Being the victim of a terrorist attack has about the same percentages as being struck by lightning, it is time to stop being afraid

This might be the most asinine statement ever uttered on this site.

I do think they make too much money, because when you reduce the profit margin down to percentages it strips away the sheer volume of money… 8% of a billion dollars is a lot more than 8% of a million. But saying that doesn’t mean I’m for nationalization or a ‘fuck you, you have too much money’ tax. It’s just pathetic how everything has been stacked in their favor, legislatively, and the American people only get to choose the gas station with $3.99 gas or the one with $4.02 gas.

So I asked you how much was too much, that’s it. Finding alternative energy sources (which I agree with you on) and discussing Exxon’s profit margins, while intertwined, are really not the same conversation.

If you think Exxon makes too much money, then fine. Just say it.

So please, just stop assuming that Nancy Pelosi and George Soros powder my balls every morning, and I’ll afford you the same consideration.

I never for one second endorsed a windfall tax. I don’t endorse those dumbass ‘gas tax holidays’, but there’s a solution out there and we should be trying to find it. Relying on the free market to fix this is childish and greedy because the game is rigged in their favor.

The government can do tons of things to encourage competition and reduce the cartel-style stranglehold a few companies have on the entire energy sector, but we’ve got 2 oil men in the white house and a congress that can be bought and sold, so guess what? Nothing is happening to make this situation better, and I’m not very happy about it.

That clear enough for you?

The average net profit margin for the S&P Energy sector, according to figures from Thomson Baseline, is 9.7%. The average for the S&P 500 is 8.5%. So yes, energy companies are more profitable than many others…but not by an inordinate amount.

All I’m asking is for you to define your outrage in more explicit terms than a snide “they’re just trying to feed their families.” I’m trying to get to the point. You think oil companies make “too much” money. Well, tell me how much is too much.

http://finance.yahoo.com/q/is?s=XOM&annual

Really simple here, compare Net Income to Total Revenue. For FY 2007, Exxon had about 10% profit.

It’s OK though, I’ll play that game.