None of the $130 per barrel oil has reached a refinery yet. We are being gouged.

Gas prices are up 50 cents in a week. That's hundreds of millions a dollar a day for US oil companies. But none of them have had their costs go up remotely close to that. Oil companies are making record profits and giving billions to wealthy stock owners as buybacks.

We need a gas price freeze. It’s time for oil companies to pay for both their subsidies and they're gouging us over years. Let them pay for a change. Let their CEOs, Execs, Board, and stockholders suffer for a year or so. They won’t go broke like truckers, taxis, Lyft, etc.

It’s time to double down on going green. The cost of wind and sun is always the same. FREE. If the United States were 50% green it would be energy independent.

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Heartlander · 80-89, M

One word that leftist refuse to use is "volatile" when discussing oil prices. One piece of the oil distribution business that leftist never mention is "contract obligation" that a oil distributor may have to fulfill. Leftist ignore the above because they drive profit margins and leftist prefer to point to profit margins as being driven by "greed".

Leftist like to pretend that profit margins are just about selling price minus purchase cost. This accounts for why leftist are less likely to succeed in business.

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Heartlander · 80-89, M

@CorvusBlackthorne

No playbook, all off the cuff.

I'm just pointing to the oversimplification of "price minus cost" that leftist apply as they start slinging phrases like "profiteering" and "price gouging" that they can always be counted on to say about people who are in business.

Every time Biden addresses the subject of high oil prices he includes one or both of those phrases. Now they are threatening to impose "excess profit taxes", which will only drive the prices higher.

samueltyler2 · 80-89, M

@Heartlander why do you call those that use economic factors "leftists?" Do you really think it is ethical for a company to unilaterally raise the cost to a consumer without an actual cost the company many? That is how oligarchs amassed the enormous net worths they currently have.

CorvusBlackthorne · 100+, M

@samueltyler2 It is because of the far-right playlist. Rule #237 states that anyone with a different opinion must be labeled with the term "leftist".

Heartlander · 80-89, M

@samueltyler2 margins have to increase to account for a volotile market. Suppliers buy now to fill orders later. If they fill their warehouse or tanks at $200 a barrel and 2 weeks later when they sell their products the cost fall to $100 a barrel they stand to lose their shirts. In an unstable market profit margins have to increase to cover the added risk.

There's also the contract buyers who negotiate the contracts months in advance. Airlines, railroads, government purchasers have to guarantee their supply and know in advance what they will pay. It all affects the price at the pump. The suppliers purchase and deliver the goods after the contracts are signed and likewise may have to spend $200 for what they sold for $100. There's risks and a whole futures marketplace to avert some of the risk, put the price of futures are likewise as volatile as the market itself.

Politicians like Biden who mouth off about profiteering without direct evidence are playing the emotions of those who are struggling and pitting us against one another. Shame on them.

Why do I refer to them as leftist? Simple, because the only people who believe what leftist politicians say are usually themselves leftist. Leftist politicians govern to their base and the coalition of their supportive bases, and not to the general population.

Does any non-leftist seriously believe that the high gas prices are ALL because of Putin?

samueltyler2 · 80-89, M

@Heartlander I am afraid you are not using any logic. Why do YOU think the price suddenly rose when Putin attacked? I understand the concept of planning for the potential increase in the cost coming to replace current supplies, but, this increase would have to be explained to me on the basis of projected costs. Yes, profit margins are important, but it seems as if every fuel company raised their product cars at the same time to the same amount. Does this not raise another issue? Now that prices of crude seem to be dropping, and projected costs are low, why do the prices at the pump not drop as fast. This is not leftist versus rightist, this is truth in dealing with the public?