Yes, I categorically deny that any of the above is true, because there’s no proof for any of it.
Hand waving, indeed. Until you prove your case I reserve the right to wave it away, the same way I would if someone told me that they saw the Loch Ness Monster.
This is clearly pointless. Anyone who actually wants to have a discussion, let me know…
So discuss. You are asserting price fixing, prove it. And when you do, don’t start with “I think” or “I feel”.
The only hand-waving is you and others (you know who you are) engaged in the hand-waving of supply and demand. It’s like you’re saying that economics doesn’t exist. Demand is rising. Increase demand increases prices, thus also, increasing profits.
If you look at the intersection of the aggregated supply and demand curves (i.e. price), you will find the market equilibrium or market clearing price. However, as the global economy develops and modernizes (e.g. the emergence of China and India on the world markets), this increased demand shifts the aggregate demand curve to the left, thus raising prices and, all else being equal, profit.
Also, please note that the profits for Big Oil™ aren’t mainly from selling gas. Gas stations provide a huge profit margin for these oil companies because of the huge mark-up on those items located in the convenience stores, notably beverages and magazines, and I assume that anything made at the facility also has a high profit margin (my friend owns a gas station and makes a killing on donuts, sandwiches, coffee, etc.)
If you all want the price of gas to go down, don’t use so much of it, plain and simple.
No, it’s like you’re saying competition doesn’t exist. And perhaps it doesn’t in this case. You accuse me of ignoring “economics”, yet you give no consideration to the principle of competition at all. “Demand” does not equal “you can charge whatever price you feel like”, unless somthing is wrong with the competition equation. If you want to show, with some actual numbers, that the prices are in line with what they should be in a free market, I’m listening. But just repeating “supply and demand” as a mantra proves nothing.
Not sure this is true. Aren’t gas stations privately owned? Are oil companies really in the business of buying and selling convenience store items? The profit goes to your friend, right? Not the oil company, right?
I’m doing that. It isn’t working.
Can’t ever be done to your satisfaction, Airman. You won’t even concede that Enron and other power companies did it, even with the mountain of evidence that’s out there. I submit that there is no amount of evidence that would ever convince you that any U.S. market isn’t operating freely.
I’d probably have an easier time proving Bigfoot exists. 
Uh, no you’re hand-waving. I’ve been talking about the aggregate all the time. This concept, which you are hand-waving at, or at the very least, not grasping (don’t worry, you’re not the only one), takes into account all demand and all supply. Without getting into a seminar on econometrics and the plotting of demand and supply curves (yes, the aggregates thereof), all things being equal, the increase in demand will raise the price, and therefore, raise the profits. But, as many, many others have demonstrated, there is other factors that go into the profitability of BigOil, e.g. increased efficiencey, tax breaks, lower labor costs, etc. (to name the big factors). India and China alone have how many people? Even at BigOil’s paltry profit percentages, they will still make a lot of money.
Some are some aren’t. Most BPs seemed to be corporate owned. My friend’s husband is a lawyer down the street from here. He hasn’t told me of any franchise lawyers. Citgo has both, as my friend’s brother-in-law has a Citgo gas station. Like a McDonald’s restaurant, the franchise takes a piece of your action.
Note, I did say you all.
Oh, I guess you win, then. :rolleyes:
Since I have no desire to tangle with the Mods (the edit was to remove what would probably have gotten me spanked 
), I’ll just say that this comment had me rolling in the isles and leave it at that.
Looks to me as if the thread is winding down at this point in any case. Adios!
-XT
Please. Roll your eyes all you want. You’re like a more articulate gonzomax, but without the off-topic/rant-a-riffic links. You keep claiming price collussion. Airman Doors keeps asking you for evidence, which you have not produced. I’ve only noticed you posting to this thread recently, so I’ll assume you haven’t followed it from the beginning, like I have, as the others who have been arguing against you have. Please refer to Renob’s post #281, where even the FTC has not found price collusion. Now, I willing to give you the benefit of the doubt that perhaps, it hasn’t been found yet. If true, you have to explain, at least logically, why the FTC is wrong with its conclusion, and explain away how increased demand does not also move the price up, thus increasing profits. And, for kicks, explain why this conspiracy group has been able to keep their collusion together when an organization like OPEC cannot, and they announce their price setting publicly. When you make such an attempt, please try to stay in the realm of reality.
And you’re like a more articulate xtisme. Oh wait, no you’re not.
http://judiciary.senate.gov/testimony.cfm?id=1804&wit_id=5163
This will send you scurrying for oil company apologists to explain it away. A site declared Liberal is unacceptable. A site that is Conservative it ok. I understand.
Of course collusion is extremely difficult to prove. It is done in secret after all. It requires an insider to squeal. Not common ,but it does happen.
Um…what has unexploited reserves of natural gas got to do with the price of gasoline at the pump? Or did you not realize they are two different things? I know its too much to ask you to actually explain WHY one of your drive by posts is relevent to the discussion at this point, but I can’t resist.
For gods sake, this thread has gone on for over 10 pages and you have yet to make a point gonzo (and friends). The dead horse has not only been beaten, its friggin pate! Give up already and let the friggin thread die…
-XT
Exxon, Mobil and ,BP in cahoots. What is that an aberration. Nope, that is how they conduct business.
:rolleyes:
-XT
http://news.yahoo.com/photo/070510/480/e40d7495b8bf4846aaed7db81fd3db3b
Getting expensive.
And your point is what, gonzo? Has anyone here denied that gas prices are rising? No, we are debating about why they are rising. But thanks for adding yet another pointless link. It had been a couple of days since your last irrelevant drive-by.
Supplies are high Renob. There is no gas shortage ,yet prices are skyrocketing. But I am unable to grasp the very simple supply and demand rule. Maybe when prices jump and supply is high something else is in play.
What are you talking about, gonzo? Supply is not high because there are a lot of problems at refineries. That, along with the government-mandated switch to cleaner gas, produces a bottleneck at the refinery level. That cuts off supply and, along with the rising demand for gas as summer approaches, means that prices go up. As you say, it is very simple.
Rather than provide you with a cite (that you won’t read) showing what Renob is talking about (i.e. that supplies are low due to various factors), I’m calling for a cite for you for this statement. Lets see a cite that supplies are high gonzomax. Not some bullshit cite that has nothing to do with the question, not a blog or opinion piece…but a cite showing that supplies are high in the US yet the price is high also.
If you can’t find such a cite then don’t come back…
-XT