[expiclefich]

I'm not voting democrat in 2008 either.

[Fegasderty]

Originally posted by LordShiva
I'm not voting democrat in 2008 either. I, OTOH, am contemplating voting BJP, to do my part to defend Hindu civilization from the eevil lefties.

[Kilsimpaile]

i could easily make the connection though that gas price controls are one of the few options to solve a non existant problem.

OH NOES THE COMPANY MAKES TOO MUCH PROFIT!

WE MUST CAP THE PRICES!
WE MUST TAX THE COMPANIES MORE!
WE MUST BLAH BLAH BLAH!

Im look to vote for Rudi each day.

[Kayakeenemeds]

How much loss of revenue will that mean for the state of texas?

[ClapekDodki]

The link is to a dem blog talking about "record high" gas prices. I don't agree with the whining, but I don't see anything about the Dems setting price controls...

-Arrian

[ServiceColas]

Which is, of course, something that everyone seems to agree on.

The blog entry was in the grand tradition of "OMG! Somebody made a PROFIT!" which is irritating, but come on, mrt.

-Arrian

[Zpxbawtz]

Indiana suspended the gas tax a few years ago in the summer. Of course, Indiana then ran out of money and sold a toll road and the governor is now trying to sell the lottery.

[lungumnentibe]

wait for it... im calling not only a price gouging inquiry democrats, but also a call for pricing limits by a lot of democrats.

"They cant make these profits, so we will limit it by limiting how much they can increase the price by!"

[panholio]

Originally posted by SlowwHand
Now you're asking me to research.

I don't know, MRT. I also don't know why if we can abandon the tax now, in the heaviest use period of the year, but it must be so high day-to-day.

Like postal rates. WHY raise postal rates 3 cents every few months? Just make the damn things 50 cents and leave it. But I digress. when you tell me what inflation is, and how it affects the post office's ability to deliver mail as a dollar amount, then you will answer your own question.

[delnisfernan]

Profit is waste.

[qQVXpYM6]

Originally posted by General Ludd
Profit is waste. Wow. I thought that "ideas" like this one had died out before we'd moved out of the caves.

[XinordiX]

Also Ludd's a big fan of people moving back into caves.

[jarsbars]

Me neither. I really couldn't stand him. I miss him, though...

-Arrian

[ChyFDjfed]

dont most oil companies pay dividends on their shares? arent many of their stocks going up with profits? these asshats need to invest!

[adesseridopaw]

Originally posted by Arrian
I miss him, though...

-Arrian Yep true statesmen (as opposed to todays all too frequent 'pols) of the likes of Dole for GOP and Tip O'Neil for the Dems.

[apodildNoli]

Originally posted by Ogie Oglethorpe
You'll find oil companies are one of the MOST conservative industries for investment. Talk about slow and plodding in contrast to other industries. Very low risk takers. i meant the individuals who decry oil companies. why not get your voice in there with other shareholders and benefit when they benefit?

[Meenepek]

Originally posted by VJ

Well, Ludd does want us to live like we did before "we moved out of the caves", so at least he's consistent. I only wish he'd try and lead us there by example.

[intifatry]

when does adding capacity ever benefit anyone in the business?

[didrexx]

Most of the time - as long as the product demand is there, and there's an adequate ratio between the cost of capacity expansion and added sales. Refining oil to gasoline in the present market doesn't meet the latter criteria, but it's an extreme example, not a typical one.

One example right now is US manafacturers of large steam boilers. Capacity constraints are getting to the point where lead times are 24-30 months and climbing, and all that's doing is creating a market entry for Chinese companies (with no prior penetration of the US market) who will guarantee 14 months or less.

I'm working on three different projects where US boilers would be preferred, even with higher costs, but their lead times have taken them out of the market. Four other project I'm going to be starting on within the next six months have the same problem. All told, around 100 million in sales that US manufacturers will lose, just on what I'm working on, and there's lots more where that comes from. Long term, they will permanently lose market share.

[karkinadze]

lotm - they pretty much are goofballs, or else totally ignorant of the relevant markets, to assume collusion (illegal) between companies, when individual self interest arrives at the same result without breaking any laws or leaving trails of evidence.

Some people want to see conspiracies, because there's an enemy to strike at. Much less appetizing than admitting that it's simple market reality, and the level of pain isn't so hight that consumers will react in adequate numbers to affect supply and demand.

Of course, if the loonies were really clever, they'd want a non-profit coop or public sector refinery to tilt the market in favor of consumers, but that would take brains and some depth of understanding of the subject matter, so activists pretty much can go home at that point.