Rumors of a truck strike???

[Kurt (Indiana)]

I have no problem with record profits. But to expect taxpayers to subsidize those record profits is pure chutzpah.

CD

I agree, I'm tired of bailing out and subsidies too. As we (older guys) close in on retirement it could be a real problem.

You didn't answer my question about Nancy and the gang.

[Elumia]

one reason Diesel is more expensive:
TAXES are higher on Diesel than Gas
California (gas)63.9 (diesel)72.0 +6% Sales Tax. 1.25% county tax. 1.2 cpg state UST fee. plus local sales tax

find your state here
http://www.chicagogasprices.com/tax_info.aspx

Another factor could be, refineries in the USA are set up to make a higher perecentage of gas than diesel, as the market has demanded a higher mix of gas versus diesel. Changing the process to make more diesel and less gas will cost money. You know who will pay for that....

Was that AMG 6.3 that much more fun that an old 6.6 smokey and the bandit firebird with a big chicken on the hood? bet it didn't have t-tops.

Mark

[Claw]

Basic economics. The government doesn't have the answer.
Taxes on any corporation will be passed to the consumer. Ultimately the consumer pays all taxes. When the taxes are raised on the oil companies anyone who uses their product pays the tax. The one making the windfall is the government.

There are those who think that some companies should not make a profit or their profit should be controlled by the government. They use the 'big$' number profit but refrain from the 'big$' market capitalization (investment) needed to make those 'big' number profits. Plus they often forget that many regular people own those companies. What they are doing in effect is saying that free enterprize is wrong. What is needed is less regulation. Consumers are very smart and figure out better than any regulator can how to keep their own money and then the correct price occurs. When the government starts regulating the price they delay a correction and often make the situation worse. Corrections happen and should happen.

There is a certian price when I'll break out the bike or other mode of transportation. Mine price is different than someone elses. When that happens there will be less demand prices stabalize and the adjustment happens. So if the price of Gas is too high consider an alternative.

[Claw]

find your state here
http://www.chicagogasprices.com/tax_info.aspx

Mark

Great link Mark. It shows that the great State of Illinios (the home of the Honorable Obama) has a high sales tax of 6.25%; A percentage of price not a fixed cents per gallon so the state's confiscation goes up everytime the price goes up. Who else but the government can get a fixed returned on an increasing balance with zero capital outlay?!

[caseydog]

I have no problem with record profits. But to expect taxpayers to subsidize those record profits is pure chutzpah.

CD

I agree, I'm tired of bailing out and subsidies too. As we (older guys) close in on retirement it could be a real problem.

You didn't answer my question about Nancy and the gang.

I'm not a Nancy Pelosi fan, and I don't care much for Harry Reid, either.

Even if they did have any real majority, those two are not the right people to lead any kind of new deal.

Reality is, we have a nearly 50/50 government, and there is too much fighting, and not enough REAL deal making going on. I put the majority of the blame on the Newt Gingrich and Tom Delay faction of the Republican party. Those individuals inspired the current "my way or the highway" mentality we see too much of.

Weird thing is, I think John McCain is an excellent Senator, but he'll be a terrible President. They are two different jobs. He's good at one, but I don't see him as being good at the other.

There is no such thing as "bi-partisan" IMO, there is just negotiation and compromise.

I have voted for Republicans, and for Democrats. At this point in time, Republicans are, once again IMO, the bigger problem.

Like Lewis Black puts it, the Democrats are the party of no ideas, and the Republicans are the party of really bad ideas.

CD

[caseydog]

one reason Diesel is more expensive:
TAXES are higher on Diesel than Gas
California (gas)63.9 (diesel)72.0 +6% Sales Tax. 1.25% county tax. 1.2 cpg state UST fee. plus local sales tax

find your state here
http://www.chicagogasprices.com/tax_info.aspx

Another factor could be, refineries in the USA are set up to make a higher perecentage of gas than diesel, as the market has demanded a higher mix of gas versus diesel. Changing the process to make more diesel and less gas will cost money. You know who will pay for that....

Was that AMG 6.3 that much more fun that an old 6.6 smokey and the bandit firebird with a big chicken on the hood? bet it didn't have t-tops.

Mark

I'm not buying taxes as the culprit, at least not nationwide. Sure, California is run by an actor (again), but the rest of the country isn't (yet). I need to do some googling. I can't help thinking that I'm not hearing the right answer.

And, the SL63 is WAY better than a 1979 Trans Am, in so many ways. Even gets better gas mileage, although I wouldn't call it environmentally responsible for our times.

CD

[caseydog]

When the taxes are raised on the oil companies anyone who uses their product pays the tax.

Aha. You are making the same wrong statement Republicans are. Is it a tax increase when you just eliminate a tax break?

When oil was $25 a barrel, this tax break was enacted to try to persuade oil companies to develop new resources here. They didn't do it. They just used the tax breaks to enhanced their profits. The reality is that, no matter what any right wing ideologue says, big oil had no interest in deep water drilling or ANWR when oil was $25 per barrel. That was all political smoke and mirrors.

Now, with oil at $100-plus per barrel, why should we continue to subsidize exploration that is very profitable.

Eliminating a tax break that is no longer needed is not the same as raising taxes.

As for the rest of the post, how is it that anyone who is not in favor of corporate welfare is against free enterprise?

CD

[starleen2]

I say we follow the words of the oil executives – their business is “cyclical” in nature – Let us less drive less, consumes less find our own alternative fuels with no government incentives and then stick it to em’ when the cycle is now in decline - watch the prices fall until they have to give it away to get rid of it – hybrid diesels are on the way ! This is what you get when the final driving factor is the investor

The alternative is to make your own and right not the price break per gallon is not worth it. When the difference goes to more than $5,000.00 per year – that’s when I‘ll convert to electric (everyone knows that electricity is produced magically right?)

[starleen2]

That and China is growin along with India leaps n bounds and driving them
European cars ..

I really don't buy into that belief. if China and India were making such an impact on world oil production, doesn't it seem that they would be drilling and producing their own? They too could get in on the money making potential. Consider their labor rates (especially china) it is a state run economy - they can produce all they need with their slave laborers. - And so could India. Last year it was the threat of more hurricanes, the year before -THE hurricanes, the year before -the war, the year before that- broken pipelines that needed repair. Now it’s china? Wake up America – it good ole fashioned greed

[caseydog]

That and China is growin along with India leaps n bounds and driving them
European cars ..

I really don't buy into that belief. if China and India were making such an impact on world oil production, doesn't it seem that they would be drilling and producing their own? They too could get in on the money making potential. Consider their labor rates (especially china) it is a state run economy - they can produce all they need with their slave laborers. - And so could India. Last year it was the threat of more hurricanes, the year before -THE hurricanes, the year before -the war, the year before that- broken pipelines that needed repair. Now it’s china? Wake up America – it good ole fashioned greed

This post and your last post have something in common....

It was true for many decades that the oil industry was cyclical, as prices went up and down, mostly because of OPEC manipulation. But, now that demand is growing worldwide, and supply is what it is, I don't think we are ever going to see $25-per-barrel oil again. OPEC really doesn't have any reason to play that card anymore, since it can sell all it can produce for high prices.

China and India are major reasons for worldwide demand going up. They are emerging industrial nations, and their demand for oil is growing rapidly. And, they are in the same boat we are -- they don't have large reserves of oil to drill for.

Here is a Wiki page that shows who has most of the oil in the world.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Top_ ... ountry.GIF

BTW, I do agree that the oil company executives are operating on greed, but, the supply and demand conditions are making it easy for them to get rich. High demand and weak supply is a greedy man's dream come true.

[Claw]

When the taxes are raised on the oil companies anyone who uses their product pays the tax.

Aha. You are making the same wrong statement Republicans are. Is it a tax increase when you just eliminate a tax break?

CD

So CD if the consumer doesn't pay the taxes who pays them? Maybe you can understand this way. If you get a tax break on your mortgage and Uncle Sam eliminates that tax break did your tax liability go up?

A tax break is not something the government gives it is something they quit demanding upon threat. Your assumption ("Eliminating a tax break that is no longer needed is not the same as raising taxes") implies that all things are the governments and through benevolence they provide the results of production.

You question "how is it that anyone who is not in favor of corporate welfare is against free enterprise?" is a double negative, nonsensical.

[Nic]

Mike im glad you brought this up. My aunt and uncle own a few trucks that they have drivers for. The company that they run the trucks through has cut their runs to the point of loosing their home.
This topic has me freaking out a bit. The mid of April im starting my driving training with Schneider National to be a team driver with a friend. Its not looking like they are having problems. They even raised the pay. But im kinda freaking on the idea that i may be a new driver and end up on strike or losing my job.
I hope the big guys like schneider national can hold out long enough for me to get some crap done.

[Oregonian]

Hey Don, answer this question, How did the merchandise get to the trains and did the railroad deliver the goods to the stores. I am not saying that one is better than the other, but it takes both working side by side to move all the merchandise. Tell me if I am wrong and you won't hear from me on this subject again.
I drove truck for 40 years and picked up many containers going to warehouses where there were no trains. The railroad is a master link for delivering large amounts of goods, but the trucks are the ones that take the goods to the retailer, so we have to work together to get the job done. Ture
Bruce JSC

[cs_whypt2]

Hey Don, answer this question, How did the merchandise get to the trains and did the railroad deliver the goods to the stores. I am not saying that one is better than the other, but it takes both working side by side to move all the merchandise. Tell me if I am wrong and you won't hear from me on this subject again.
I drove truck for 40 years and picked up many containers going to warehouses where there were no trains. The railroad is a master link for delivering large amounts of goods, but the trucks are the ones that take the goods to the retailer, so we have to work together to get the job done. Ture
Bruce JSC

This is EXACTLY what my dad and I were talking about!
Dad = Truck driver
Uncle = Truck driver
Uncle = Truck driver
Grandpa = Trucker driver
Cousin = dock worker for a trucking company

My dad wants to know when are there going to be rail road tracks that ride right up to each store so they can deliver the goods. AND now with these trains stoping at each and every store, how good of gas milage are they going to get?
And to have there be a tax on truckers driving on weekends? Yeah thats real smart. So lets have ALL of the trucks driving on the weekdays. That means that there will be that much more traffic during the average work week, and that many more people complaining about not being able to get to work. Production would drop for truckers. And do mail trucks count too? That means the stamps are going to go up again, because the mail trucks will still run on weekends and will then have to pay this tax. And milk? We can't let milk sit until Monday. I don't want to see milk prices rise anymore unless farmers start seeing an increase in their profits. Another thing are the gas trucks. That would be a dream for the oil companies. They could park their trucks on Friday and not drive them at all on the weekends causing gas shortages. Then when the gas prices go up they can blame it on supply and demand. And if we are going to tax trucks for getting in our ways on the weekends (how dare they) then why don't trucks tax us for getting in their way on the weekdays?
I hate that comercial.

Dianne

[sledge]

Most Trucks get less than 5 mpg. I saw a commercial on Tv , where Wal-Mart has spent thousands and thousands of dollars , tryin to get their fleet to beat 5 mpg.... and .......still workin on it........ if the biggest company in the world can't do it..........well,