Is the boycott of Exxon Mobil / Shell Texaco retail stores helping to lower gas prices.?
447353
I'm sure you already know my position on the futility of a boycott, but here's the link just in case: http://www.snopes.com/politics/gasoline/gasout.asp\n\nOf course, you're still free to boycott the companies.  Do you actually have solid proof (news links, graphs of average gas prices in Tenn with a time series plot, or anything else similar)?  Or is this just a statement phrased like a question?
833759
I can answer him. I blame Bush partly for the high gas prices because for the most part he is giving his friends in the oil industry big tax breaks every year. As a republican his belief is if you give more tax breaks to the rich more jobs will be created and prices of things will be kept down. But has it? No. I don't think he cares that the gas prices are high. It just means more money for his friends. Exxon makes 79000 dollars a minute. That is outrageous. Though it is not exactly Bush's job to fix the outlandish prices and profits, it would be nice if it really was a concern. What has Bush done to help this crisis?
312843
Gas prices tend to have a delayed, but significant impact on retail goods.\n\nEverything from digging oil and minerals out of the ground, to transporting them to factories, to making them into goods, to transferring them to the distribution warehouses and the final point of sale involves fuel.  As gas prices increase, that increase is added several times to the cost of selling goods.\n\nMarket prices, however, are only loosely related to manufacturing prices though, so the impact will be felt, not so much by the consumer, as by the manufacturers and distributors.  As their profit margins disappear, they will go out of business, leaving fewer choices for consumers.\n\nAs manufacturers, distributors and retailers go out of business, prices will then rise for consumers due to the reduction of competition.  At that point, the cost of living will force many people to change the way they live.  There will be more demand for smaller houses, public transportation and inferior goods.  You will also see an increase in the number of people on public assistance.\n\nOur whole economy, and indeed our whole way of life, is fueled by gasoline.  And the gas is going to eventually run out.  If we don't get serious about making changes, our country has a very bleak future.
309909
If we do, it will be chump change aimed at getting us off his back. \n\nFact remains - Bush has ties to the Oil Industry. He isnt going to bite the hand that has fed him. He will talk a big game, but in the end, there will be no change.\n\nAlthough I am upset with the prices, I also must add that we do live in a capitalist society. The companies can charge whatever they want to charge us for gas, and the govt shouldnt be allowed to tell them to charge otherwise. This infringes on the rights of the companies under the free law of capitalism. IT IS OUR FIGHT TO FIGHT! We dont need to by gas from them if they are going to charge ridiculous prices. I understand that not everybody can take Pub Trans, but we can do our part to conserve gas and boycott companies. As a group (consumers) we need to organize and protest/boycott the companies that are raping our wallets. We cant expect the Govt to do a damn thing about it - they are in on it! Dont think for a moment that your (cuz he aint mine! I didnt vote for him!) President isnt getting rich from the price of oil right now too.....
527537
Congress is hurting gas prices by protecting the oil company's. PERIOD.
364987
The boycott will work, Exxon won't let themselves go out of business!  We're not asking for free gas, and we're not trying to run them out of business!  We just want them to stop getting away with so much profit!  And there is no way anyone can dare tell me that they don't make profit, here is a NY Times article about the CEO's freakin salary, this gets me so FIRED UP!!!\n\nhttp://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/15/business/15pay.html?ex=1302753600&en=89993dc20e1e7e97&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss
382180
Of course not. \n\nUnlike the case of the 1970's embargo, there is no shortage. Oil and gas are abundant. The oil producers and their cronies realized that a demand for the product exists at a higher price, and have proceeded to manipulate the market to jack up the price. Of course, the government is looking the other way. In the past, everytime they tried to do that, a small portion of the Strategic Oil Reserve was released and oil prices soon dropped. \n\nWhy is that not being done now?\n\nCan anyone guess the answer? \n\n(A cue: remember Farenheit 911?)
1109609
You know the cost of gas/petrol isn't really made as high as it is by the cost per barrell. The oil companies like Exxon, Esso, Chevron, etc. charge a lot more for their gas then the price per barrell.  If you do some research into it you'll see that the oil companies are making a huge profit on their product. Oil/petrol doesn't have to be as expensive as it is and they can still make a profit.\n\nTo answer your question though, I would say yes:\n\n"To date there has not been an obvious negative impact on the economy because of the price of oil. It is partly for that reason that the Federal Reserve is continuing to raise interest rates to help tame inflation."\nhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Price_of_Oil_and_The_Economy\n\nIt's very strange. The cost of oil is raised to huge prices by Exxon, Chevron, etc. which raises interest rates, which hurts the economy. Why?
364050
no.\nbecause the root cause of gas prices in the world is shortage of supply.\n\nthis is mostly because oil reifineries conviently shut down or do not produce enough to meet demand. (all compainies have to do is agree to all inflate prices and everyone benifits)\n\nthe other problem is that big countries like China are buying up huge quanties of oil... which make there less supply and thus greater demand \n\nand price jack up...but never underestimate greed\n\nin iraq we control thier oil. if bush steped down cheney would still let the oil companies rip you off.\n\nwhy do you think all his energy meetings were secret and the white went to court to  prevent freedom of information acts
1026623
Inflation.  Today's high gas prices are caused not by shortages, as the world is awash with oil.  The current pricing is driven by distribution.  Any disruption of the distribution process creates shortages, which lead to scarcity and high prices.  Current oil prices are driven by speculation in the oil commodities market.  At some point, fuel alternatives will be developed, and prices will abate.  When that happens, speculators holding high priced oil futures contracts will lose money.  The propensity is to keep prices high to avoid loss.  When, and if oil production in offshore Gulf of Mexico come back on line, oil prices will drop, probably sharply.\nThe price of petroleum affects every aspect in the production of economic goods and services, worldwide.
473109
GAS WAR - an idea that WILL work\n\nThis was originally sent by a retired Coca Cola executive. It came from one of his engineer buddies who retired from Halliburton. It ' s worth your consideration.\n\nJoin the resistance!!!! I hear we are going to hit close to $4.00 a gallon by next summer and it might go higher!! Want gasoline prices to come down? We need to take some intelligent, united action. Phillip Hollsworth offered this good idea.\n\nThis makes MUCH MORE SENSE than the "don't buy gas on a certain day" campaign that was going around last April or May! The oil companies just laughed at that because they knew we wouldn't continue to "hurt" ourselves by refusing to buy gas. It was more of an inconvenience to us than it was a problem for them.\n\nBUT, whoever thought of this idea, has come up with a plan that can really work. Please read on and join with us! By now you're probably thinking gasoline priced at about $1. 50 is super cheap.  Me too! It is currently $2.79 for regular unleaded in my town. Now that the oil companies and the OPEC nations have conditioned us to think that the cost of a gallon of gas is CHEAP at $1.50 - $1.75, we need to take aggressive action to teach them that BUYERS control the\nmarketplace..... not sellers. With the price of gasoline going up more each day, we consumers need to take action. The only way we are going to see the price of gas come down is if we hit someone in the pocketbook by not purchasing their gas! And, we can do that WITHOUT hurting ourselves. How? Since we all rely on our cars, we can't just stop buying gas. But we CAN have an impact on gas prices if we all act together to force a price war.\n\nHere's the idea:\nFor the rest of this year, DON'T purchase ANY gasoline from the two biggest companies (which now are one), EXXON and MOBIL. If they are not selling any gas, they will be inclined to reduce their prices. If they reduce their prices, the other companies will have to follow suit.\n\nBut to have an impact, we need to reach literally millions of Exxon and Mobil gas buyers. It's really simple to do! Now, don't wimp out at this point...keep reading and I'll explain how simple it is to reach millions of people.\n\nI am sending this note to 30 people. If each of us sends it to at least ten more (30 x 10 = 300) ... and those 300 send it to at least ten more (300 x 10 = 3,000)...and so on, by the time the message reaches the sixth group of people, we will have reached over THREE MILLION consumers. If those three million get excited and pass this on to ten friends each, then 30 million people w! ill have been contacted! If it goes one level further, you guessed it..... THREE HUNDRED MILLION PEOPLE!!!\n\nAgain, all you have to do is send this to 10 people. That's all. (If you don't understand how we can reach 300 million and all you have to do is send this to 10 people...Well, let's face it, you just aren't a mathematician. But I am, so trust me on this one.)\n\nHow long would all that take? If each of us sends this e-mail out to ten more people within one day of receipt, all 300 MILLION people could conceivably be contacted within the next 8 days!!!\n\nI'll bet you didn't think you and I had that much potential, did you?\n\nActing together we can make a difference. If this makes sense to you, please pass this message on. I suggest that we not buy from EXXON/MOBIL UNTIL THEY LOWER THEIR PRICES TO THE $1.30 RANGE AND KEEP THEM DOWN.\n\nTHIS CAN REALLY WORK.
460217
People as citizens of this country need to realize that they have the power to buy: "Customer is King." If you think an item or service is over-priced, go shop around the market. You will find a better deal. Just don't go the gas station around the corner and fill your tank. Shop around. Some stations have a cheaper rate. It may not be much, but for those who have to commute on a regular basis, you will be getting more for your dollars.\n\nProtesting in the U.S. equates to whining and griping, but no real action. Peaceful protesting will get the media's attention as well as the private executives. Grass roots movement can change a lot. Walking, car pooling, using public transportation are other effective alternatives. When my parents protested for civil rights during the '60s and the Vietnam War in the '70s, they actually came on the streets. Politicians and corporations will take note of this.\n\nI've also heard that you can't blame the Federal government for hikes in gas prices. True! But also, the administration and its policy makers should not be giving them tax breaks, also known as "corporate welfare." Exxon Mobil does not deserve a tax break.\n\nRemember, you as a buyer can control certain things. If a retailer is not giving you a good deal, don't go there and let him know about it. Demand controls supply.
1122996
typical of big corporations running down mom and pop shops. It's a damn shame. \n\nIn my neighborhood, this family owned coffee shop is being replaced with Starbucks.  Enough said.
960619
Exxon Mobile, BP, Chevron, and Conoco Phillips
641301
The gas companies are actually only making around 10% profit on their gas.  This might be slightly above market equilibrium but not much.  Much of the cost goes into taxes and refining.  The bulk is from the increase in the price of crude oil.  The nominal profits are increasing because the oil companies are keeping a fixed profit margin.\n\n10% of 10 is smaller than 10% of 100.  Both have the same margins.\n\nThere's an article here: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5365439\n\nPrice ceiling general info here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Price_ceiling\n\nYes, it would create a shortage.  We did exactly this in the 70s.  I guess it's up to the individual as to whether it's preferable to have gas lines and slightly cheaper prices or the current situation.  There's no right answer.\n\nIf the ceiling is low, they'll just cut supply or start exporting it.
608863
Simply - BOYCOTT! \n\nI refuse to shop at Walmart. I wont buy gas from any of the Major Oil Companies. Unfortunately, we all need phone service, and in the 80's the feds broke up the phone company monopoloy - but it has rebuilt itself! So, boycott the govt, and dont elect greedy republicans to any position! If no one shopped at Walmart, they wouldnt be making money...
300409
...just some quotes...\n\nBP\nCommenting to the BBC on its own figures, BP chief executive Lord Browne said the company's profits had been "magnified enormously by the high price of oil, high refining margins, and high gas prices". "We of course first of all make most of our money in what I think most people would regard as the wholesale market - that is the production of oil and gas - not in the refining and sales of petrol and so forth," Lord Browne said. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4688106.stm\n\nExxon Mobil, Shell Profits Soar as Oil Prices Surge to Record \nOct. 27 (Bloomberg) -- Exxon Mobil Corp., Royal Dutch Shell Plc and Marathon Oil Corp. posted record net income as demand growth and supply disruptions caused by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita lifted energy prices to unprecedented highs. Profit at Exxon Mobil, the world's biggest publicly traded oil producer, jumped 75 percent to an industry record of $9.92 billion, the company said today in a statement. The Hague-based Shell set the previous profit record about six hours earlier, when it said net income rose 68 percent to $9 billion.\nhttp://quote.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000006&sid=aaD5XaibDV48&refer=home\n\n...end of the quotes...\n\nPlease peruse the URL's to get the dates and maintain a true perspective.  Seems that when crude prices escalate and the oil companies have to charge more, they make even more...in otherwords they use the price hike as an excuse to overcharge us.  Of course we pay it.  There doesn't seem to be a better way to do this...If we federally regulate the oil prices then the supply will diminish. We will literally run out of gas.  If prices are regulated, the oil companies will only buy in quantities of which is still profitable leaving us with empty pumps like in the days of the gas shortages.  This is a free enterprise system and it just works that way.  If you want to be on the profit taking side instead of just the paying end, you are free to buy stock in the major oil companies as well.  \n\nWe are only victims in the system if we choose to be; not participating fully makes us a victim--participating empowers us.  It's like voting...if you don't vote you don't count.  Buy even a little stock in Exxon, Mobil, Shell, BP (just one share of even one of them) and see if your viewpoint doesn't change a little the next time you read news of crude prices rising or ethanol e-85 being adopted or automotive manufacturers moving towards hydrogen, etc.\n\nPlay the game.  Don't be a victim.