*****GAS PRICES? W T Hail *****

[NautyOne]

I'm gone for a couple days and come back and gas is over a dollar a gallon and more in some areas.........Lord Jesus, I just don't know how some people are going to making it !!!!!!!   I don't even want to look at my portfolio ..........We are going to hell in a hand basket.......I am getting really nervous-o

Nervous-o Nauty................

[paul300]

to me, that absolutely makes no sense. big business (the automakers), especially Detroit, provided us consumers with high-margin SUV's and trucks because we demand them and while gas prices were low, they kept chucking them out. The Japanese automakers at least were forward thinking enough and was well prepared for our current market. What's holding back hybrids and electrics are economies of scale, technologies (batteries) and demand (which is ramping up.)

Europe and many other parts of the world have been paying much more than we have for years...

i keep getting this vision that there are a few powerful people in a dim dark room, smoking cigars, drinking 100 yo scotch, sinisterly planning the next rampage on the american people.  

[limodan73]

Guys, not to be the bearer of bad news but, here goes. I am a master mechanic that has a real good Idea of why and what is going on in the industry. There is technology(some I actually seen with my own two eyes) that has been invented by us.(Americans) That can take any car, and turn it into an electric Hybrid. Thus, giving a normal V8 45+ miles per gallon. The f'd up thing is, the Feds and Big buisness have decieded that, in order to perpetuate the economy as we know it, and to keep everything at an even keel. This technology, I will call it Electro-mag-thesis, will be kept under raps via federal Patent laws, until they see fit to release it. The hydrogen cars are a joke. They will be to expensive not only to buy, but to maintain. Do you know any Hydrogen Mechanics? They have some good reasons for what they are doing, albeit costing all of us a fortune. And they have to keep the technology under raps, at least they think they are, until the rest of the industry has a chance to catch up the technology. But, keep in mind. Gas prices in Europe are over double what they are here, and they don't have to ship the stuff 3000 miles. I am no fan of the greedy Oil company's that lie throught their teeth. But, we have to put things into perspective and start really taking a look at who's getting the fat paychecks here. And that, is simple. Look no further than your voter registration card.

[paul300]

2007, it looks like they paid ~43% in taxes. Thats not fair? :-P

[lovepat906]

Once again- let them profit- the sky is the limit... BUT pay fair taxes on it- not have a pile of loopholes and tax breaks that JQ American doesn't get....

[paul300]

Funny, the people that complain most about tax rates (Hollywood, and many wealthy democrat's), forget to check the box to pay more taxes as an option. :-D

Regulating corporate profits is wrong...period. Do you really think the price of gas will drop/hold if we regulate their profits???? And who says how much a corporation should make??? If we start doing this, investors will take their monies overseas and we lose capital. Let the market adjust, but we should ensure no entity is hampering the system. If someone is cooking the market (speculative) books to make this happen, its wrong. I doubt it. The oil markets are too big for any single entity to effect prices long term. It is crazy.

So people can scream at the oil companies, but we Americans refuse to fix our own problems at home until its too late, ie. consumption. Unfortunately, we're reactionary by nature.

Not sure about the making of solar panels in the US. Designed yes, manufactured, most likely not. China is probably the biggest source.

Not even touching the overpaid CEO debate. ;-)

[lovepat906]

I am not saying to take $$ away from "them". I am saying that "their" taxes should not be further reduced (by BILLIONS) so that the  already huge profit margins can increase. And if that means that the share holders only realize 15% investment growth- so be it. Most Americans- we the people- are not getting that on our shrinking to non-existant savings. There is a very small group of folks in this country (<5%) who are making outrageous bucks. You can call me a socialist- but I really do believe- as does Warren Buffet, God bless him- that the rich should pay at least the same tax rate as I do. The taxes that they should pay could go to development of alternative energy which would allow for the development of  more US businesses, more US jobs, more energy,  and better environmental conditions. Do you know that at present there is not one US business making solar panels? Use those BILLIONS to promote more diverse, new, small  businesses- not just reward the mega-corporations and their overpaid CEOs..