Greed and theft at it lowest point

[sanjaun2]

I find it very troubling that our American soldiers are getting maimed and killed to protect people and the way of life of those like the management of Exxon/Mobil company. Last year their profit worked out to be 4.5 million a minute!!! 39.5 billion for the year. I would love to see each and everyone of them receive a lead bonus.

[dandiver]

I find it very troubling that our American soldiers are getting maimed and killed to protect people and the way of life of those like the management of Exxon/Mobil company. Last year their profit worked out to be 4.5 million a minute!!! 39.5 billion for the year. I would love to see each and everyone of them receive a lead bonus.

Would you prefer that they don't make a good profit and go out of business? What is the correct amount of profit and who would determine it? The amount seems excessive, but it is called free enterprise for a reason and the good really does out weight the bad.

[sanjaun2]

Would you prefer that they don't make a good profit and go out of business? What is the correct amount of profit and who would determine it? The amount seems excessive, but it is called free enterprise for a reason and the good really does out weight the bad.
I have quit going to professional sports games because the players are making way to much in my opinion, my choice here. But with oil products you have little choice. Its more or less a monopoly. They set the price and if you want to drive to work you pay it. Almost every sector of our economy is tied to oil. So you pay more to eat,dress, and house yourself. Sorry but I feel lowering the standard of living of 90 percent of the population so a few can have billions is wrong.

[KYchris02]

Q: if petrol were $10 per gallon, would U change driving habits?

[sanjaun2]

I do put my money where my mouth is. My car gets 48mpg and wouldn't drive any other car. However I do tend to use a little extra petrol when ridin.

[jayjacobson]

Greed and theft at its lowest point.

I find it very troubling that our American soldiers are getting maimed and killed to protect people and the way of life of those like the management of Exxon/Mobil company. Last year their profit worked out to be 4.5 million a minute!!! 39.5 billion for the year. I would love to see each and everyone of them receive a lead bonus.
Brian, I'm not sure where you're going with this. When you use the term "greed," what definition are you using? If Mobil only made $1 mil per min, would their management still be greedy?

If Mobil is a publicly traded company, a lot of non-management types, who own Mobil shares, are in on the "greed."

There are several companies selling fuel products. I don't believe Mobil forced anyone to buy their brand. Using the term "theft" would imply that Mobil has taken something that does not belong to them. I have seen the prices at Mobil stations. In my area, Mobil wants approx $3.20 per gallon for diesel. I choose to buy it from a station that charges $2.80 per gallon. If Mobil can get people to pay $.40 more per gallon, more power and profits to them!

[hoog62]

When we went through this same discussion last year, it was noted that Exxon/Mobil was operating on an ~10% profit margin. I'm OK with that.

[jayjacobson]

When we went through this same discussion last year, it was noted that Exxon/Mobil was operating on an ~10% profit margin. I'm OK with that.
Ooooooooooooooooohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, I see. A whole 10%?! Greedy bastards! Thieves!

[RiderRay]

I can agree with Brian's feelings and feel that most of the oil companies are gouging us with their prices. At one time the airline, phone and electric industries were regulated. Prices and services were reasonable. Now, thanks to deregulation, prices are up and service is down.

IMHO, the only way to fight the high prices of oil / gasoline is to invest in energy companies and reap some of their profits through their stock growth and dividends.

[jayjacobson]

IMHO, the only way to fight the high prices of oil / gasoline is to invest in energy companies and reap some of their profits through their stock growth and dividends.

So Ray, are you actually suggesting we join in on this ruthless greed?!

[UncleRock]

I would love to see each and everyone of them receive a lead bonus.
Okay you just gonna talk smack on them or you gonna lead the way?
Start by posting up names and photo's of the top positions.
Rock

[RiderRay]

Jay:
Absoutely not, but if I can't stop it then I sure as hell am going to try to recoup some of my investment (read high prices). I'm realistic to know that there is never going to be a reasonable legislative reform that helps out the little guy against the big oil companies.

Ray

[KYchris02]

which industry receives the most government subsidy dollars? how much?

[usmctpdog]

I understand Brians vent completely. And a business needs to make a profit to stay in business. *My problem is Guvnor Bush is in bed with big business and especially the oil companies, his family money....Cheney also should be taken out and horsewhipped with Bush for their incredulous wrong headed " True Believer " moronic self serving fundamentalist elitism.

When they are making such tremendous profits what rational thought goes into providing Billions of dollars of "tax credit subsidies" to them? That I am at a loss to explain?

When people ask me why we are at war? My answer is and will continue to be: " It is all about the $$$ "

*But we can't fund SSI or provide medical benefits for our own people.
images/smilies/confused.gif

[hschisler]

"It's all about the $$$"? I thought we were providing some relief to a nation that had been terrorized by a sadistic dictator for many years. We are rebuilding infrastructure, protecting citizens from those who would destroy the country from the inside out, and implementing some form of democratic government.

Anyone who missed a <?> Channel show on cable last week missed a must-see documentary. During his time as President of Iraq (and for years before, as head of their 'security' ministry), Saddam Hussein videotaped the beatings, torture, and mutiliation of citizens. I had no idea this videotape evidence existed; it made me sick to see it and a couple of times had to flip over to something else for a few moments. I certainly have not heard it mentioned previously; perhaps it has been, but I'm not aware of it. Saddam brought his country as close to a "1984-style" scenario as any since, except for North Korea. Everyone reports on the actions of everyone else, even inside the family.

[eljeffe]

When we went through this same discussion last year, it was noted that Exxon/Mobil was operating on an ~10% profit margin. I'm OK with that.

Actually, after taking various accounting charges, Exxon/Mobil's profits were about 7-8%. I don't know what they were for the current year just reported, but in comparison to the rest of the industry, their profit margins are mediocre at best. Retail, like Target, JC Penney, and WalMart try to hit 9-10%. Damn greedy bastards trying to make a buck.

It's not corporate greed that gets me, it's CEO pay that has nothing to do with performance that bothers me. Pay for performance. Don't perform, don't get paid.

[usmctpdog]

"It's all about the $$$"? I thought we were providing some relief to a nation that had been terrorized by a sadistic dictator for many years. We are rebuilding infrastructure, protecting citizens from those who would destroy the country from the inside out, and implementing some form of democratic government.

Anyone who missed a <?> Channel show on cable last week missed a must-see documentary. During his time as President of Iraq (and for years before, as head of their 'security' ministry), Saddam Hussein videotaped the beatings, torture, and mutiliation of citizens. I had no idea this videotape evidence existed; it made me sick to see it and a couple of times had to flip over to something else for a few moments. I certainly have not heard it mentioned previously; perhaps it has been, but I'm not aware of it. Saddam brought his country as close to a "1984-style" scenario as any since, except for North Korea. Everyone reports on the actions of everyone else, even inside the family.

If that is true, why are we not in Darfur, (Every day, the 2.5 million people chased from their homes in Darfur face the threat of starvation, disease, and rape, while the few lucky enough to remain in their homes risk displacement, torture and murder) China, Africa, North Korea or atleast a dozen other countries under the same or worse conditions?
If you believe that BS Bush Spin hyberbole wrapped in American blood I have a bridge to sell you....

[hschisler]

If that is true, why are we not in Darfur, (Every day, the 2.5 million people chased from their homes in Darfur face the threat of starvation, disease, and rape, while the few lucky enough to remain in their homes risk displacement, torture and murder) China, Africa, North Korea or atleast a dozen other countries under the same or worse conditions?
If you believe that BS Bush Spin hyberbole wrapped in American blood I have a bridge to sell you....
I knew I shouldn't have jumped into this topic. I always wonder why I do...

I can't tell you why we aren't in Darfur; I scratch my head in wonder about that. Same thing with other hell-holes around the world. Is W. trying to finish something his father didn't? I dunno; I've never been a Bush family insider, and I think only one of those truly knows the answer.

I also can't tell you why we aren't in Darfur or any other place because I don't have the info and intel our national leaders do. Remember that thread (it's still out there) about armchair quarterbacks? The answers seem easy from here.

[hybridcage]

I think the profits are excessive, this is the same company which received the largest portion of the corporate welfare from el-presidente' Bushimo, when they had to spend money on "damages caused by Katrina".

Isn't that the cost of doing business, when I have to spend unplanned money, I can't get millions from the government.

[jayjacobson]

Jay:
Absoutely not, but if I can't stop it then I sure as hell am going to try to recoup some of my investment (read high prices). I'm realistic to know that there is never going to be a reasonable legislative reform that helps out the little guy against the big oil companies.

Ray
After seeing Mobil's latest profit statement, I've been wondering why I didn't get in on a little of that greed?!

[Steve_R]

I've seen the breakdown on Exxon/Mobil's profits and it equals about 9 cents on the dollar. I'm not going to hammer them for that. I know folks that won't buy gas from them because of the Exxon Valdez fisaco.

[ibbones]

I know that a business is supossed to make a profit. That's why they are there. Enron was good at it. I think that in two or so years Exxon is gonna have a bit of trouble and blame the folks that are lower on the totem pole and it will only flow downhill from there. It will cost the consumer because the profits will not be as good as they HAD been.
Whatever goes up must come down.

[jayjacobson]

I know that a business is supossed to make a profit. That's why they are there. Enron was good at it. I think that in two or so years Exxon is gonna have a bit of trouble and blame the folks that are lower on the totem pole and it will only flow downhill from there. It will cost the consumer because the profits will not be as good as they HAD been.
Whatever goes up must come down.
Enron was good at making profits? Well, I guess for a few short years, you are right. If you took your money and ran quickly, I guess you were OK.

[pkpr1998]

[QUOTE=hschisler]"It's all about the $$$"? I thought we were providing some relief to a nation that had been terrorized by a sadistic dictator for many years. We are rebuilding infrastructure, protecting citizens from those who would destroy the country from the inside out, and implementing some form of democratic government.

Silly me; and I thought that we were helping the Iraq Government regain control from a sadistic dictator (now dead) and to keep our USA from being targeted by terrorists again!

Hummmmmmmmmm, remember 9/11 ? :mad:

[avonfloater]

I've read all the posts and it still begs Brian's question - with the Enron, Arthur Anderson, et al things I've seen I certainly wouldn't buy into Exxon's reported net income of 7-10%. Those are often just a tax exercise. I'm still left wondering that if Exxon (and others) made a resonable profit before, say 9%, and their profits are now in the ozone (highest quarterlys ever reported by any corporation) how can their profits still be 9%? Is that what Reagan meant by the magic of the marketplace?

[eljeffe]

I've read all the posts and it still begs Brian's question - with the Enron, Arthur Anderson, et al things I've seen I certainly wouldn't buy into Exxon's reported net income of 7-10%. Those are often just a tax exercise. I'm still left wondering that if Exxon (and others) made a resonable profit before, say 9%, and their profits are now in the ozone (highest quarterlys ever reported by any corporation) how can their profits still be 9%? Is that what Reagan meant by the magic of the marketplace?

Because we buy their products like a crazed meth addict.

[gulfxray]

Because we buy their products like a crazed meth addict.

At last, a rational response... ;) :stir:

[jayjacobson]

[QUOTE=hschisler]"It's all about the $$$"? I thought we were providing some relief to a nation that had been terrorized by a sadistic dictator for many years. We are rebuilding infrastructure, protecting citizens from those who would destroy the country from the inside out, and implementing some form of democratic government.

Silly me; and I thought that we were helping the Iraq Government regain control from a sadistic dictator (now dead) and to keep our USA from being targeted by terrorists again!

Hummmmmmmmmm, remember 9/11?
9/11? Can't say that I do. Let me do a Dogpile search.

Just admit it: It's a lot more fun creating chaos!

[jayjacobson]

Because we buy their products like a crazed meth addict.
Yup! Thank you Eljeffenator.

Is being addicted to "meth" bad?