The Free Market, price of gas, class warfare or socialism?

[Monksdown]

Exxon/Mobil makes roughly $.07 per gallon. The tax on a gallon of gas is in the low $.50's. That tax could be increased and we could eventually push out our dependency on gasoline for cars. That would be gradual, like the steep tobacco tax. Take the increase profit and offer grants to companies doing research in energy technologies.

Furthermore, cut back on subsidizing corn. The New Deal did great work when we were coping with the Dust Bowl, and out of control food prices. Now, we can create a new legitimate market for corn based fuel. I don't think totally cutting out the subsidy would be advisable, as the government would lose some control over pricing, which is important because we all know that cows eat corn based food. Thus milk, and diary products would be effected as well. But the subsidies were designed to help the American Farmer. Not the massive American farming conglomerates that now buy up farmland, getting passive cashflow from the Government, while the value of the land increases.

Im getting off topic. Steeper increases in the tax of gasoline is good for America, and it's good for the world. The first people to feel that burden will be the lower income brackets, obviously. But a smart evolution of our culture demands it. If nothing else, it'll encourage a grassroots interest in creating more affordabel alternate fuel vehicles. Hybrids arent cheap enough yet, but we're getting there.

And i am a Republican.

[skinsguy]

Originally Posted by Monksdown

Im getting off topic. Steeper increases in the tax of gasoline is good for America, and it's good for the world. The first people to feel that burden will be the lower income brackets, obviously. But a smart evolution of our culture demands it. If nothing else, it'll encourage a grassroots interest in creating more affordabel alternate fuel vehicles. Hybrids arent cheap enough yet, but we're getting there.

And i am a Republican.

Couldn't that tax money be used to help these lower income families afford to purchase these hybrid cars? Then, maybe they wouldn't feel so much of the burden?

[Monksdown]

Originally Posted by skinsguy

Couldn't that tax money be used to help these lower income families afford to purchase these hybrid cars? Then, maybe they wouldn't feel so much of the burden?

What you say makes sense. But what is the likelihood of the government subsidizing independent transportation for the economically challenged? I don't think the chances are very good.

[skinsguy]

Originally Posted by Monksdown

What you say makes sense. But what is the likelihood of the government subsidizing independent transportation for the economically challenged? I don't think the chances are very good.

Not likely at all, you're correct!

[BleedBurgundy]

Originally Posted by Monksdown

Exxon/Mobil makes roughly $.07 per gallon.

I'm not a conspiracy theorist, but I don't believe that for a second. Who puts out that information, Exxon and Mobil right? I just don't buy it. I don't see how the same companies that are selling a product that is continually going up in price, but supposedly not screwing us, are the same companies that are just so well run that they post record profits year in and year out. I wasn't born yesterday.

[Schneed10]

Originally Posted by BleedBurgundy

I'm not a conspiracy theorist, but I don't believe that for a second. Who puts out that information, Exxon and Mobil right? I just don't buy it. I don't see how the same companies that are selling a product that is continually going up in price, but supposedly not screwing us, are the same companies that are just so well run that they post record profits year in and year out. I wasn't born yesterday.

No, that number is correct. It's validated by the SEC. And ever since the Arthur Anderson debacle, the SEC is all over everybody.

[BleedBurgundy]

Originally Posted by Schneed10

No, that number is correct. It's validated by the SEC. And ever since the Arthur Anderson debacle, the SEC is all over everybody.

Ok, so they're making a "fixed income" of .07 per gallon. Where are all these profits coming from then? The gov has to decide who to side with, big oil or the public. If they're making that much money, and it is hurting the average US Citizen, then something has to be done.

[dmek25]

Originally Posted by Schneed10

No, that number is correct. It's validated by the SEC. And ever since the Arthur Anderson debacle, the SEC is all over everybody.

i don't care if Jesus Christ said that number is right. i say no way. every quarter all the major oil companies are setting records for profits. how? the only increases they face are in wages for their workers. that's miniscule in the grand scheme of things. the government needs to grasp some sort of control of the price. those company ceo's will just have to be satisfied with a 10 million dollar bonus

[Sheriff Gonna Getcha]

Originally Posted by dmek25

i don't care if Jesus Christ said that number is right. i say no way. every quarter all the major oil companies are setting records for profits. how? the only increases they face are in wages for their workers. that's miniscule in the grand scheme of things. the government needs to grasp some sort of control of the price. those company ceo's will just have to be satisfied with a 10 million dollar bonus

7 cents a gallon is a nice profit when you consider how many trillions of gallons of gas are consumed every year.

How should the government grasp control of the price? Should they force companies to lower their prices and pay the oil companies the difference? Either way, taxpayers are going to "eat it."

[Schneed10]

Originally Posted by dmek25

i don't care if Jesus Christ said that number is right. i say no way. every quarter all the major oil companies are setting records for profits. how? the only increases they face are in wages for their workers. that's miniscule in the grand scheme of things. the government needs to grasp some sort of control of the price. those company ceo's will just have to be satisfied with a 10 million dollar bonus

That's pretty ignorant, but whatever.

[Sheriff Gonna Getcha]

Fixing gas prices at $6 per gallon would be a disaster. If the economy is in a recession now, it would be in a tailspin with gas prices at $6 per gallon. Our economy runs on gas and if you double the price overnight, you'll wreak havoc on companies, people's lives, etc.

[BaltimoreSkins]

We don't have wide spread options now because the government failed to subsidize alternative fuel sources the way it has gasoline. Ethanol is the way we seem to be leaning as an alternative source, but the environmental impacts are questionable. They want to open a plant on the Eastern Shore, but that area produces less than half the corn that is necessary to run the plant.

[Daseal]

One thing to remember about gas, it's not just for your commuter cars. Does that go towards heating prices, which millions of people can't afford? What about all the companies that rely on tractor trailers and airplanes to do business. It would in turn make the prices of EVERYTHING skyrocket.

[Schneed10]

Originally Posted by Daseal

One thing to remember about gas, it's not just for your commuter cars. Does that go towards heating prices, which millions of people can't afford? What about all the companies that rely on tractor trailers and airplanes to do business. It would in turn make the prices of EVERYTHING skyrocket.

Exactly. Thereby resulting in massive unemployment and a reduction in tax revenue to the American government.

If you want more tax revenue, the best way to raise it is to have more people working and more companies earning. It is NOT to raise taxes.

[BaltimoreSkins]

Last year, CNN stated that Exxon makes $1,000 profit every minute