That is not tax being collected from the actual profit of a company. Realistically a company selling gas could sell less gas, less tax and make more money if they jack the price up enough
Exxon paid $30 Billon dollars in tax in 2007 http://seekingalpha.com/article/63131-exxon-s-2007-tax-bill-30-billion?source=side_bar_editors_picks
How much have they gotten in unrelated kick backs? Government programs that assist them? I'm not saying they didn't pay it, simply that the thought that a company making big money pays big taxes is not always accurate.
It's nice to know there are some brilliant people still left on DP. It's the highest taxed industry in the US, even higher than tobacco and alcohol. You've pretty much spelled out why Obama does not want to drill, and why Pelosi will not act on an Energy bill. Both are in the pockets of big oil.
And since their other pockets were with the mafia.. err I mean the labor unions - especially those of the auto industry, and since the big 3 are suffering right now the money just isn't the same.
It amazes me to no end that others do not see through the Democrats. I mean, these are the people who are rich. These are the people that waste. These are the people that, while they no right from wrong, just do not care. These are the people with their hand in the pockets of every industry coffer there is. I'm not saying they are the only ones, but make no doubt about it. Democrats get most of their corn from large industries like these. They would like you to believe it is the other way around. Truth is, more often than not, its not. Energy drives our economy, whether we want to accept it or not. To reduce our dependance on the one thing that makes our economy go means reducing our reliance on those that make their living off what makes our world go. All of these things are interconnected. Unions, Oil, and other industries that rely heavily on energy. At some point Americans are going to have to wake up and demand that those that they put to work for them do what WE want, not what their special interest groups want. If congress had a set of balls they would introduce a energy bill that tells the US automakers that they have 6 months to make all vehicles they sell get 100 MPG or they can no longer sell cars in the US. The EPA standards in this country are a friggin joke! 70's vehicles get better mileage. Of course if you want to get re-elected, you need money. Are you really gonna piss off they people giving you that money? Probably not. Obama's solution is to tax those of us that earn more money than he thinks we need and give it to those that do not earn what he thinks is fair. I wonder if anyone ever cried about the oil industry when the price per barrel was under 20 bucks? Who out there was helping that industry when they had to lay off workers, when they could not afford to explore or drill. When the health care industry suddenly has record profits are we now going to tax the shit out of nurses and doctors too? What about the pencil industry? Lets punish those who do well! Nice philosophy. And people wonder why we go through slumps.
Congress is a mess. Deficit spending is out of control. For starters, the US needs a balanced budget amendment and line item veto. Pelosi is already proposing another stimilus giveaway for September. Considering the size of the defecit and Federal debt the stimilus giveaways are irresponsible.
I would not characterize Pelosi as irresponsible. I'd call her an idiot. She's the current head of the stonewalling of an energy bill. My guess is the people that pay her bills had a little talk with her.
Some benefits to have a couple famous families that are close friends. Her little talk might have had some reminders. Like reminding her about how other friends had shot themselves in the back of the head, had car accidents, or were shot by someone who "just lost their job"