PhillyKev 0 #26 August 12, 2004 QuoteSo companies don't have the right to make a profit for their shareholders? Yes, but they don't have the right to deliberately price gauge by colluding with each other to withhold available supplies in an effort to drive up prices where they have a monopoly. There are laws against that for good reason. That's not free enterprise and competition when there is no competition and they are subsidized by the gov't because it is a required resource of every day life. Nobody is telling them to go into business and run at a loss. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mnealtx 0 #27 August 13, 2004 QuoteQuoteSo companies don't have the right to make a profit for their shareholders? Yes, but they don't have the right to deliberately price gauge by colluding with each other to withhold available supplies in an effort to drive up prices where they have a monopoly. There are laws against that for good reason. That's not free enterprise and competition when there is no competition and they are subsidized by the gov't because it is a required resource of every day life. Nobody is telling them to go into business and run at a loss. I would submit that they have the right to do as they please, as long as it is done within the limits of existing law. Is it "the right thing to do" ? Morally, no (in my opinion) Legally.... ? I don't know the current laws - IS is legal? Are they constrained by law to sell every gallon of fuel that passes through their refineries? Are they constrained by law to only have a profit margin of XX% or below? I would also submit that the oil companies probably aren't going to give much of a damn about anything but their bottom line... you want them to change the way they do things? Hit 'em in the pocketbook.Mike I love you, Shannon and Jim. POPS 9708 , SCR 14706 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PhillyKev 0 #28 August 13, 2004 Quote would submit that they have the right to do as they please, as long as it is done within the limits of existing law. It's not...that's the point. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Remster 30 #29 August 13, 2004 QuoteIt's not...that's the point. Are you implying that there are anti-trust laws? Remster Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mnealtx 0 #30 August 14, 2004 QuoteQuote would submit that they have the right to do as they please, as long as it is done within the limits of existing law. It's not...that's the point. Then please show me the laws that limit the amount of profit they can make, as I stated earlier.Mike I love you, Shannon and Jim. POPS 9708 , SCR 14706 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billvon 3,114 #31 August 15, 2004 >Then please show me the laws that limit the amount of profit they > can make, as I stated earlier. There are a great many laws that prevent you from "gaming the market" so to speak. If you were an oil company, and you colluded with all other major oil companies to fix the price of gas at $3/gallon, you would be in violation of several anti-trust laws. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mnealtx 0 #32 August 15, 2004 IF they are breaking the law, then hammer them! I didn't see anything in the article originally listed about the oil companies being in violation of any laws. I'll have to go back and re-read it, I suppose - perhaps I missed it.Mike I love you, Shannon and Jim. POPS 9708 , SCR 14706 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
