Well Skinny, that extra 2.50 a gallon I'm paying is MY money. That extra cost of food and such is MY money. The oil coming out of the gulf of Mexico is OUR oil. Our government is supposed to be looking out for everyones best interest. When they get bought off by industry looking out for everyones best interest takes a back seat to maximizing profit.

Did you know that the current leases negotiated during the Clinton Administration have US Taxpayers receiving a fixed price per barrel of oil? This fixed price was negotiated when oil was drawing about $40/barrel on the open market. I'm not sure what our take on $40/barrel oil was $5, $10 maybe. Now Oil has tripled on the open market. Do you know how much Americans are getting for those same barrels of Gulf of Mexico crude? $5, $10 maybe.

Being an energy supplier to this nation needs to be looked upon as a privilege by people like you. These companies were profitable when oil was $11/barrel. Now oil is 12 times that

It's not OURS until WE buy it.

The second sentence actually bolsters my point. If that is your viewpoint it is foundationally flawed...the government ISN'T looking out for our best interests...and that IS THE ONLY valid point here. Do you really think oil companies make the rules here? I remember watching a hearing on the Hill recently where Joe Biden was crucifying an "oil guy" for accepting tax exemptions...WHO WRITES TAX LAW?

Why in the hell should the government MAKE money off someone else's labor?

interesting point!

However; (not implying that it is a level situation) but back in the early 90's just shutting down old oil wells was paying about $14.00 an hour to start. That wasn't as a rigger or one of his assistants either ... that was the grunt!

Drilling crews were the ones who made the good money and easier work!
Pipe goes in a lot slower than it comes out!

Trust me when I say I saw that rabbit (a hand tool for dragging & stacking pipe) more than I wanted to being a Yankee in Oklahoma!

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Who said anything about making money off someone elses labor? Who owns the gulf? The oil companies like the Insurance companies and credit card industry have been influencining laws to benefit themselves only for years and getting away with it by Republican lawmakers sucking up to big buisness and passing every bill buisness wants.Even today you will find many Republican Congressman and Republican Senators defending the rich and their greed at the expense of the middle class and poor. You would think by now the Republicans would be getting a clue as to the mess this has put this country in. Time to take our government back to its rightful place and represent the best for this country and everyone again not just the fat cats. Greed and gross profitering can only last as long as we let it....A new wind is blowing...What happened to the Republican party???

Uhm...that's what the government does...collect tax money. They don't earn it, see?

I absolutely disagree with you on who owns the oil that is sitting under the Gulf of Mexico or under other Federal lands.

but...for the sake of argument...lets just say it belongs to the people who get it out....

Well then, would it not be better economic proposition for all Americans for the Feds to hire people to get it out of the ground, pay them a fare wage and then provide the oil to "our" own Federal refineries. Yes they, Big Biz, could probably do it marginally cheaper, but when you add in the profit their efficiency in cost disappears, but when they have an oligopoly why do it cheaper.

This is where Sweet Maxi's state owned oil company could hold the fleecing down.

What exactly can a president do personally, without the approval of Congress, to have any impact on the economy? I am not disagreeing with you, I just want to understand how the president affects the economy directly

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Its better to have fussed and crabbed then never to have fussed at all - Lucy

lol..I have no problem understanding the need for taxes. I see my taxes used daily for the country's good as Im sure you do as well. My concern these days is our public servants think they are "lords" with our money and are using our taxes for purposes other than our nations true needs..give aways to their rich friends and thier companies,tax breaks to the wealthy, etc..spending and spending money we don't have going into trillions of dollars into debt that will never effect them as the rich will be able to wheather the hard times unlike the rest of us trying to pay off this debt that they ran up over the last 8 years and blaming the problems on the rest of us..fortunatly many of us are waking up from the buisness savy republican spun commercials and just aren't buying it anymore....

oh ... like China did when they bought part of IBM's business.

So - you are a SOCIALIST ...

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"One Person Will Get $25.00 Visa Gift Card - CLICK HERE To Get Your Chance!"

Hey, a gal of premium vanilla ice cream cost to damn much. Nationalize Baskin-Robbins.

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If you want change stop electing "liberal: democrats and "radical" Republicans. Find and support true Conservatives; those who believe in fiscal responsibilities, individual accountability, and a smaller government, with less control of your daily life.