comment: >
  
  
  Windfall profit taxes are "unlawful and bad policy," countered Mikells. Slapping new taxes on oil earnings "has the opposite effect of what you are trying to achieve," she said, adding that it would discourage new oil and gas production.
  
  This scummy shitfucker knows she has the country by the balls. In other words:
  
  Tax us and we’ll reduce production
  
  What. The. Fuck.
context: $56B is equal to $1,775 every second for the entire year. >
  
  That's $745,500 in the 7 minutes between your post and this one. >
  
  that almost covers the cost of an ER visit! >
  
  You haven't gotten the bill from the anesthesia group yet, that'll come separate. >
  
  WHY DO THEY DO THIS!?!?!
  you pay $800 for a procedure that requires anesthesia then 3 months later you get another bill for $700 for the anesthesia. >
  
  Because they're crooks. >
  
  Anyway to fight this or make their lives miserable. What if we don’t pay? They coming for my car? >
  
  Your credit can be ruined because somehow those aren’t considered “medical bills” because the anesthesiologist is often considered an independent contractor. >
  
  That seems about right for these crooks. I didn’t know that. >
  
  Never forget what piece of shit Exxon did to the Prince William Sound in Alaska >
  
  Don’t read the litigation section of that Wikipedia article. It’ll fucking enrage you even more! They pissed around the law for years and went from having to pay 5 billion in punitive damages to only 500 
  To put it in common person amounts:
  If you made 60,000/year salary, your fine would have been around $5000 but it was reduced instead to $500 because multiple lawyers argued that you already paid $1000 in civil lawsuits for destroying over 200miles of habitat. 
  What a load of dog shit! >
  
  And it took like 20 years!!! American Scandal podcast has a great series on it. Fucking criminal bastards. >
  
  Why do they still get government subsidies? This shit is obscene. >
  
  It's called corporate welfare!! And people complain about giving food stamps to the poor!! >
  
  It drives me crazy that people from a certain political party bitch about the "welfare state" that take shots at the poorest people, yet don't say anything about corporate welfare.  These giant corporations don't need the extra income, whereas the poorest do. >
  
  Exactly, it has been reported the total compensation of the ExxonMobil CEO was $26,000,000 for 2021.
  More than likely, when this person retires he will use Medicare like the rest of us. But until that time, these same individuals often rail against the average employee receiving a living wage!! >
  
  Medicare doesn’t exclude the rich. No income limit. If it’s cheaper to use Medicare then he will. >
  
  At that pace, profits from just from one oil company could fund the entire US transit project backlog in under four years. >
  
  I think it's more important that a bunch of old rich white guys get some more generational wealth. >
  
  The majority shareholders of oil companies are mutual funds and retirement portfolios.
  It’s real easy to shit where you eat and fall for anti-capitalist rage bait, forgetting that the bulk of “increased share price” and those awful corporate profits are primarily benefiting the average worker both in terms of retirement savings (because GenX already knows that the current government programs for that will be long gone) and union pensions, but also in the form of lower insurance premiums for literally everything as the markets are themselves part of that whole mix. >
  
  I dont entirely disagree, but you gotta be able to get yourself a piece of the investment funds in order to see the benefit, which is becoming increasingly difficult to do. and giving a nod to the benefit of union pensions - not really arguing against an anti-capitalist sentiment. 
  "because GenX already knows that the current government programs for that will be long gone" - isn't that just an example of pulling up the ladder on their way up?  should we be making short term profits at the expense of long term climate impact? and record profits at a time when many countries are dealing with the most rapid increase in inflation in decades? it's hard to get too excited about a profit statement like this without feeling all the strings attached. >
  
  In the US, Social Security will be bankrupt by the time GenX starts retiring in just over a decade, because the demographics mean that there are fewer people to pay for it. If anyone has been yanking the ladder up, it’s the parents of GenX who implemented these systems solely to benefit themselves, and to hell with anyone that follows. Social Security’s solvency is entirely dependent on high birth rates and unsustainably high GDP growth. Several European countries and their social safety nets have already fallen off the demographic cliff. 
  Oh, and for extra funsies, fewer workers also drives wage inflation. And then couple that with an isolationist immigration policy that keeps an increased labor pool (which funds all that government) out of the country, and you’re headed for fiscal disaster. >
  
  I’m expecting to read a similar headline next year about one of the leading egg producers. >
  
  Likely the one behind Eggland's Best. I read that they were unaffected by the flu breakout but their prices are still high. My store has a 2 dozen pack for $6.99 but everything else is ridiculous and way worse. >
  
  The store I work at they’re the least expensive. >
  
  One thing people need to include in their egg price rants is their location and how long they’ve lived there.
  Since COVID began, the US Sunbelt has seen a massive influx of population. Tons more people fighting for the same amount of resources. 6 of the top 10 cities affected by inflation are in this area.
  I’m not saying these prices aren’t bullshit. The government stands by watching the poor and middle class be crushed. Historically companies hurt during inflation, too. This isn’t true inflation, it’s a massive gouge. >
  
  So, as we all knew anyways, the COVID pandemic was used as convenient cover to preoccupy the public while the Corporate world, according to a well respected business journal claims, raked in over 12 TRILLION dollars, last year. If that doesn't enrage you, probably nothing will. >
  
  I'm enraged...what do I do now? Wait for the next time I can fill in a piece of paper to hopefully get a government in power that will hopefully do something about it. And if that looks like it's happening, then hopefully they don't end up corrupt and/or not following though, or voted back out before it can happen.
  The simple fact is there's nothing realistically to be done. If governments meddle too much, people kick up a fuss and get others riled up "it'll be x next if we allow this" (just look at Brexit in the UK). If governments don't meddle enough...you guessed it people kick up a fuss. And round and round society goes.
  We'd need pretty much worldwide, agreed upon, yet paradoxically forced reform of many things and rapid radical changes that blindsided everyone, to convince everyone there is a better way. We're just too short sighted as a species which is why change take a long time.
  I mean think about it, if a benevolent dictator with absolute power came right now and said you all must do xyz, it will 100% be better for everyone, and you knew it would be, but they tell you it will be harsh for 10 years for many of us...people would revolt. It's just the way we are.
  As individuals or on small scales, we can be amazing. When forced to work together en masse during particularly significant adversity, we can be amazing. But in general...we're myopic apes that simply care about our own survival and that of our closest. It's a paradox of the human condition. >
  
  so your solution is to do nothing? >
  
  Do you have a better one? >
  
  Yea vote like your life depends on it — because it does. >
  
  I assume by "vote" you mean more than ticking a piece of paper every few years but also voting with your wallet, right? >
  
  Well you can’t really “vote with your wallet” when it comes to oil and gas companies. They have to be regulated by the government via anti price gouging laws and a department willing to enforce violations with severe penalties. >
  
  
  Well you can’t really “vote with your wallet” when it comes to oil and gas companies. 
  
  As someone who switched to EV in part out of unapologetic hatred for Exxon and BP, I must respectfully disagree.
  
  They have to be regulated by the government via anti price gouging laws and a department willing to enforce violations with severe penalties.
  
  I agree that should happen.  That's where the "ticking a piece of paper" bit comes in. >
  
  but it was Biden's fault gas was high last year, y'all.  /s >
  
  Right, how's that corporate wealth tax coming along? Lobbyist win once again. >
  
  Don't worry, they don't need that money anymore. Instead they're going to take it from people making more than $600 a year on ebay. >
  
  A decent government would hammer companies who price gouge their citizens. >
  
  Here in Ireland we installed windfall taxes on the energy companies who had major profits from power and the government gave everyone paying a power bill 3 x €200 credits off their account. It definitely helped >
  
  That would help SO much. That would be like 5 months of no energy bills for me. >
  
  Yeah they don’t get everything right but that really helped, it was €200 off each billing cycle throughout the winter months >
  
  Just add it to the list of things the US needs to do lol >
  
  Wait… the sticker at the gas pump told me Biden did it! If I can’t trust hastily attached gas station stickers then I don’t know what to trust anymore! >
  
  Son, I say son, we've been through this before. >
  
  See, now THAT is comedy. >
  
  Gas prices are a major driver of inflation. You want to assign blame? It’s obscene to put people through so much financial stress to support these corporate hogs! >
  
  Sure wish we had control over the oil drilled from our country.
  Instead, oil companies own our lawmakers. 
  Stop voting for these corporate owned motherfuckers. They don't have your interests in mind. >
  
  how about exported? We can drill drill and drill or build all kinds of pipelines but none of that matters if they just export it. >
  
  Well, if it was nationalized, the money made from exporting would go back to the taxpayers somehow. 
  You could fund green energy solutions, for example. 
  Anything except making these greedy fuckers wealthier while they destroy the planet for profit. >
  
  Nationalizing oil is how you get coups. >
  
  I don’t remember the last time I’ve heard of a Norwegian coup. >
  
  Well have you heard of the Iranian coup of 1953? Where American and British intelligence agencies over threw a socially progressive budding democracy because they dared to nationalize their oil industry to stop the bleeding of an arrogant colonial power? That is what I was referencing.... >
  
  Norway nationalized 20 years later and they were not interfered with. 
  If nationalizing oil is how you get coups why wasn’t there a coup in Norway? Or is that single instance you’ve referred to not an absolute predictor? 
  Corruption and greed breed coups. >
  
  Yes, and America is greedy and corrupt. I never said Norway, which would be the exception to the world. Our politicians are already bought by big oil but if America were to try and nationalize our oil you would see a swift turnover of politicians in congress supported by oil companies- a silent coup. No one was talking about Norway but you.
  Edit to add- look up the nationalization of oil in Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Venezuela, and as I previously referenced -Iran- if you'd like to learn more about the political complications that come with nationalizing oil. >
  
  I understand it happens. What I’m saying is it’s not something you can throw a blanket statements over like that. 
  I have actually found a study on this exact subject. “ A large literature investigates the relation between oil and conflict, yet no empirical study has found any link between oil and coups d’état. Using a new data set on oil production separated into onshore and offshore volumes, oil price shocks are seen to promote coups in onshore-intensive oil countries, while preventing them in offshore-intensive oil countries.” >
  
  What is their tax rate? >
  
  About 25.9% for income tax but does not include other employer taxes such as half of all employee payroll taxes ((15.3%÷2) x all employee wages) >
  
  Because people have allowed themselves to become STUPID enough to let billionaires have all the power, and are satisfied with being their slaves. Our grandparents and great grandparents were smart enough to know that they were doing all the work, and deserved a piece of the profits, so they unionized, and fought for all the workplace benefits that people are happily surrendering to the billionaire class today. They had single income families, bought a new car every 3 or 4 years,  bought a house that was paid off by retirement age, when they could hang it up and enjoy life with their "three-legged stool" - pension, savings, and Social Security. They could also put their kids through college so they could have an even better life.  
  Today people come out of college with debt that will take at least a generation to pay off, housing and cars are becoming harder and harder to afford, and people are even deciding to put off getting married and have children because they don't want to double their student loan responsibilities. Forget one income households, it takes at least two incomes these days, and parents are happy to keep an adult child or two at home to contribute to the bills. Savings is nearly impossible, and even if you could save, the interest rates have been so low for the last 20 years that inflation outpaced savings account interest. 
  Now Republicans (the billionaires' hired lackeys) want to raise retirement age to 70, and eliminate Social Security and Medicare, and nearly 50% of Americans are STUPID enough to cheer for it for literally no other reason than because the other nearly 50% are appalled by the idea. They will give up the security in their old age that their grandparents fought for, because they think it's funny that the other people are upset by it. Meanwhile, billionaires are rubbing their hands and laughing maniacally at how wonderfully their evil plan is working out. 
  THAT'S how being STUPID ties to billionaires. And people are idiotic enough to downvote my original post, and proving my statement that Intelligence is Freedom and Stupidity is Slavery. >
  
  Most people just scraping by and one pay-check from homelessness, yet corporations are bringing in record profits. It's fucking disgusting. >
  
  Just think how the regular employees feel seeing this while being told they can't get raises because the company desperately needs to cut costs. >
  
  So you are telling me that gas prices were artificially inflated? >
  
  Nothing artificial about price gouging. It's the real deal. >
  
  points to headline BIDEN DID THIS drives away in F-350 doing the Carolina Squat >
  
  Is this the "Free Market" the Republican Love so much? >
  
  There aren’t going to be any new oil companies that would improve competitiveness in the industry and control cost. Probably the opposite is on the horizon so watch out for the first big merger where Chevron and Exxon claim they just can survive without joining up to corner the market >
  
  This reminds me of the parody commercial in Parks and Rec where Exxon, Chipotle, and Verizon are going to merge to become one of America’s 8 companies lol. >
  
  Since the Franchise Wars, every restaurant is a Taco Bell. >
  
  Fuck these greedy poisonous fucks. >
  
  I guess they'll have to raise gas prices about it. >
  
  I guess all of those high gas prices weren't political, just price gouging. >
  
  Because YOU buy their product every second of every day. >
  
  Wonder how much tax they'll avoid paying? >
  
  On our local news they said because they managed prices so well…. Ya you gouged the fuck outta them. Absolute dog shit. I don’t even know why I live anymore. So tired of this greedy ass world >
  
  Time to give back those subsidies! >
  
  Definitely was just the price of oil increasing due to market demand, no using that as an excuse to price gouge further /s >
  
  The amount of rampant inflation these cunts caused is reason enough to jail the lot of them.The very fact that this kind of piracy isn't illegal makes civilization seem like you read about in a book.