Barack Obama is a Oil Opportunist

[mgeoffriau]

I don't have an article to post, but it seems awfully suspicious to me that in an election year in which we are experiencing high gas prices, Obama goes around telling people that he will tax oil companies to force them to lower their prices (*cough*).

I mean, doesn't that raise some eyebrows?

[Frenchy]

Originally Posted by mgeoffriau

I don't have an article to post, but it seems awfully suspicious to me that in an election year in which we are experiencing high gas prices, Obama goes around telling people that he will tax oil companies to force them to lower their prices (*cough*).

I mean, doesn't that raise some eyebrows?

It shows me that he's clueless about the system, and pandering to the equally clueless.

[Etta Place]

Originally Posted by Frenchy

It shows me that he's clueless about the system, and pandering to the equally clueless.

Just like what McCain and Bush are doing by scaring us all into drilling for oil in every state of the Union.

[aeneas26]

Originally Posted by mgeoffriau

I don't have an article to post, but it seems awfully suspicious to me that in an election year in which we are experiencing high gas prices, Obama goes around telling people that he will tax oil companies to force them to lower their prices (*cough*).

I mean, doesn't that raise some eyebrows?

I really laugh when he calls reducing taxes on gas a gimmick, but then in the next breath he talks about taxing oil companies as a panacea to help the average guy. Talk about a gimick.

[aeneas26]

Originally Posted by Etta Place

Just like what McCain and Bush are doing by scaring us all into drilling for oil in every state of the Union.

Except an increase in supply would/should decrease the cost. Whereas taxing oil companies will just increase the cost of gas for consumers. Corporations don't pay taxes, they pass them on to all of us.

[mgeoffriau]

Originally Posted by aeneas26

Except an increase in supply would/should decrease the cost. Whereas taxing oil companies will just increase the cost of gas for consumers. Corporations don't pay taxes, they pass them on to all of us.

A slight correction: corporate taxes combined with price caps would indeed force the oil companies to foot the bill.

Of course, we all remember how well it worked the last time we tried price caps on gasoline, don't we?

[aeneas26]

Originally Posted by mgeoffriau

A slight correction: corporate taxes combined with price caps would indeed force the oil companies to foot the bill.

Of course, we all remember how well it worked the last time we tried price caps on gasoline, don't we?

Is Obama proposing price caps? I really hope that isn't the case.

[mgeoffriau]

I've been thinking about Obama's ideas, and you know, if he really wanted to reach the average American, I think he should change his promise as follows:

"I, Barack Obama, promise to enact a law that will allow me, the President, every time the average price of gas rises by $0.10, to kick every major oil executive in the balls. Yes, I know, that's a lot of kicking for me, but after a couple rounds I expect they'll think twice before raising those prices again."

Now, wouldn't that make more sense? It's easily explainable, it brings vivid images to mind, and it doesn't flout the basic laws of economics. It might even work better than his current plan (at the very least it can't work any worse).

[mgeoffriau]

Originally Posted by aeneas26

Is Obama proposing price caps? I really hope that isn't the case.

No, not to my knowledge, and I apologize if I made it seem like he had.

I was merely pointing out that the only way a corporate tax doesn't reach the consumer is with the existence of price caps. Of course, one could argue that the immediate shortage that follows a price cap still punishes the consumer (and arguably worse than just high prices).

[mgeoffriau]

And before anyone questions my motives for starting this thread, I'll make it clear: I wanted my own thread where I could post ridiculous ideas and argue for them as if they are reasonable.