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Bill et. al.<BR>
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And I was pointing out the gigantic profits the oil companies are making, including the best profits off refining oil in 15 years, as we are at war and making sacrifices as a nation. You did not address this point in your reply. Nor the question of why we should offer the oil companies tax breaks when they are making a huge healthy profit off the US consumer? If Exxon/Mobil wants to make 100s of millions of dollars in profit off the US taxpayer, are you saying we should have no control over whether they stick it to us with high gas prices, because they don't want to pay good American wages at a new US refinery? We must lure them with tax breaks, or they will take those good jobs elsewhere?<BR>
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Why don't we tell Exxon/Mobil that they must build more US refining capacity, or we will by law regulate the price of gas and their profit margins? Unthinkable? We do it (or we did) with electricity and phone service. Oh, excuse me, the noble free marketplace, allowing gigantic multinational corporations the freedom to rob people left and right, must be protected. Of course Exxon/Mobil probably owns as many politicians here in the US and around the world as they do oil wells.<BR>
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These questions I ask pose a dilemma for the morality of capitalism and free markets when they appear to function in an unpatriotic and disloyal manner. Or are these values only for our soldiers dying and being maimed in Iraq? They don't apply to Exxon/Mobil? <BR>
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You did not address the fact that you asserted that voting Republican might be a good choice to encourage tax breaks for the creation of new US refining capacity. Yet<BR>
isn't Kerry running on a change in the US tax system to give incentives to keep jobs here in America, to not reward corporations who ship US jobs overseas? Perhaps you should rethink your recommendation for what party to vote for when considering what political party would encourage a US Corporation to build a refinery in the US?<BR>
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And as far as Kerry or the Democrats saving the middle east from the mess George Bush has made of it, helping to ease the fears of disruption of oil supplies, don't hold your breath. We are stuck in a quagmire in Iraq that could keep oil prices high for decades!<BR>
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And Exxon/Mobil will continue to rake in the billions $$$ $$$ $$$ $$$! <BR>
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Ted Moffett</FONT></HTML>