Oil Companies rake in Record Profits, again

This week in the news Exxon, Chevron, BP and Shell again reported record profits- Exxon's 2nd quarter $10.4 billion profit was second only to Exxon's 4th quarter profit from 2005. Earnings were up 36-39% from the same time last year. Conoco Phillips did even better, up nearly two-thirds from last year.

It's seems pretty obvious to most Americans that if the companies lowered the price of gas, they could still turn a profit. But they keep the price sky high, strangling our economy and making life that much harder on most working Americans. With the price of gas way up, the price of everyday goods is up too, milk, cheese, eggs, bread, soap ... everything at the store is more expensive... yet the oil companies are free to charge whatever they want, free to rake in the profit, even at our expense. If the price of gas was lowered, the average American would have more money to spend on other items, they could afford to travel again, thus boosting our economy in so many ways.

But Congress doesn't seem to care about the average American, besides, they don't have to pay for gas, they get free air travel from the corporations, like Don Young who was near the top with $83,000 worth of corporate jet travel.

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UPDATE:

As of March 17, 2005: Don Young (R), has raised $874,000 from oil and gas interests since 1989

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What is particularly outrageous, is that the Oil Execs were caught lying to Congress in Nov 2005 (Washington Post). They testified before Congress that they were not a part of Cheney's 2001 "Energy Task Force". Recall when Senator Ted Stevens refused to have them sworn in... even though Dem Senators asked to have the CEOs take the oath... then they lied about their participation in that task force.... Could they also have lied when they said they weren't price gouging?

They didn't testify under oath- why not?

When caught lying, there was a firestorm of outrage, calls for them to return and testify under oath... yet that never happened- why not? The next day, Murtha came out with his 'redeployment' plan, which became the top story, taking the heat off the lying CEOs. The next thing you know... Murtha for President is being floated.

The bottom line:
Why not ask the oil companies to charge a little less per gallon?
Why should they be making record profits when everyone else is being squeezed.
Couldn't they earn the same profit from last year, for Exxon, $7.6 Billion, and cut us some slack at the pump? It seems reasonable to me- why won't Congress act?

The answer: Congress is working for campaign donations, not for the public good.

How to solve this problem: End campaign donations, End Lobbying- period.

Some people say, "that's crazy, that how the system works." Exactly, except the system doesn't work, it is broken, flooded by corruption, blackmail, bribery... lobbyists even rented "hosptitality suites" near Congress, so members can make it back to vote on time.

There is a way around the money wins all system,
starting with Free Air Time- The FAT Bill.

What you've read above is what I believe to be Common Sense. The oil companies are robbing us blind, and our government tells us there is nothing they can do about it. The fact that DC Repubs and Dems agree does not make it the truth- it just means they are all sellouts. A big part of the problem in America is the Democrats that know the corruption is out of hand, but refuse to accept that the Dems are just as guilty as the Repubs.

It's time for a complete House Cleaning
Sweep the House!