipper of the oil supertanker Condaleeza Rice, perhaps?
August 4th, 2008 at 1:05 pmBlunt is history. Help make him so.
August 4th, 2008 at 1:06 pmi am opposed to tax breaks for these guys, but at the same time....all i have to say is, if you really wanna put a dent in exxon's profits: then STOP DRIVING.
or build your own car.
otherwise, shut the hell up and get over yourselves. gas is far more expensive in europe.....
August 4th, 2008 at 1:07 pmThe Bush WH & most of Capitol Hill are 'owned' by big oil.
They spend more dollars influencing legislation than they do R&D. Fact.
Sunday morning TV will teach you how 'green' they've become. BS.
Exxon still has not paid any of the Valdez spill penalties, but spent 10X that amount fighting an unfavorable Court decision.
Big Oil...monopoly is our middle name.
August 4th, 2008 at 1:10 pmotherwise, shut the hell up and get over yourselves. gas is far more expensive in europe…..
Get over ourselves? is that what you meant to say? If I recall, gas was about $1.40 a gallon when W stole the WH. Now it is almost $5.00 here is So Cal. and your response is for us to 'get over ourselves'? Just how does that work in your mind?
August 4th, 2008 at 1:10 pmEh, shaddap, all you stupid, whiny peasants - and just lie back and think of Amurka!!
August 4th, 2008 at 1:15 pmdarladooner - Poster Child for the 23%ers; "If the Repugs tell me it is good for me, then it must be so. They would NEVER lie to me, right?".
Gotta hurt to be that gullible.
August 4th, 2008 at 1:17 pmOil sheen on the Mississippi, oil sheen on the Mississippi, which is the greediest oil company of them all?
Oil company greed is only part of the reason Americans are paying absurd gasoline prices at the pump. Unregulated electronic oil futures contracts being rigged is probably a bigger reason. We’re being ENRONed again: this time by oil futures contracts speculators who are unnecessarily and very profitably driving up the price of crude oil and hence retail gasoline prices. Curious as to why you are suddenly paying over four dollars a gallon for gasoline? No, it's not due to "supply-and-demand," no, it's not due to "OPEC," nor is it due to "peak oil." It's due to totally unregulated electronic oil futures trading in world markets. Check out the very lucid article that explains the unseen financial machinations in oil futures markets written by F. W. Engdahl on May 2, 2008, entitled, "Perhaps 60% of Today's Oil Price is Pure Speculation." It may be viewed at .
http://www.financialsense.com/editorials/engdahl/2008/0502.html
In a nutshell, he suggests that the Bush Administration dropped the ball in January 2006, when they allowed totally unregulated electronic trading of oil futures contracts in New York. Previously these electronic trades had been made at the London Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) Futures Market. With that decision by the Bush Administration, all of the world's oil prices were then opened to upward pressure from speculative futures contracts. In essence, oil futures contracts made by speculators, banks, hedge funds and pension funds all competed with real demand on the spot markets and had the effect of driving up both wholesale oil prices and retail gasoline prices. Speculators have made billions of dollars on their trading of oil futures contracts. All of their profits come right out of our pockets.
Even with a stable oil supply, there is a slow worldwide increase in demand for oil, which creates a long-term upward pressure on oil prices. However, with the relentless saber-rattling and war-mongering by Bush and Cheney in the last several years, and the more recent war talks by McCain and the Israelis, the oil futures markets are rife with speculation and paranoia. This war talk keeps ratcheting up the prices on the oil futures contracts and hence the wholesale spot market prices. It is an endless spiral of greed and paranoia.
As long as there is no tough and effective oversight of the electronic oil futures markets by the Bush Administration, the oil prices will climb endlessly. These oil prices will be quickly followed by hikes in the retail gasoline prices at the pump. The 60% speculation share of the $4.25/gallon gasoline price, is about $2.55/gallon, which is what we consumers are paying to these oil speculators as a "service fee." Not a bad "fee," since the speculators produce no usable goods or services...Just a few large greedy oil futures traders helping themselves to your gas money.
Without this added-on oil futures "service fee," you would be paying about $1.75/gallon for gasoline. Write, call or smoke-signal your Representatives and Senators today and suggest that they read the June 2006 report by The U. S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations entitled, "The Role of Market Speculation in Rising Oil and Gas Prices." Then demand that they investigate and then force the Bush Administration to firmly regulate the computerized oil futures contracts trading in New York, London and Dubai.
This electronic oil price futures scandal is costing US drivers about $969,000,000.00 per day! That number is based on 60% speculation fee of a gasoline price of $4.25/gallon and on US 2004 consumption of 380,000,000 gallons/day. Tell you Senators and Congresspersons to simply shut down this unregulated electronic oil futures contract trading market. Then the price of gasoline will slowly drop to about $1.75/gallon…The only way that oil price futures contracts make money is if the price of oil goes up in the future, say, 30, 60 or 90 days later. This futures market serves no social need. It is just for corporate greed. The corporate speculators are probably also gaming/ENRONing the wheat and corn futures markets the same way.
August 4th, 2008 at 1:18 pmYes, it's true that fuel prices are higher in Europe.
It is also true they are much, much cheaper in Venezuela and Saudi Arabia.
Either way, that knowledge won't make much of a difference for the average American who couldn't care less what the price of fuel is in some other country or continent.
One big difference I see between European governments and their American counterpart, is that prices payed by Europeans include governments taxes, and the money from those sales is used to subsidise, among other things, a public transportation system, something that is practically nonexistent in most cities in the US, leaving most Americans with little or no alternative to get to their jobs, schools, etc. than to drive and see their transportation costs get out of control.
If there is anything positive that can come out of the current situation, is that Americans will finally see the need for 1) a public transportation system, and 2) curtail urban sprawl.
August 4th, 2008 at 1:22 pmOops!
I should have said "prices payed by Europeans include specific fuel taxes" as opposed to your run-of-the-mill sales tax, and whatever other tax is payed at the pump in the US...
August 4th, 2008 at 1:26 pmGee, Daryll will be dissappointed that Blunt isnt putting the people first.
August 4th, 2008 at 1:26 pmI'm from Missouri. One Blunt is Senator; another is governor. The other Senator is also republican. These 3 march lockstep with Bush.
August 4th, 2008 at 1:28 pmWell, this isnt just profits, this is what is called price gouging.
August 4th, 2008 at 1:30 pmThe Marie Antoinettes of the GOP already appear to be insensitive and out of touch with voters. Comments like these from Blunt aren't helping the situation for his party.
August 4th, 2008 at 1:31 pmdarladooner Says:
i am opposed to tax breaks for these guys, but at the same time….all i have to say is, if you really wanna put a dent in exxon’s profits: then STOP DRIVING.
or build your own car.
otherwise, shut the hell up and get over yourselves. gas is far more expensive in europe…..
Many Americans have curtailed their "discretionary" driving. The majority, however, depend on driving to commute to work. Should they just quit their jobs? How about the trucking industry? Should our food supplies, etc. just sit in a warehouse somewhere until gas prices come down? And, frankly, building one's own car is not something many, if any, people could do. Including you, I'm quite sure.
As for gas in Europe being more expensive....it is, indeed. But it's not the gas...it's the taxes. And for those taxes, they get free or subsidized health care, education and other services. We just get less costly gas with reduced taxes, and bridges and roads that fall apart.
So until you can say something intelligent, perhaps it is YOU that should "shut the hell up."
August 4th, 2008 at 1:33 pmobamagr8 Says:
Oil company profits are way up because, thanks to record high crude prices, revenues are way up and their profits are a function of a percentage of the gross.
This concern troll doesn't seem to understand anything about business and investing: profits are not tied to a percentage of the gross (in fact the ratio of profits to gross varies wildly from industry to industry). Profits should be measured against capital invested. By this (or any other) standard, the oil monopoly is reaping undeserved, unearned, and generally outrageous profits.
August 4th, 2008 at 1:33 pmAARGH - should have said, Blunt is R-Congressman, Hulshoff is Congressman from my district (repub). Bond is R-Senator (apologice to McCaskill, dem for falsely implying her into this group). Matt Blunt is Governor-repub.
Together these 4 Missouri folks are lockstep with Bush. I call them the 4 horsemen of the apocalypse.
August 4th, 2008 at 1:34 pmGas, Oil, Petroleum -- what else has the GOP ever stood for?
August 4th, 2008 at 1:35 pmC&L has another story about blunts appearance:
Roy Blunt Throws Down The Gauntlet; Says Democrats Must Allow Off Shore Drilling Or Repubs Will Shut Down Congress
http://www.crooksandliars.com/2008/08/04/roy-blunt-throws-down-the-gauntlet-says-democrats-must-allow-off-shore-drilling-or-repubs-will-shut-down-congress/
August 4th, 2008 at 1:36 pmdarladooner Says:
otherwise, shut the hell up and get over yourselves. gas is far more expensive in europe…..
I think it is time for you and the rest of Bush's lickspittles to shut up. After all, it is you who have been wrong about everything.
Let me repeat that: Wrong. About. Everything.
August 4th, 2008 at 1:36 pmdarladooner:
August 4th, 2008 at 1:37 pmYou forgot to mention avoiding excessive plastic packaging, stupid purchasing like that dumb Fiji Water and bottled waters in general, and shopping locally especially for seasonal produce. I also highly suggest the incorporation of whatever freegan principles you can into your lifestyle. Sharing and bartering can greatly reduce your petroleum consumption
So did they get this 2.6 billion and if so where did they drill?
August 4th, 2008 at 1:38 pmVerbalKint Says:
The Marie Antoinettes of the GOP already appear to be insensitive and out of touch with voters. Comments like these from Blunt aren’t helping the situation for his party.
Well, history does have a habit of repeating itself...
August 4th, 2008 at 1:38 pmStill waiting for all this "success" to "trickle-down" to the masses...
August 4th, 2008 at 1:39 pmIf Blunt doesnt care about price gouging then he sure as heck doesnt care about more drilling.
August 4th, 2008 at 1:40 pmSo Mr Blunt,why is that what`s good for Exxon Mobil is not good for the rest of America........Why don`t you go smoke another BLUNT and die a meanless death along with the rest of the RE-pukes in your party.Are all re-pukes tied to oil and their gouging of Americans that can hardly stay afloat due to high food and gas prices, GO TO HELL.........
August 4th, 2008 at 1:41 pmExxon Mobil and other oil companies may benefit from $2.6 billion in subsidies in the energy bill [2005] that is nearing passage in Congress. The subsidies, designed to encourage domestic oil and gas production, were part of an oil industry “wish list,” according to David Hamilton, the Sierra Club’s energy programs director.
So did they get this 2.6 billion and if so where did they drill?
I understand they used the majority of these subsidies to buy back their own stock.
Time to nationalize the oil companies. Period. Full stop.
August 4th, 2008 at 1:42 pmFunny how "record profits" coincide with "record pump prices".
August 4th, 2008 at 1:42 pmC&L has another story about blunts appearance:
Roy Blunt Throws Down The Gauntlet; Says Democrats Must Allow Off Shore Drilling Or Repubs Will Shut Down Congress
http://www.crooksandliars.com/ 2008/ 08/ 04/ roy-blunt-throws-down-the-gauntlet-says-democrats-must-allow-off-shore-drilling-or-repubs-will-shut-down-congress/
August 4th, 2008 at 1:36 pm Add Karma Recommend (0) | Report Abuse
This is such utter b.s. These criminals are constantly accusing the Dems of standing in the way of "drilling," which is NOT the truth. They are standing in the way of drilling in areas that have been protected for a number of years, and saying one thing: DRILL ON THE LAND AND OFF-SHORE LEASES YOU ALREADY HOLD FIRST!!! There's also millions of acres of land in Alaska which are cleared for leasing....but haven't been leased yet. Clear the g.d. leases and let the oil companies drill on those areas. This whole thing with the Republicans is to help the oil companies lock up more millions of acres before Bush leaves office and they completely lose their slim majority in the Senate. Also, lest we forget. The Republicans also stalled any effort to pass appropriations bills after the 2006 Nov. elections, before the Dems took over the majority the following Jan (of 2007).
August 4th, 2008 at 1:53 pmSo we are supposed to be overjoyed that an "American" company made record profits while the average citizen suffers, but sneer and talk about elitism and presumptuousness when an American Senator gets cheered in Europe?
August 4th, 2008 at 1:58 pmGot it.
Gotta' love that Republican chutzpah.
Wow, how insensitive can you get. They want us to be overjoyed that an "American company" is making money by ripping us off. Actually, I would love to see them keep up this line of attack because it's really pissing off the voters.
August 4th, 2008 at 2:02 pmof course, because i ask questions, rather than blindly accepting whatever thinkprogress tells me, i must certainly be a bush supporter. not.
"leaving most Americans with little or no alternative to get to their jobs, schools, etc. than to drive and see their transportation costs get out of control"
"no alternative"? are you kidding me? every city in this country has a bus system. or a subway system. or bike paths. there are innumerable ways to travel, and a car is by far the most luxurious of choices. it is so luxurious, in fact, that its emissions are, in fact, killing us. we know this.
August 4th, 2008 at 2:21 pmamericans really do complain about a lot of things. bush is certainly to blame for a lot of our problems. but gas prices being too high is actually a blessing in disguise. for if gas prices come back down to 1.50/gallon, well then, how is this good for fighting climate change?
you can't beat the oil companies. so i say, screw 'em!
August 4th, 2008 at 2:23 pm" I also highly suggest the incorporation of whatever freegan principles you can into your lifestyle. Sharing and bartering can greatly reduce your petroleum consumption"
i agree. i am a farmers market nut. don't own a car. always buy seasonal.
americans really need to think hard about oil. but they don't. they just complain, and blame it all on bush.
if obama lowers gas prices, how is this good?
can anyone answer this question for me?
August 4th, 2008 at 2:25 pmdarladooner Says:
of course, because i ask questions, rather than blindly accepting whatever thinkprogress tells me, i must certainly be a bush supporter. not.
“leaving most Americans with little or no alternative to get to their jobs, schools, etc. than to drive and see their transportation costs get out of control”
“no alternative”? are you kidding me? every city in this country has a bus system. or a subway system. or bike paths. there are innumerable ways to travel, and a car is by far the most luxurious of choices. it is so luxurious, in fact, that its emissions are, in fact, killing us. we know this.
August 4th, 2008 at 2:21 pm
Not so, darla. Where I live, there is bus service that can take you to the big city in our county, but the buses coming back this way stop running at 2 PM. My wife has to go to jury duty there next week, but because there is no public transporation there and back again, she will have to drive herself there every day. (It's also so ridiculously far from our town that riding a bike would be both insane and dangerous.)
The fact of the matter is not everyone has that much of a choice in how to get to work. We have to use our cars, and we are getting screwed by a Republican president who doesn't care about us. And his party supports him.
August 4th, 2008 at 2:26 pmRoy's getting some of that oil company ka-ching:
http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/pacs.php?cycle=2008&cid=N00005195§or=E&seclong=Energy%2FNat+Resource&cat=E01&induslong=Oil+%26+Gas
August 4th, 2008 at 2:27 pmNot so, darla. Where I live, there is bus service that can take you to the big city in our county, but the buses coming back this way stop running at 2 PM.
oh well, you better get on the bicycle, or try walking. or move to another town.
i don't really care about your wife's predicament. i care about my grandchildren living in a country that isn't burning up because of climate change....
August 4th, 2008 at 2:32 pmThe fact of the matter is not everyone has that much of a choice in how to get to work
everyone has a choice in how they get to work.
August 4th, 2008 at 2:34 pmI'm curious as to how secure the republiscums who stayed in DC are in their office? I suspect those demonstrating are showing off their loyalty to the oil companies in hopes of landing a cushy job after they are voted out of office!
August 4th, 2008 at 2:39 pm"I suspect those demonstrating are showing off their loyalty to the oil companies in hopes of landing a cushy job after they are voted out of office!"
oh, but democrats, they don't have any ties to the oil industry! they all bike to the capitol.
(not)
August 4th, 2008 at 2:43 pmTripleKick 6 Says:
I get tired of liberal’s short and selective memories.
August 4th, 2008 at 2:43 pm
Not as tired as we are of you. You keep changing your screen name. Is that because TP keeps banning you? Take a hint.
August 4th, 2008 at 2:49 pmHi TripleKick6:
August 4th, 2008 at 2:49 pmNice to see that the Triplekick species line is persisting a little longer than previous subspecies. I trust as your investments grow so do your charitable acts.
I should have said "many of us don't have practical choices" on how to get to work. I didn't suspect someone could be that dense.
August 4th, 2008 at 2:51 pmLook at the campaign contributions of energy firm Koch Industries:
House Republicans $523,500
House Democrats $103,500
80% of their donations go to the Red Team, currently holding a pep rally on the floor of the House.
Only Doro Bush Koch is on a plane as a Presidential Delegate to the Beijing Olympics. That is, if she's travelling on Air Force One with her brother, President George W. Bush.
http://www.opensecrets.org/pacs/pacgot.php?cmte=C00236489&cycle=2008
August 4th, 2008 at 2:59 pmdarladooner Says:
otherwise, shut the hell up and get over yourselves. gas is far more expensive in europe…..
And, in Europe there are very few places you can't get on public transit. People in Europe rarely use their cars to commute to work. They ride mass transit. Unfortunately the way we built this country, we can't do that. I live 7 miles from my work. I would love to ride mass transit there. Unfortunately the nearest place a bus stops to where I work is 5 miles away.
August 4th, 2008 at 3:01 pmTripleKick6:
August 4th, 2008 at 3:01 pmI was wondering as someone who bleieves strongly in capitalism and profit making, I assume you are also an advocate of that weird magical hand thing. If so can you do me a solid and tell that dipshit Bozell to stop complaining all the time about what is on tv? Thanks it is so obvious that the market is just responding to demand. It is so annoying to have to put up with his stupid misguided understanding
Shorter Blunt:
"Stop picking on the GOP's #1 source of funding."
August 4th, 2008 at 3:09 pm"I should have said “many of us don’t have practical choices” on how to get to work. I didn’t suspect someone could be that dense."
if you admit that you misspoke, then why was it me who was dense?
" I live 7 miles from my work."
seven miles?! sheesh, that's just begging for you to get a bicycle.
August 4th, 2008 at 3:20 pmDoro Bush Koch and Koch Industries are not related. I apologize for my error.
August 4th, 2008 at 3:29 pmdarladooner Says:
“no alternative”? are you kidding me? every city in this country has a bus system.
You are right, most cities do have these kind of systems. But if you don't live in the city, you have to drive your car to get to the city. I can ride a bus from where I live to the downtown of the city I live in and I do it frequently. But, I have to drive to work because there is no bus that stops anywhere near where I work. It's the same in most cities across the USA.
August 4th, 2008 at 3:54 pmDon't count on the public to do any research on this issue. They are too stupid and too lazy. The ones who say they are undecided at this point are either lying or don't care. How much you wanna bet the yahoos in Ohio vote against their own self-interests AGAIN!!!!
August 4th, 2008 at 4:12 pmPeople who are interested in studying the criminal mind should study Roy Blunt.
August 4th, 2008 at 5:30 pmIt all depends on what meters you're using. By estimated reserves, Exxon is only the 17th largest company:
August 5th, 2008 at 12:16 pm
I meant to add this Worlds Largest Oil Companies
August 5th, 2008 at 12:16 pmSo why don't we all stop buying gas at Exxon Mobile. In fact I read if everyone one didn't buy gas one day a month that that would take a big hunk of money away from them. How about the 15 of every month. But are we just hurting ourselves does any of this profit go to increase american oil and get us off of foreign oil?
August 14th, 2008 at 5:18 am