Jeana (DP) said:
Cal if we weren't in a war that a big part of the world accuses us of being in simply for "oil," I wouldn't even think twice about Exxon's profits, I'd just be buying stock.

And, I guess to tell you the truth, normally I don't even give a rat's a$$ what the rest of the world thinks of us, they can go to hell. However, I know at least a dozen mothers whose sons are over there doing their jobs for this country and it just isn't right that this oil company made $10 BILLION in profits in THREE MONTHS time. They KNOW it too or they wouldn't have taken out full page ads basically apologzing for how this looks.
Yeah, the rest of the world CAN pretty much go to hell as far as I am concerned. They didn't like us when we were liberating France and saving the world from the Germans and they don't like us now that we liberated Iraq and Afganistan. It is funny that if a Democrat was in office right now all we would be hearing about is the liberation of these people and the fact that women can now vote and hold office in these two countries and how they aren't systematically raped any longer. Since it is Bush....CHIRP CHIRP CHIRP go the crickets. Where are the feminists now? Showing their true colors and agendas, IMHO. I think it is time we show Iran or North Korea just exactly what technological advances we have made in our tactical nuclear arsenal. Harsh? You betcha. Would it save lives in the long run? You betcha, just like Nagasaki and Hiroshima did. Without the threat of nuclear annihilation, the US and the Soviet Union would have destroyed each other and probably the rest of the world with it.
Well, I guess I don't know exactly what mothers having sons fighting in Iraq has to do with Exxon's profits. I don't see the connection. Tell each of them that Calus (like they are going to know who the hell that is) said thanks to each of them for their sacrifice and may God bring each and every one of them home safely.
SIDE note: I took my 6 year old son about three months ago and stood silently with our hands over our hearts and an American flag in our other hand as a funeral procession passed by on its way to the cemetary with the body of a hero. A local soldier some 20 or 21 years old died fighting in Iraq. The streets were PACKED and LINED--sometimes 2-3 deep. His parents wrote a letter to the local paper thanking everyone and telling the community how overwhelmed and encouraged that all those people showed up to support them. CLASS ACT PARENTS....not like that





Cindy Sheehan! Now back to our regular scheduled broadcast!
Exxon took out the ad because of two reasons.....a) There are a lot of govenment educated people who can't even explain the basic law of supply and demand, let alone approach understanding the commodities market and b) they are a business that depends on perception of their customers....even if the customers are way off base in their understanding of WHY the profits are so high, they must manage to it. A company out of business while standing on its principles is still out of business.
I guess I differ from a lot of people in that I am a laissez faire Capitalist. I feel that the government and unions should keep their hands off people's businesses. The law of supply and demand is an extraordinarily powerful thing and, if left alone, is a self governing thing. Unions are the primary reason that FORD and GM are losing 30,000 jobs each....you will have a hard time making me cry for those union folks. People can't afford cars any more because unions jack up the cost of each car so much on benefits and salary that are artificially high. My wife has an uncle that retired from GM and his post-retirement benefits are better than any I have ever had or hope to ever have. Unions in today's world--possibly excepting coal mining or hazardous jobs--are largely unnecessary. If an employer is bad to his/her employees, then they go get jobs elsewhere. When that employer can't find people to work, then he/she must change. Of course, that would go against the feeling that most Americans have that a job is THEIRS to gain or lose and that the employers are in business solely and for no other reason than to provide a job for that person. All profits should be evenly distributed and that owner--despite putting out a large amount of capital--should be paid just like the rest of the employees....but no more than the rest.
America is being flooded with people taught to hate the rich man, despise people that get ahead, and despise achievement. We are teaching our kids to be more and more dependent on government and that is a scary thing.
But that's just me!
I am in a surly mood lately, I gotta admit.
Cal