>Isn't it time our goverment officials stand up and do something about the
>rediculous gas prices?
>

1-Start drilling in ANWR and
2-Pass laws to force people to buy and drive more gas-efficient vehicles.

>ExxonMobil posted earnings last quarter that were the greatest earnings ever
>posted by any company anywhere. Is seems unlikely that Big Oil could be posting
>record earnings if the there truly was a shortage of gas.
>

?????? Economics 101 -> Shortages of a commodity force prices up of said commodity.

>If the refineries in the south were so badly damaged, as we've been told, that
>gas production capacity were diminished to the point where it would take billions
>to repair, then how can they be posting such enourmous profits? Greed is the answer.
>

Got me. Maybe they were being honest for a change.

>A study taken 2 years ago showed that all the oil companies have to do is raise
>the price of gas 1 cent at the pump and they make hundreds of millions. Consider the
>hike in gas prices over the last year and it's no wonder the posted upsurd earnings.
>
>First of all, OPEC has far too much control over us in this area.

Agreed.

>Why should the
>United States be subject to arab oil prices?

Well, maybe the fact that we import the majority of our oil from Canada and Arab countries might play a small part..............

>If the President called up OPEC and
>said 'We are no longer buying your oil until the prices come down', they would
>drop the prices in a flash, as we are one of the their biggest customers. And we have
>enough oil in the strategic reserve to do it (for a while).

Let's pick up the football, and pout all the way home from the playground.

If he COULD do that, the effect on the economy would be devistating. Imagine the supply of oil cut off. INSTANTLY, the oil companies would jack the prices through the roof, to cause people to cut back on the consumption, and the ripple effect through the economy would be to raise prices on everthing associated with BIG OIL. There would be massive layoffs....... shortages of commodities.

>
>Second, it's time the goverment regulate the gas prices. This situation is approaching
>monopoly standards, as we the consumers have no say in it or any control over the
>prices.
>

Yes, we do. Stop drving SUVS and HUMMERS, and buy American small vehicles (if they even exist anymore). (Heck, Buy American everyday, anyhow, and help an American keep their job).

>Hey W, wanna score points across the nation, keep your tax refunds and do something
>about the ubsurd gas prices.

Hey W. get those liberal Republicans to open ANWR, the coasts, and anywhere else we have some oil left, and get it out of the ground now. Also, passing some legislation to make Americans drive smaller vehicles would help, too.

Tommy