I just found it interesting how this article...

Exxon Profit Rises Less Than Estimated; Output Drops

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=206...s4&refer=us


...compleatly fails to mention the headline of this one...


Exxon posts record $11.68 billion profit

http://money.cnn.com/2008/07/31/news/compa...sion=2008073110


...while essentially reporting on the same thing.

That will be their justification for having tax breaks while having such record profit. I am just so sick and tired of them defending their profits based on volume, yet also use volume to defend their tax breaks. I am also tired of all these damn investors looking for the next gravy train to ride. Ride me all you want, I think it's about time we privatize raw commodities. They are just too volatile to be susceptible to speculation and greed.

it also fails to mention that while they make @ $0.35/gallon, the govt makes @ $0.45/gallon. which one is the greedy business again?

but I think exxon will ride the "we have a lower profit margin" for justification. JMO. they have @ 2% lower profit margin than most manufacturers, so that is easier to show.

Yeah, no sh*t.

Roads don't build themselves.

also of note: since oil is sold on a world market and most of what we use comes from elsewhere, we should also wonder what the profits are in other countries big oil.

gas doesn't refine itself either. but since profits are the question, how much do representaves get paid anyway for their "public service"

and the states build the roads. state tax and stuff should cover that pretty well.

Sorry, you failed to specify when you said "the government."

edit: but it sounds to me like this discussion centers around this question --> do you trust government more, or business more?

That's an odd question.

If you trust either one unconditionally you're a fool.
If you distrust either one unconditionally, you're a fool of equal magnitude.

I trust business over government 100 times over. Most business can balance their checkbooks, there are exceptions mind you, but the government damn sure doesn't know how to do so.

But I really don't trust anyone or anything.

not really. its more like "i don't trust business but I know their point is to make profit. I don't trust govt but their job is law making/enforcement." which is a much more powerful position.

yet the public servants make huge checks for their service. all paid by us.

Trust them to do what?

Properly functioning Gov't is supposed to work for the people. Business is supposed to serve it self. The premises are totally different.

(Then there's issue of Non functioning Gov't...)

That's a better articulated version of what I was thinking.

I think you could debate whether lawmaking & law enforcement are more "powerful" than the ability to control what you buy.

Not true. The interstate (I-80) and federal highway (US-50) systems are funded from the US government. Just ask California about how the feds constantly wave federal highway fund sanctions at them. Here's one example. California, until recently, was the only state left who didn't use the exit numbering system (i.e. Exit 55 is Main St). The Feds gave California until this year to get all their exits up to federal standards or else they'd cut $2B/yr out of their federal highway grants. Ergo, why in the last 2yrs California freeways have been getting updated signs with exit numbers.

if exxon makes .35 and govt makes .45. then, if exxon made 1500/sec from may-june. someone correct the math if I'm wrong. I don't have a calc that goes that high on my phone. our wonderful govt made 1929/sec- 115,740/min (lets say 115000) 6,900,000/hour- 165,600,000-day.

so if my math is right, our govt made 4,968,000,000
just for one month of oil taxes collected. explain again why taxes need raised to get us out of debt. maybe our public servants could use a pay cut.

If you really want to dig into the federal budget, we can do that. But I don't think any of us *really* want to.

So I think it would be best to stay away from ignorant comments like that.

And I don't mean that as a slam, I mean literally ignorant as in, we don't know everything that goes into the federal budget and what all of these things cost.

right, another example of the natl govt abusing powers. the natl govt was never supposed to have power over the roadways and now the states have to ask for funding for federal roads (which is bullcrap) but all other roads are still done by the states, counties,etc.

How exactly are you going to maintain an INTERSTATE highway system exclusively at the state level?

but we can find out how much our congress costs and how much of that is needless. we can find out what their salaries are, we can find out how much of our dollars go where.

why is it too much to want to know where our tax dollars are spent but not too much to ask that exxon show us their profits?


we do it with waterways. states have the ability for the govt's to deal with each other.

I don't think congress goes home with all of that in their pockets. I'm pretty sure the Gov't is a not for profit.

I think it could be done, just that there'd be a lot of inter-state , which would suck. I don't have a problem with the interstate system being funded federally.

water doesn't need to be built


Nor do I. You've got to have some things controlled by the federal government.

I'm sure the states get money from the federal government which they use to maintain state highway systems as well.

And face it, if the feds suddenly cut gasoline taxes, the states would immediately add them back to make up for lost revenue.

then why take any of it home? back in the day they had day jobs. but they used to really represent the people to I guess.

People also used to shit outside back then too.

So... they should legislate a super power for free... and have a day job.

Yeah that'll work.

The gov't didn't post "record profit" this year, btw.

waterways and dams have to be maintained. and I didn't say I had a problem with federally funded interstates, you brought the roads up. most roads are not the responsibility of the feds.

all I'm saying is its not too much to ask that they show where the money goes.

http://www.gpoaccess.gov/usbudget/

I'm pretty sure the federal budget is public record.

shitting outside is good for the soul.

so is knowing how your govt spends money.

Yeah, but it wasn't because they aren't pulling down a phat paycheck.

usgovinfo.about.com/library/weekly/aa031200a.htm

to the tune of 163,000 per member. pelosi pullin down around 215. but its not for profit.

@ 5,909,000/month just in congress.

Do some history, bud. The interstate system only exists BECAUSE of the federal government. When they were originally built, states only contributed 10% with the feds paying 90%. Furthermore:






It's a well guarded secret, but there was recently an article about how oil companies spent a majority of their profit buying back stocks so they can further inflate their worth. This amount is 9x what they spend for exploration. Less people in sharing the profits equals more for the fat cats. However, there are so many things the US Govt funds you could go for loops trying to track it all down. Insinuating that the feds somehow make profit off us is just off-base.






If the feds suddely cut gas taxes, the states would immediately shut down all road projects, cite lack of funding and we'd be screwed more than we are now.

were the interstates the first roads?

Okay this thread has gotten a little to long for me to know exactly what going but I don't think this is entirely true, the States would move to a sales tax on gas. This is or was being disscussed here in WA. recently.

I'm not saying cut the taxes necessarily, I'm saying they don't need to make 163,000 dollars a year, the roads are not the issue. the gas tax bringing more money to the govt than the gas company is.

especially when congress is calling the oil company out for profits.

FYI $163K isn't all that outrageous for a professional salary, especially considering the job responsibilities

especially considering its all paid by taxes and its a non-profit, right? now your comparing the govt to business.

You're forgetting things like fringe benefits. You know, free health care, housing allowance, sex with male pages.

Well, if you really wanna get down to it, the Lincoln Highway was privately funded. That was the first transcontinental highway EVER in the US.

I'm talking about reasonable compensation for a given profession. But really, politics is probably the hardest career path to a six-figure job. It would be a lot easier to get a job at a corporation and just work your way up the ladder. And you wouldn't have to go on a huge campaign every time you wanted a promotion.

And before that we had railroads.

Who paid for those again?

*wants to drive the Father Road one day*

WHO PAID FOR ALL THE COVERED WAGONS??

Stop taking us off-topic, will you?

Can I write that off on my taxes?

Only if it is a legitimate business-related expense.

I think the natives and the buffalo split that cost.

QFT

Nomolos wins.

Good call.