I heartily agree that all companies on the stock exchange have an obligation to make as much money as they can. But, Exxon Mobil is a very different company than Pepsi. If Pepsi starts charging $4 a can, people would stop drinking it. But if oil is costing $4 per gallon it will be paid.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that supply and demand doesn't work if there is a guarantee of demand. Because they know we will never be able to go without it, they can charge whatever they want and we will have to buy it. The only thing that maintains the prices were they are is competition. However there is very little to keep all of the oil companies from deciding to raise their prices together. If they did that we would simply pay it. And when I see a Shell station and a Chevron station raise their prices in exact step with each other, makes it very hard not to think that.

As for profit margins, I understand the concept. All I'm saying is that they could take a bit of a profit cut for our economy. If they are currently making 10% profits, couldn't they cut the prices by 5% and settle for only $5 Billion in total profits?

If you can't tell, I think oil should be socialized. It works for Mexico.

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