Thread: Drill here, drill now, pay less!

Originally Posted by JMS

I guess we should depend on the government for that as we all know how efficient government is!

Actually, I work for the government and there are portions of the civil service that do an outstanding job.

Originally Posted by JMS

Please then, throw your hat in the ring and show them how it's done!...I'm not kidding.
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No disrespect intended, but I haven't a clue what you're getting at here.

j

Originally Posted by Nord Jim

Actually, I work for the government and there are portions of the civil service that do an outstanding job.

I suspected you might be a government employee!

Originally Posted by Nord Jim

No disrespect intended, but I haven't a clue what you're getting at here.

j

I was saying that you have have enough intelligence to see how it shouldn't be done, so, show us how it should be done!

Originally Posted by JMS

I was saying that you have have enough intelligence to see how it shouldn't be done, so, show us how it should be done!

Don't know who I'd show. Nobody particularly listens to me. Probably a good thing.

j

I think people use the oil companies for a scape goat a bit much.
FWIW, the oil companies are NOT the most profitable industry in human history (sorry KP ) The government itself is. The U.S. government makes more money per gallon in taxes on fuel than the oil companies (which, mind you, explored for, spent reams of money on, built refineries for, pumps, resale outlets, storage facilities...even the facilities in Saudi Arabia and other OPEC countries were originally built and owned by US oil companies before being "nationalized".... All the while, the government spent NOTHING on these things.
Seems pretty profitable to me. I also know that the vast majority of savings plans in the U.S. involve large amounts of energy stocks, etc. So the "evil oil companies" are likely owned by that little old lady down the street.
Sure, lately I think there's a lot of profiteering by speculators driving things up, and treaties with the Saudis aren't helping, but the oil companies are not necessarily to blame. The Chinese, the Russians, they are drilling *right* off our coast-are we going to starve our people to death or are we going to compete.
The times are changing. I'm all for alternative methods of energy, but I do not believe we should pull our pants down around our ankles while we look for them.

John P.

Originally Posted by JohnP

I think people use the oil companies for a scape goat a bit much.

Doesn't the US government both tax and subsidize the oil companies? And who really owns the oil companies? Aren't they owned by shareholders which are US consumers? The same people who whine are the same that benefit, and for some reason I think that is characteristic of humanity

Personally I find it amusing that we're all looking for a single culprit.

Speculators? Greedy oil companies? Greedy OPEC? Iran? The war? Russia? The US government? Not enough drilling? Not enough refining? Weak dollar? General instability in the middle east? Chavez? Increased demand from developing countries? Ethanol can't go through pipes? My shoes are too tight? Detroit pushing more powerful cars? Degradation of driving habits? Increased speed limits? Gas tax? Too many subsidies for oil companies? Oil companies subidising the war in iraq for oil rights? The flap of a butterfly wing in China? Plastic bottles/bags? Auto makers wanting to make us pay more for hybrids?

I've heard so many causes I think it can't be just one thing, but a combination of many factors. All of those theories range from likely contributors to conspiracy theories. There's really little point in figuring out the why in my opinion as there probably isn't one magic bullet. The question is how do we get through the tansition to a more stable fuel source.

The oil companies really aren't the issue. They're just doing what corporations do: maximizing profits and minimizing expenses in order to show short-term gain to the shareholders.

It is true, though, that they drill primarily on our land, and that the lease costs are often ridiculously low.

The problem is that, aside from any abuse by oil companies, be that true or false, oil is proving itself to be problematic as an energy source, both in the long term (which we knew) and the short term (which we're beginning to realize).

The fundamental question is this: Will market forces result in the nation moving to a more sustainable energy future? If so, how? If not, what then?

j

Huhmmm, no one seems to look at the world bankers, The Rothschild's the Rockefellers and so on. These folks have enough wealth and power to easily influence nations... such as the U.S. They are the ones that want a New World Order. It's my belielf that it is they who are setting fuel prices and food prices. If you wanted to control the world or most of it, how would you do it? Myself, I would raise food prices. One way to do that is to raise fuel prices. Keep edging it up and soon people will be suffering. Some will lose their jobs, homes and many will be homeless. As we go into the coming depression during September, you'll see banks closing. The home loan companies will be wanting to collect on your loans. A major credit crisis some time in the next three months would have the fecal matter impacting the fan during the thick of the general election race here in the States. Anyone wonder what kind of effect that would have on the outcome?
It’s rare that a major institution puts out bad news in such an unvarnished and direct manner, but have a read on what the RBS issued last week:

The Royal Bank of Scotland has advised clients to brace for a full-fledged crash in global stock and credit markets over the next three months as inflation paralysis the major central banks. “A very nasty period is soon to be upon us - be prepared,” said Bob Janjuah, the bank’s credit strategist. A report by the bank’s research team warns that the S&P 500 index of Wall Street equities is likely to fall by more than 300 points to around 1050 by September as “all the chickens come home to roost” from the excesses of the global boom, with contagion spreading across Europe and emerging markets.

I know I'm wandering off the thread topic a bit, sorry.
I don't think that the oil companies or the governments set oil prices at all. I think the world bankers do.

Originally Posted by hoglahoo

Doesn't the US government both tax and subsidize the oil companies? And who really owns the oil companies? Aren't they owned by shareholders which are US consumers? The same people who whine are the same that benefit, and for some reason I think that is characteristic of humanity

Not sure I read this correctly, but it appears you are basically agreeing with me here.

Not positive about the subsidies part, however-I doubt it but then anything's possible these days. That'd be about right for our government.


John P.

Originally Posted by Nickelking

Personally I find it amusing that we're all looking for a single culprit.

Speculators? Greedy oil companies? Greedy OPEC? Iran? The war? Russia? The US government? Not enough drilling? Not enough refining? Weak dollar? General instability in the middle east? Chavez? Increased demand from developing countries? Ethanol can't go through pipes? My shoes are too tight? Detroit pushing more powerful cars? Degradation of driving habits? Increased speed limits? Gas tax? Too many subsidies for oil companies? Oil companies subidising the war in iraq for oil rights? The flap of a butterfly wing in China? Plastic bottles/bags? Auto makers wanting to make us pay more for hybrids?

I've heard so many causes I think it can't be just one thing, but a combination of many factors. All of those theories range from likely contributors to conspiracy theories. There's really little point in figuring out the why in my opinion as there probably isn't one magic bullet. The question is how do we get through the tansition to a more stable fuel source.

pshaw.
Next you'll be telling us the world is round, when anyone can see with his own eyes it is flat.


John P.