These guys don't need a tax break -- Energy and Resource Indust...

ISSUE: Congress taking look at oil company profits. When you go to the gas station these days, and the numbers at the pump keep getting closer to passing $3.50, it's hard to decide who to be angry at first.

[WPB]

King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia, Hugo Chavez of Venezuela, and Mahmoud Ahmadin---- of Iran heartily endorse your decision to drive a 5500 lb. V-8 pickup truck instead of a rational vehicle. That agricultural equipment will come in handy when you have to take up truck farming to survive.

[Rick Caird]

More junk from the Sentinel. These "tax breaks" the Sentinel complains about are tax breaks that are available to all industries and are not specific to oil and gas companies.

If the Post wants to complain about tax breaks, how about ethanol, solar, wind, and the tariffs on ethanol from Brazil.

The Sentinel is very selective on their outrage.

Rick

[Bill Neubauer]

The focus is wrong. The government, as usual, can do nothing but harm by intruding into the energy market in minor ways. If the government has a role in the energy morass, it would be to show a little vision and abolish all of the barriers to more nuclear energy.
A government of politicians not focused exclusively on the next election could embark on a "Manhattan Project" to create a national nuclear power plant, which could be a beacon for commercially created such plants, which would go a long way to ending slavish dependence on foreign oil.
Unfortunately politicians--and editorial writers--are content to tweak around the periphery of the energy problem instead of taking the bull by the horns and solving it.

[Max]

The government, in taxes, takes about 3 times the amount
of money per gallon that the oil companies take in profit. So why doesn't the government lower taxes to make gas at the pump more "affordable"?

Further, corporations don't pay taxes, people do. Corporations view taxes as just another expense on the ledger, and they pass that cost on to the consumer, as they do with any other expense. So corporate taxes are just another facet of the shell game that government plays with taxes.

Finally, I never see the Sun Sentinel, nor any other group, argue against farm subsidies, an even more egregious form of the shell game, protecting a 19th century industry that mostly employs illegal aliens.

[Kathy]

Most of what I wanted to say has been posted already. But I just wanted to point out this from the editorial:

"Oil companies say their profits are in line with other companies. The difference is, gas is an absolute necessity for most people."

So when the product is a necessity, we get all socialist about it? Have you seen the price of mik and bread lately? I think they qualify as necessities. When will congress be hauling those execs in so Ed Markey can get all snarky with them too?

[Bryce Wagner]

Government is fueled by big oil. Period. There will be no hydrogen Chevy's in your garage. No hybrid Hummers. No electric BMWs. There will be legislators, and presidents elected and supported by oil money, lobbyists reminding them constantly of that, and all of us stupid Americans lining up at the pump like sheep to shell out half an hours pay for a gallon of gas. Time for all the NRA members to turn their guns on Washington and run these bozos out!

[Rick Caird]

Bryce Wagner wrote:

Government is fueled by big oil. Period. There will be no hydrogen Chevy's in your garage. No hybrid Hummers. No electric BMWs. There will be legislators, and presidents elected and supported by oil money, lobbyists reminding them constantly of that, and all of us stupid Americans lining up at the pump like sheep to shell out half an hours pay for a gallon of gas. Time for all the NRA members to turn their guns on Washington and run these bozos out!

I seriously wonder what world you live in. You seem to have no grasp of economics, the economy, or technology. You simply berate those who do not think (if you can call it that) like you. You remind me of one of the six blind men describing an elephant.

I must admit, though, I faithfully read each of your posts. However, I do not get out them what you hope people will get out of them.

Rick

[David M]

The Federal Government takes .53 cents per gallon for desile and .43 cents per gallon for gas. We also have state and county taxes plus "Special" distric taxes which explain why some staion in the same area are .10 to .15 cents higher than others. Governement gets a lot of money from higher gas prices. The worst thing they could do is also the stupidest, the "windfall tax", that will ensure higher prices and less product. We're faceing a change of life style here in the US and we'd better get on board with it. Don't look to the Government to solve this as they can't, it will be private industry building efficent cars, new fuels, companies that give breaks or pay for car pooling plus work at hime days and fexable hours. No one wants to go out of business which is what Adam Smiths "Wealth of Nations" was all about, we do whats in our best interest which in the end is in everyones best interest. Governement can only be a road block and impediment, "it is not elequence but pure force and like fire a fearful servent but a dredful master."

[BUSHWACKED]

the country is in bad shape,and for the oil companies to galge us or shove high prices up our gass is just wrong . and should not be allowed by law, then thiers bush and oil man , purr rr pu pu pu,if he did as much for the country as he has for his own greed.[bushit]8329

[Money talks]

Buy oil stocks and use the dividends and capital gains to offset rising gas prices.

Ask your Congressman and Senators to open up domestic oil fields in Alaska.

And somebody should invent a oil rig which can produce reindeer hamburger meat until it can reach a oil and/gas deposit. That will offset the beef shortage which is only a few months away because cattle are being killed ahead of schedule because ethanol plants have driven up corn prices. Plus, land taken over for corn has raised wheat prices.

So food prices will inflate just to make a "alternative fuel" which contains less energy than the it takes to produce ethanol.