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December 22, 2005
Oil profits are our friend
Cliff Slater argues that big oil's excess profits are good for us.
There is something breathtakingly audacious about politicians taking oil companies to task for “excessive profits” and considering a special “excess profits” tax. In other words, telling companies like Exxon Mobil that they have been taking more of our money than they should. This is especially droll coming from politicians who — always and incessantly — do precisely that with taxes.
Besides that, 35 percent of Exxon’s profits already go in taxes.[i] So, if the profits are excessive, so are the taxes on those profits, but we do not hear of any politicians calling for a “windfall taxes” rebate to us motorists.
. . .
However, if you still believe that Exxon is excessively profitable, then go buy some shares. A caveat though: In March of this year, when oil was $40 a barrel and before any hurricanes, you could have bought Exxon Mobil shares for $62. Today, with oil up to $55 a barrel, hurricanes galore, and sky-high gas prices, you can buy Exxon shares for $55 — a 10 percent decline.[v] You might want to figure that one out.
Posted by adrianm at December 22, 2005 07:28 PM
I just don't have anything to say right now. I haven't been up to anything recently, but it's not important. I've just been sitting around waiting for something to happen, but shrug.
Comment by: Sten19370 at January 10, 2007 02:57 PM
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I feel like an empty room, but eh. Nothing seems worth doing. I haven't gotten much done today.
Comment by: Sten78209 at January 10, 2007 09:30 PM
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retty much nothing seems worth thinking about. My life's been completely dull , not that it matters. I've just been staying at home waiting for something to happen.
Comment by: Sten15237 at January 12, 2007 01:42 PM
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I just don't have much to say recently. Such is life. I've basically been doing nothing. Basically nothing seems worth bothering with. Oh well.
Comment by: Sten1561 at January 18, 2007 06:17 PM
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I haven't been up to anything these days. So it goes. I can't be bothered with anything these days.
Comment by: Sten4235 at January 19, 2007 11:15 PM
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I just don't have anything to say , but shrug. So it goes. Not much on my mind recently. I can't be bothered with anything recently.
Comment by: Sten14219 at January 22, 2007 01:38 PM
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I haven't been up to much lately. I've basically been doing nothing , but it's not important. I can't be bothered with anything recently. I've just been letting everything happen without me lately.
Comment by: Sten21586 at January 23, 2007 05:45 AM
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I feel like a complete blank, but I don't care. Pfft. I've pretty much been doing nothing worth mentioning.
Comment by: Sten83540 at January 26, 2007 03:06 AM
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I haven't been up to anything today. I don't care. I've just been staying at home not getting anything done. Basically not much happening right now. Maybe tomorrow. I guess it doesn't bother me.
Comment by: Sten30275 at January 26, 2007 07:20 PM
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Not much on my mind. I don't care. I've just been letting everything happen without me , but shrug. Whatever. I feel like a void.
Comment by: Sten21987 at January 26, 2007 09:50 PM
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I haven't gotten anything done today. I feel like a fog, but what can I say? I've just been letting everything wash over me lately, not that it matters. Shrug.
Comment by: Sten73528 at January 27, 2007 06:34 AM
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My life's been basically bland today. More or less nothing seems worth thinking about. My mind is like an empty room. I've more or less been doing nothing to speak of. Not much on my mind recently.
Comment by: Sten94141 at January 27, 2007 11:52 AM
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I just don't have much to say these days, but so it goes. Today was a total loss. I guess it doesn't bother me.
Comment by: Sten26463 at January 27, 2007 08:34 PM
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I can't be bothered with anything these days, but shrug. I just don't have anything to say recently. I haven't gotten much done recently. Nothing seems worth thinking about.
Comment by: Sten2118 at January 28, 2007 01:24 AM
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I haven't been up to anything today. I can't be bothered with anything recently. Nothing seems worth thinking about. I haven't gotten anything done recently, but oh well. Not much noteworthy going on worth mentioning.
Comment by: Sten89918 at January 28, 2007 04:00 AM
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Basically nothing seems worth thinking about. I haven't been up to much these days. I just don't have much to say right now. I can't be bothered with anything , but whatever.
Comment by: Sten19484 at January 29, 2007 01:52 AM
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I just don't have anything to say right now. I haven't been up to anything recently, but it's not important. I've just been sitting around waiting for something to happen, but shrug.
Comment by: Sten59661 at January 29, 2007 08:31 AM
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retty much nothing seems worth thinking about. My life's been completely dull , not that it matters. I've just been staying at home waiting for something to happen.
Comment by: Sten44535 at January 29, 2007 04:06 PM
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I can't be bothered with anything these days, but such is life. I don't care. So it goes. More or less nothing seems worth thinking about. I've just been hanging out waiting for something to happen, but that's how it is.
Comment by: Sten92307 at January 29, 2007 06:42 PM
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I've just been staying at home not getting anything done. I guess it doesn't bother me. Shrug. I haven't been up to anything. I haven't gotten much done today.
Comment by: Sten66126 at January 29, 2007 08:23 PM
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My life's been pretty dull recently. Shrug. My mind is like a void. I haven't gotten anything done lately. I can't be bothered with anything recently.
Comment by: Sten82689 at January 30, 2007 06:51 AM
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I just don't have anything to say , but shrug. So it goes. Not much on my mind recently. I can't be bothered with anything recently.
Comment by: Sten89886 at January 30, 2007 10:00 PM
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I've just been staying at home waiting for something to happen. Whatever. Not much on my mind lately. I guess it doesn't bother me.
Comment by: Sten93423 at January 31, 2007 03:51 AM
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Basically nothing seems worth thinking about. I haven't been up to much these days. I just don't have much to say right now. I can't be bothered with anything , but whatever.
Comment by: Sten28496 at February 1, 2007 04:01 PM
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I haven't gotten anything done recently. I've just been hanging out doing nothing. I haven't been up to anything these days, but it's not important. Today was a total loss.
Comment by: Sten83351 at February 1, 2007 10:30 PM
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I've just been staying at home waiting for something to happen, but I don't care. Basically nothing seems worth thinking about. I can't be bothered with anything recently.
Comment by: Sten67896 at February 2, 2007 02:05 AM
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I haven't been up to much lately. I've basically been doing nothing , but it's not important. I can't be bothered with anything recently. I've just been letting everything happen without me lately.
Comment by: Sten38816 at February 2, 2007 08:52 PM
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Not much on my mind. I don't care. I've just been letting everything happen without me , but shrug. Whatever. I feel like a void.
Comment by: Sten9348 at February 3, 2007 12:25 AM
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I've just been hanging out not getting anything done. What can I say? I've basically been doing nothing worth mentioning, but pfft. Not that it matters. Pretty much nothing exciting happening to speak of. I haven't been up to much these days.
Comment by: Sten39168 at February 3, 2007 05:42 AM
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I haven't been up to anything today. I can't be bothered with anything recently. Nothing seems worth thinking about. I haven't gotten anything done recently, but oh well. Not much noteworthy going on worth mentioning.
Comment by: Sten33615 at February 3, 2007 11:16 AM
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I just don't have anything to say. Not that it matters. Eh. I've just been staying at home doing nothing, but I don't care. That's how it is.
Comment by: Sten4439 at February 4, 2007 02:12 AM
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Comment by: Sten52715 at February 4, 2007 03:13 AM
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I haven't been up to anything today. I can't be bothered with anything recently. Nothing seems worth thinking about. I haven't gotten anything done recently, but oh well. Not much noteworthy going on worth mentioning.
Comment by: Sten57209 at February 5, 2007 04:48 AM
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I haven't been up to anything these days. So it goes. I can't be bothered with anything these days.
Comment by: Sten20787 at February 5, 2007 09:53 AM
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I haven't been up to much lately. I've basically been doing nothing , but it's not important. I can't be bothered with anything recently. I've just been letting everything happen without me lately.
Comment by: Sten85863 at February 5, 2007 10:41 PM
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I feel like an empty room, but eh. Nothing seems worth doing. I haven't gotten much done today.
Comment by: Sten67591 at February 5, 2007 11:56 PM
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Not much on my mind right now, but it's not important. I've just been letting everything happen without me. I just don't have anything to say right now.
Comment by: Sten65823 at February 6, 2007 03:27 AM
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