When are we as American citizens going to do something about record profits for Oil Companies?

• If you have read Yahoo!News this morning, you may have seen Exxon Mobil Corp.'s recent release of its 36% jump in profit earnings from a year ago. Furthermore ConocoPhillips report of $5 billion in earnings. Something has got to be done, when gas here in Florida is running almost $3 a gallon, and in many states its much worse. How long are we going to allow Washington and the Oil Companies to take advantage of the American people and push us all into the Poor House?!! As oil prices rise the prices on EVERYTHING go up. Anybody got any ideas what we can do collectively, as a country? Any suggestions from other countries is welcome.

• Answer:

  We need to force the oil companies to build new refineries using their own profits. I think that they might be using the limited refinery capacity to artificially create a crisis. I have no problem with them making money, but make it based on market driven supply and demand, not by artificially limiting supply. Of course, in the long term, we need to look at alternative fuels and a hydrogen based economy with greater use of nuclear energy. Note to author: I saw that you couldn't resist responding to the person who questioned your expertise in economics. I used to respond to these people like you did but finally realized that they only want to get a rise out of me. To me, if I respond to their put downs, they have won. I've found that the best tactic is to not respond at all. That leaves them hanging because they are expecting you to strike back. If you are confident in your own intelligence and abilities, those words don't sting at all. However, if you enjoy the combat, go for it. Your counter was creative.