This thread answers a question that had been bothering me: who is dumb enough to believe all this scapegoating handed out by liberal politicians who have done everything possible themselves to create energy shortages? I wish someone would explain to me what you would do differently if you were the CEO of Exxon. Sell gas at a loss? Oh yeah, I forgot, it's all a big bad conspiracy run by Bush and cheney, the same people who are considered too dumb to breathe. Why did the oil companies endure $20 oil for so many years when all they had to do was crank up the price to $100? Oil companies owe us nothing. Name any company that produces a product because they love you. We have a market system that creates incentives for the production of needed products. Granted, the oil market is distorted by OPEC, and our government has done nothing but facilitate it, but that's hard to blame on the oil companies. Many of them have had producing properties seized by third world tyrants like Chavez. Again, our government has done nothing. There is a saying in the commodities markets: the cure for high prices is high prices. Current prices will stimulate conservation, exploration and alternative energies. Unfortunately, we need politicians with some common sense if not economics training. Instead we get show trials of oil company execs. I'm waiting for someone to propose price controls.
i've taken a minor in econ, and i've worked at one of the most successful compaines of any kind in the world, which happened to be an oil company they understood that there were realities in their political environoment that had to be addressed, and that dealing with legitimate concerns that outside groups had, headed off a lot of lawsuits and needless regulation but that's obviously over your head
"Oil companies owe us nothing. Name any company that produces a product because they love you" ever hear corporate America describe why people should invest in a math or science education? that is EXACTLY what they expect citizens to do for them, to do it for the 'challange', NOT the financial reward corporate America (which oil companies are a BIG part of, particularly in any of the Bush administrations) has pushed big time for globalism, immigration, and against conservation (both parties guilty of all of this) Cheny was head of oil services Halburton when he was part of zionist warmongering PNAC. warmongering jacks up oil prices in 3 ways 1) political risk in the mideast 2) debt undermines the dollar 3) wars use a lot of fuel ALL of this jacked up oil prices, after getting huge subsidies, and sky high oil prices bring out the marxists when the huge profits come, after all of that I'm not saying I'm going to join the marxists, I'm saying when I hear the oil and gas industry plead in PR to write their reps (and this WILL happen), I'm just going to laugh and say 'you brought this on yourself' it's the way the world works. They lived through the 1970s. They knew what they were bringing on themselves
Once again I am dealing with someone here that can't seem to understand a simple point. If said oil company was going to be sued, it would mean that if the litigant were successful, some law or agreement had been broken. There are no laws that say that any corporation, or individual for that matter, have a civic duty or obligation to make everyone "happy". Is that simple enough for you?
it's simple enough for you, because you are a simple-ton "If said oil company was going to be sued, it would mean that if the litigant were successful, some law or agreement had been broken. " were you fucking born yesterday? You've obviously never managed anything of signifigance wiith any liabilty risk, or you wouldnt say something that stupid why in the hell do you think lawyers are so despised? would that be the case is the legally innocent had nothing to fear in court?
I'm sorry, of course you're right. It never occurred to me that people actually use that water for drinking. They fill it out of the tap in the employee's restroom at Walmart, right? I just assumed the average ETer went for the bling. http://most-expensive.net/bottled-water
socialize losses? wtf are you talking about? if there is one industry in the us that is not trying or not going to socialize losses, it's the oil industry.
This discussion started around the notion that oil companies have a "civic responsibility" to make people happy that are upset with their practices. That you continue to make arguments, like this one, that because lawyers bring frivolous lawsuits, it somehow bolsters the case that oil companies have these civic responsibilities, is probably why you are an EX-employee at an oil company. Along with that minor in econ, you must have majored in women's studies.
you're such an idealog, that you cant grasp reality first you say that someoen who doesnt break the regulations has nothing to fear. then you say that it's wrong that this should compell oil companies to act in any way? well, isnt that a moot point, if those who follow all regualtions have nothing to fear from frivolous lawsuits? which is it? the reality is, that the way the world works, is that if you overplay your hand, it comes back to you, whether it's right or wrong. it just does. and it's going to for the oil companies they took subsidies, they lobbied for h-1bs, they lobbied for immigration, and against conservation (or were at least indifferent to it). and while halburton may not represent all oil companies (for all i know some oil companies may have been against this war), the perception is that they helped push for a disaster, that contributed to big profits they took a 'because we can' attitude, and what went around, is coming around like i said, i'm not going to participate in it i'm just going to laugh at them, when the marxists (led be barrack yOmama) come their way, chanting 'because we can'
who the fk do you think is paying for their oil wars right now? and they benefit? ummm.. whatever Foxboy.