David Van Os Speaks Out:
Robber Barons and Truckers
Poor Big Oil – it is suffering such an economic squeeze that it has absolutely no choice but to pass its suffering on to the public through ever-rising prices for gasoline, diesel and other fuels.
Take poor little Exxon-Mobil for example. The squeeze is hurting it so badly that its quarterly profits have only been able to reach $11,000,000,000.00 (11 billion dollars) and change.
Let’s try to visualize 11 billion dollars by letting each dollar represent one minute. Rounded off, 11 billion minutes divided by 60 (minutes per hour) would equal 183,333,333 hours; which divided by 24 (hours per day) would equal 7,638,889 days; which divided by 365 (days per year) would equal 20,928 years. Thus if one dollar represents one minute, it takes nearly 21 thousand years worth of minutes to reach Exxon-Mobil’s approximately $11 billion profit for the 4th quarter of 2007.
Putting it into perspective – according to modern archeology, 21 thousand years ago among the human race there was probably no hint of cities, towns, organized farming, or the written word.
You and I are not the only ones who perceive something fraudulent about the Big Oil Robber Barons telling us that economic pressures force them to raise prices at the pump higher, higher, and higher; while at the same time they are making profits that the human mind can barely imagine, higher and higher with each passing month.
Some of the people who most directly experience the disastrous impact of rising fuel prices that cannot be justified by “market” explanations, i.e. independent truck drivers, are fighting back. As eloquently described by the writer-blogger Barbara Ehrenreich in her recent article, “Truckers Protest, the Resistance Begins” [click here for article], truckers have begun to defy and resist the robber baron oil economy in various collective actions, and more is on the way. They are certainly fighting back more than any of the politicians are.
Their resistance is no less inspiring and patriotic than that of the American patriots who resisted the British King George III in 1776 and that of the Texan patriots who resisted the Dictator Santa Anna in 1836. I salute them and I hope it spreads.
About Sharon Wilson
Sharon Wilson is considered a leading citizen expert on the impacts of shale oil and gas extraction. She is the go-to person whether it’s top EPA officials from D.C., national and international news networks, or residents facing the shock of eminent domain and the devastating environmental effects of natural gas development in their backyards.
- Web |
- More Posts(5121)
I’m curious, just how much of a profit does a company have to make before that profit becomes excessive? 1%…5%…10%…20% ?
I was taught that businesses exist to make money for their shareholders so I’d appreciate some guidance on when they should stop trying.
Why do you come here asking such a question when you know that you don’t really care about the answer?
I’m in business for myself and I would hate for people to think that I was a Robber Baron like Exxon Mobil.
You gonna answer or not?
My experience with answering your questions is like a story my 13 yo son told me last night. In his group of friends, there is one teen who, no matter how many facts the others present that prove him wrong, he still, stubbornly holds to his stance.
When I observe discourse between you and others and when I have engaged in discourse with you, my experience is that your mind is made up and you only ask in an attempt to make us appear foolish or whatever.
That said, if you make billions in PROFIT and have no sense of social responsibility, you are a robber baron. I do not believe you would hate to be called such.
This conversation is over. I have no obligation to answer any question you present. Clearly, you and I will never agree on anything.