Collusion and racketeering once again....

I see that gasoline has gone up another ten cents per gallon overnight. That's twenty cents per gallon in the past 72 hours.

I guess the global-warming induced massive hurricane season hasn't quite turned out as "Big Oil" had hoped. Now they don't have an excuse to artificially gouge the consumer this summer. But do not worry! Another "Big Oil" excuse will be forthcoming and we will bring that excuse to you when we see it.

Does this all sound strange coming from a conservative? Not really. I have two degrees in business and have predominantly studied economics. "Big Oil" doesn't work on the principal of "supply and demand". And it is NOT a monopoly. However, it IS an oligopoly. Oligopolies often work in collusion with one another to price fix. That's what "Big Oil" companies do.

I've come to name that daytime price rise telephone call as "the collusion call". In our area, the price per gallon goes up EXACTLY the same amount at the same time. That cannot happen unless there was collusion and racketeering going on within the "Big Oil" companies.

You would think with gasoline quickly headed up and over the $3 per gallon mark, that "Big Oil" would be scared out of their diapers that Obama might nationalize them too! So I'm not sure why they are taking a gamble on this late summer consumer price gouge. I have heard rumors that Obama was looking to curb price speculating on petroleum. So maybe "Big Oil" wants to commit one more huge robbery on the consumer before something is implemented regarding price speculating.

Oh, and for that idiot who writes for the Kansas City Star....defending "Big Oil's ungodly profits." He tried to use the same old tired argument that Rush Limbaugh uses. "Well they pay record amounts in taxes!" No they don't....WE DO! Taxes are passed along to the consumer!!! "Well they have a lot invested in "Research and Development". No, R&D is a tax write off subsidized by tax payers!!!

Besides, do you defenders of "Big Oil" even KNOW what profits are??? Profits are the money above and beyond....clear and free from ALL OTHER BUSINESS EXPENSES! So when you see those huge profits from Exxon-Mobil, please realize the money is FREE AND CLEAR after paying out those HUGE salaries and bonuses of their executives!

I love business. I'm in business myself. However, have some damn ethics, will you?

Willie T. Whiner