Electric cars, hydrongen cars, trains, improved mass transit systems combined with alternative energy sources: wind, solar, nuclear, geo-thermal, NOT bio. The world has the technology to make this work, but we should start investing in these now.
i guess it just depends on what side of the issue one is on...i do not see it as right wing ideology...as long as we have a stock market the prices on commodities will rise and fall...that is neither left nor right wing...
Environmentalists weren't the ones who can say, "Oops! We accidently manipulated the market into this mess, but we made billions!" And yes, fewer refineries DO mean higher profits, due to scarcity. Here's a quote from The Wall Street Journal (May 18th, 2007, reprinted in the Auto News Service): "For decades, there was too much refining capacity in the U.S., margins were crummy ... We used to commission studies to get rid of the refineries," says Fadel Gheit, who formerly worked at Mobil, now part of Exxon Mobil Corp., and is now senior energy analyst of Oppenheimer & Co. "We wanted to give them away."" -Mistakes were made alright, but anyone who makes a mistake that causes billions to wind up in their pockets is going to make that same mistake again and again. It should be clear by now that these markets can't be trusted to be self-regulating.
wha?? that made no sense to me Bmccue7....if we were able to build new refineries, but can't because of government restrictions lobbied for by environmentalists, it would lower the cost of gas because it then would be more efficient to produce...the less time and cost that goes into manufacturing something the less it costs...The last refinery built in the US was in Garyville, Louisiana, and it started up in 1976.Energy proposed building a refinery near Portsmouth, Virginia, in the late 1970s, environmental groups and local residents fought the plan -- and it took almost nine years of battles in court and before federal and state regulators before the company canceled the project in 1984.
Thank environmentalists? That's a hot one. Less refineries mean less supply, and higher profits. The less of something there is, the more you can charge for it. That's basic business (when there's decreased competition due to corporate conglomeration.) -Did you see the Senate hearing where the Big Oil CEO's were asked to testify? They only did so under the condition that they did not have to do so under oath. They lied over and over, shamelessly, smugly aware that they wield greater power than our elected officials. When it was found out that they lied, they were politely invited back for more hearings, but they declined. It's really better to watch C-Span and read a variety of sources than to repeat talk-radio points. You learn more that way.
Oil companies are making lots of money, because it's a huge-volume industry. The actual margins are tiny. Cut them a few percent, and the companies die. You can't avoid OPEC. We need them too much. Releasing US reserves is politically and strategically difficult. Coal is fine for electricity, but not for vehicles... bottom line = we're screwed for the time being. Oil is $120 a barrel. I don't think policy can fix a problem like that.
Properly regulate the industry as other industries are regulated. This would take care of the monopoly problem and it would stabilize the prices because they would comply with supply and demand.
build new refineries...as it is, the ones we have are very old and are not efficient...and you can thank environmentalists for that one along with the government and their restrictions...we also could drill for oil here in the US....the oil is here....yet more restrictions.....hell we can't even drill for oil on the land that was set aside for oil drilling....ANWR and off the coast of florida...
Electric cars, hydrongen cars, trains, improved mass transit systems combined with alternative energy sources: wind, solar, nuclear, geo-thermal, NOT bio. The world has the technology to make this work, but we should start investing in these now.
i guess it just depends on what side of the issue one is on...i do not see it as right wing ideology...as long as we have a stock market the prices on commodities will rise and fall...that is neither left nor right wing...
Environmentalists weren't the ones who can say, "Oops! We accidently manipulated the market into this mess, but we made billions!" And yes, fewer refineries DO mean higher profits, due to scarcity. Here's a quote from The Wall Street Journal (May 18th, 2007, reprinted in the Auto News Service): "For decades, there was too much refining capacity in the U.S., margins were crummy ... We used to commission studies to get rid of the refineries," says Fadel Gheit, who formerly worked at Mobil, now part of Exxon Mobil Corp., and is now senior energy analyst of Oppenheimer & Co. "We wanted to give them away."" -Mistakes were made alright, but anyone who makes a mistake that causes billions to wind up in their pockets is going to make that same mistake again and again. It should be clear by now that these markets can't be trusted to be self-regulating.
wha?? that made no sense to me Bmccue7....if we were able to build new refineries, but can't because of government restrictions lobbied for by environmentalists, it would lower the cost of gas because it then would be more efficient to produce...the less time and cost that goes into manufacturing something the less it costs...The last refinery built in the US was in Garyville, Louisiana, and it started up in 1976.Energy proposed building a refinery near Portsmouth, Virginia, in the late 1970s, environmental groups and local residents fought the plan -- and it took almost nine years of battles in court and before federal and state regulators before the company canceled the project in 1984.
Thank environmentalists? That's a hot one. Less refineries mean less supply, and higher profits. The less of something there is, the more you can charge for it. That's basic business (when there's decreased competition due to corporate conglomeration.) -Did you see the Senate hearing where the Big Oil CEO's were asked to testify? They only did so under the condition that they did not have to do so under oath. They lied over and over, shamelessly, smugly aware that they wield greater power than our elected officials. When it was found out that they lied, they were politely invited back for more hearings, but they declined. It's really better to watch C-Span and read a variety of sources than to repeat talk-radio points. You learn more that way.
And you base that on.... what, exactly? Ideology? Right-wing ideaology got us into this mess, and most people are waking up to that fact.
Oil companies are making lots of money, because it's a huge-volume industry. The actual margins are tiny. Cut them a few percent, and the companies die. You can't avoid OPEC. We need them too much. Releasing US reserves is politically and strategically difficult. Coal is fine for electricity, but not for vehicles... bottom line = we're screwed for the time being. Oil is $120 a barrel. I don't think policy can fix a problem like that.
That's one answer but not the best answer. There should be no drilling in ANWR.
Properly regulate the industry as other industries are regulated. This would take care of the monopoly problem and it would stabilize the prices because they would comply with supply and demand.
it is already over regulated as it is...
build new refineries...as it is, the ones we have are very old and are not efficient...and you can thank environmentalists for that one along with the government and their restrictions...we also could drill for oil here in the US....the oil is here....yet more restrictions.....hell we can't even drill for oil on the land that was set aside for oil drilling....ANWR and off the coast of florida...
Good idea.
Amazing that Big Oil enjoys such massive subsidies from the government while at the same time making record profits. Isn't that "Corporate Welfare?"
Regulate the industry.