DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Palus Politicus Sigh…the economy... Part 2

Oh, I'm blaming Big Oil, too. All those huge industries are corrupt in their quest for profits. LOL bro, you gotta know me better than that. I despise those folks.

I just want prices to go down. I'm a simple man. I think that Biden's long range plans on this topic make sense, but there has to be a transition period. It can't happen overnight. I suggest a give-and-take where we move to more renewable resources while not punishing the public and easing some of the regulations that are currently in place. The idea being let's work together as much as possible. It will never be a great marriage, but gotta ease the pain of the people.

Gas Prices. no.

Until the price of crude is lowered, as pegged on the world market, prices will remain high.

Russia has been cut off as a supplier around the globe and nobody is pumping more to make up for the shortage in supply. Until that changes, the price for crude will remain high because the demand isn't going down.

There is a pretty fine balance between production and consumption. When one is disrupted, prices always go up. We have seen it on a smaller scale when hurricanes have knocked out a refinery for a period of time. At least when that happens we have some reserve capacity at other facilities to cover some of the production shortage.

When the world supply of crude is decreased, we, meaning our country really don't have much capacity to increase the amount of crude in tankers around the world.

I don't think we should be able to dictate to the oil companies, or any company what they charge as a gross profit margin when running the business. Remember, there is a difference between gross profit and net profit. The oil companies haven't raised their gross profit margin at all, but as cost of good increase, it does translate to more profit dollars on the bottom line.

Commodity trading and selling is different than say Ford buying a car part from company X, then finding another company where they can get it cheaper. Oil prices, pork bellies, corn etc. are set on a national if not world stage. Crude is set on a world stage. If demand outpaces available supply, you are going to pay more. It's like going to an auction. If you are the only bidder, you can get the item for the reserve price. If 4-5 others are also bidding, it goes to the highest bidder.

well since you don't want to do anything to stop companies from exploiting our society.....

i endorse Biden to start allowing the government to buy and/or create government owned oil, tech, gas, pharma, and car companies in order to compete with the free market. straight up bought and owned by the government (taxpayers).

since we don't want to to put a leash on our precious free market, government needs to jump directly into the "competition".

suspend all land and offshore leases designated for drilling and development, and have the government owned companies create the infrastructure there.

My post is going to be more of a question than a statement.

Aren't there anti price gouging laws?
Wouldn't they apply here?
Supply issues, increasing prices, significantly increasing profits?

We just need to keep creating progressives. Sooner or later, we'll be able to fix this mess.

I've said that for years. Especially oil and pharma.

seems like you and i actually LIKE competition.

Buy? Government should just seize all production and then "hold" it for the people.

That will fix all the issues.

LOL, and I get called a socialist. Funny how hard times make people rethink their politics. I'm glad that people are waking up to the evil side of capitalism. Although I think capitalism is the best wealth-building tool, it is dangerous without the built-in socialism-based checks and balances. The horrible thing about all of it is that money, capitalism, socialism, etc., are just artificial constructs that we've imposed upon ourselves, so we can all live together and have better lives... But people suffer so damn much when those things go off the rails, and one must wonder why we keep them. Everything has to be about winners and losers when it could just as easily be about winners and winners if we just set it all up to make sure everyone has at least basic needs protection. But you will never sell that to the Boomers.

I was being sarcastic.

Capitalism isn't evil. It is another tool. Tools are abused. People are the problem. We should regulate people.

Agreed.

I don't know. Hope this link shows up: https://www.forbes.com/sites/rrapie...but-far-less-than-apple/?sh=2a54174236ed

(may have to open it in a private setting).

For everyone bashing "big oil", look at Apple's profit. Anyone complaining about that? (again, I hope it shows up).

Nice little chart here: https://imageio.forbes.com/specials...-AAPL/960x0.png?format=png&width=960

Again, hope it shows up: from the article: "In the most recent quarter, ExxonMobil reported $5.5 billion in net income. If that’s “more than God”, I wonder how President Biden would quantify Apple’s $25.0 billion for the quarter. Five times more than God? Oh, and ExxonMobil also paid $2.8 billion in taxes for the quarter, so it seems that they are paying their taxes. "

The President and others are just flapping their lips in panic. They are going after airlines...what else?


It's always someone else's fault. The reality is they own it and caused a vast majority of the problems.

Apple always gets a free pass because they're cool. Steve Jobs' charitable contributions were probably still zero when he died.

Fun fact: As everyone always hates on Walmart for "exploiting" employees... Apple employees average $1.25 per hour more.

Profit per employee per year?

Wal-mart: $6000

Apple: $400,000


https://www.forbes.com/sites/timwor...6300-whos-the-exploiter/?sh=2ae7a8ab4bac

Well, I've noticed the libs haven't spoken to this. I guess apple is more important to them than oil, and oil is a way the libs attack profitable companies (of which most are invested in, whether they realize it or not). Or, maybe they speak with 2 forked tongues.?

No that's not actually reality, but I wouldn't expect that from you. Both Trump and Bidens admin contributed, but so did the last 40 years.

Well it’s Father’s Day/Juneteenth. So us libs we’re outside chilling while you’re doing…something.

We don’t care what happens to Apple or any other CORPORATIONS.

Big oil, big tech, big pharma, all the industries need a damn leash on them. Unlike you we don’t pick and choose which industries need a boot on their necks.

Oh and wait, does our vehicles fill up on Apple, or gas? Are our utilities powered by Apple, or oil and gas?

How in gods name did you go from gas prices - which we all consume - to Apple products, which isn’t a necessity? How did you jump from one commodity to a product?

Arch, do you know the difference between a commodity and a product?

Conservatives make the silliest arguments ever.

OCD, is there an app where I fill up my ride with iPhones or AirPods?
Do we grill iPhones on a pan, pressure cook it? Or do we just eat the glass?

Hey how many MacBook pros can I grow in my backyard per year? Do I need a license for that?

Are there special seeds for androids? What if I want the Mac Pro? Ya know, the big boy computer they use in the film industry. Can I grow that, or do I need to put it in an incubator like I’m growing a baby for 9 months?

Get your hands on some old iPod nanos. Plant those. In a couple months you’ll have and iPhone 6. Harvest. Plat the iPhone 6. In a few months… boom… a MacBook Pro.


Results may vary.

We only buy apple products to own the Trumpians who can't figure them out. Apple products are almost unhackable because nobody owns enough of them to make them worth hacking. I just got my first one a few months ago, an Apple iPad pro with the M1 chip! It's great for artsy things, but you can't put an ad blocker on chrome. And I just read a report a few days ago that the chip they love so much had a fatal flaw leaving your device wide open at the kernel level and it's unwatchable. Apple's response? Their software security makes the chip's flaw unexploitable... smfh iPad, smart keyboard case, and an apple pencil cost me better than a grand just to find out it's wide open. I would try to start a class-action lawsuit over this but users would get peanuts and the attorney would get filthy rich. Screw that.

I don't know if everybody knows this or not, but you can't develop or test apps for apple without buying their products first. Then you have to pay $100 bucks to get a developer's license to boot, or you can't submit your apps to the app store. They are the only OS doing this crap. So why would anyone give a damn about Apple losing money but the Chinese sweatshops that build them? Hell, their market share is only about 23% worldwide.

Good burn arch. You and Peen have been nailing the last few days. Or was this a Tucker talking point? Sounds like something that chucklehead would say to have the base parrot.

I never said that, or feel that. I am just not in favor of knee jerk reactions by anti-business progressive "thinkers".

There is a difference between exploitation and market forces driving up prices. Gas prices aren't up just because Exxon decided they were going to start charging $5 a gallon because they felt like it.

I agree with that. There are other forces at work as well. You have to wonder with every product how many middlemen are in play, taking a slice for doing nothing. Or if they have a Martin Shkreli in the mix. Then you also look at "ridiculous tax" to see if some BS special tax has been added for one reason or another. Some prices could be increased due to raw materials going up or "having a shortage", shipping increases, warehousing increases, etc. Heck, I have a family member who works for an outfit that receives goods like boxes of breakfast cereal packed in shipping boxes, pulls them out, and repackages them into store displays on pallets, then sends them out to retailers. They also split the numbers from full factory containers or pallets into individual retailer quantities on pallets for different stores. They create nothing of value, just act as middlemen, making the buying and displaying of goods smoother for both ends of the supply chain. His job amounts to a team leader-type position, but I think he makes just over $30 an hour for it. So yeah, there are always other factors. But don't think for a second there is no, or limited, corporate greed going on as a primary driver at every stop in the supply chain from raw material to the consumer's cart.

They literally are up because of that.

Oil prices vs Gas Prices.

3/8/2022 - Oil $123.70, Gas $3.53.
5/30/2022 - Oil $118.87, Gas $4.34
6/20/2022 Oil $110.32, Gas $5.00

Meanwhile oil profits are up 200-300% in 1 year.

Let me know when you have to buy a cell phone in order to get to work or the grocery. People have to buy gas. Gas is at pretty close to the same price everywhere. You can't buy cheap gas. You do have the option to buy a cheap cell phone.

How many do you think there are? I suppose in some cases there might be another layer, but basically you have producers/manufactures, whoiesalers, and retailers. There really isn't much better way to do it, at least if it is a store bought item. Online a wholesaler might be the only other layer and sell directly online. Unless it is a small business it is pretty hard to concentrate on making their product and then deal with all the shipping. I wouldn't say those "middlemen" do nothing.

Wholesalers buy in bulk, keep storage facilities and ship direct to retailers where people can go in and buy product.

Like I said, maybe some are set up with another layer...and it is still probably needed jusy due to volume.

Gas at the pump might go from the crude pumping operations, to a few central terminals where that is then distributed to various refiners. At that point it may go through the same process. Refiners to bulk distribution terminals where smaller distribution terminals distribute to the pump. Again, I don't know for sure, but due to the massive volume it probably does. I don't think a refinery ships directly to maybe thousands of distributors. It's probably hundreds where it gets cut down again to the pump delivery operation.

I am not sure what pretty much means, but I filled up in Tennessee before I left and paid $4.34. I just filled up as I got down here to Venice, Fla and paid $4.79. To me that is a pretty good price difference.

You also have the option to buy an electric car.

Apple is popping profits beyond belief.

Hey, the thread is about the economy. Some turned it into gas, and bitching and moaning about gas companies, and corporate greed concerning gas prices - while totally ignoring, what I assume the bashers consider corporate greed from apple.

Ain't nobody needs a smart phone to live. No one. Does it make life easier? I don't know. I see people on their phone all the time that can't even communicate with people right beside them. But apples profit (about 4+ times higher than oil companies) is poo poohed.

With electric vehicles so damn widely available, why not just go buy one of those?

Average gas price in S. Carolina: $4.53.

Average gas price in California: $6.40.

Pretty close to the same price everywhere?

I paid $5.76 on Sunday.

Thankfully I work from home full time now and drive very little during the week.

why do you answer your own question? you're the one saying you're being impacted by inflation, including gas prices. why don't you buy an EV?

Maybe. Are those spot prices....it doesn't matter. May/June is when the gasoline changes and summer additives are added...prices have always jumped in the summer.

As for profits, it is a gross profit margin commodity buyers work on because prices change daily. It why you see gas prices change all the time....usually a few pennies. In Jan the price of crude was around $78.

You have to understand pricing. If you are working on a 50% gross profit margin, if what you are buying costs $1, you charge $2. 50% of $2 is $1. After that they pay their obligations.

Perhaps in your density and total ignorance of my job, you have no clue. I mean, you're the one that told me I should buy a brand new truck, when the truck I was talking about was my hardly ever used 3rd vehicle. What kind of tax savings are involve there again? Oh, none.

Smoke another one, tell us how great your investments are, and you cars. You do better there.

yea so you didn't answer the question, so imma ask it again:

you're the one saying you're being impacted by inflation, including gas prices. why don't you buy an EV?

also, quote where i said brand new. i'll wait. you just told the entire board you didn't read anything in our argument, and got the audacity to call someone ignorant.

Quit looking the fool. You just told the entire board you have no clue what I do for a living, and you have no clue about a personal vehicle I have, driven less then 3,000 miles a year

Yup, inflation is costing me. Perhaps in your situation gas prices, food prices, insurance prices (trust me, they're going up) So, really, knowing nothing about me, you're going to attack me? For real?

I know why so many don't post on here anymore.

So you can’t answer a basic question of why you won’t buy an EV?

You also can’t quote where I told you to by BRAND NEW?

Do you often have trouble answering straight forward question?

That post is kind of deceptive. Oil was at 122.00 on June 8th and has been coming down since then, not March. The overall trend is going up not down.

https://oilprice.com/oil-price-charts/

Dude, you have no idea what I do for a living. An e.v. just won't cut it. And on another issue, which you obviously haven't gotten yet, my truck that I spoke about? It's not my work vehicle. It's something I put, on average, under 3,000 miles on per year.


Here, let me spell it out for you: An E.V. won't do what I do. Period.

For you, perhaps instead of bitching about the profit oil companies are making, maybe you ought to take your own advice and go buy an e.v. But, money isn't tight for you. Right?

Oh, have you seen the prices of used trucks? Probably not, as you just ignore reality and buy luxury vehicles.

I've answered every question you've asked, and I've not done it in a personal, attacking way. I could.

?? i neither nor or care what you do for work. i simply asked you why you haven't bought an EV since you're the one saying inflation is affecting you. i mean damn broskie, look how defensive you got over a simple question.


^^^ you posted that. not me, not anybody else. you took forever to answer a simple question. i didn't ask you about a work truck today. i didn't ask you about work at all today. you're the one assuming im asking about EV and work, and getting oddly defensive about something not brought up.

here's what i posted:

nothing in that quote said "work". nothing in that quote said used trucks. and nothing in that quote brought up your mileage.

i simply asked:


i haven't bought an EV yet because i dont have to. i want to wait until i move into a bigger house and get solar panels. also, i'm not the one whining about being affected by inflation.

you are. and am i not allowed to speak out against oil companies because i'm not impacted by prices?

are you implying that nobody is allowed to speak on something that they aren't directly impacted by? does that mean you can't speak about abortion because you don't have the ability to get pregnant? does that mean you can't talk about football because you aren't a football player?

can i not advocate for other people simply because im not affected by <insert situation>?

do you realize how ridiculous you're coming off right now?

all you had to do was say you can't buy an EV because it doesn't fit what you're doing in your life right now. that's it. that's all you had to do.

and i've seen the prices of used trucks. i'm not exactly sure what's that's supposed to mean, btw. obviously if i could afford to get a luxury suv, i can afford to buy a pickup truck.

i'm not sure if you're trying to talk down on me for being good with money or.....lmao. ignore reality by not knowing about pick up trucks cause i bought an SUV....lmfao whaaat??!!!