Nationalize the oil companies

[ck4829]

Let's do it. Those fools aren't just fattening their pockets, they are damaging the economy.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=1761538&mesg_id=1761538

[genius]

1. thank you.

[Occulus]

2. And even WORSE,

their outright manipulation of the energy markets- of which oil production/refining/distribution is a very key part- directly jeopardizes our national security.

I call for nationalization of the oil interests AND dissolution of US oil corporations.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

3. All utilities, for the way oil goes, natural gas and electricity goes too.

There is no natural gas crisis and they just hiked the rates by 20%!

[Robeson]

4. There would have to be a revolution before that happened...

... because they're part of the plutocracy that runs this country. They'd bring us all down before you could wrench their hands from the controls.

[Silverhair]

5. What makes you think the gov't would do a better job?

Also, where would you have to look to find people to staff the Nat'l Oil Co. I would hope that you would want people who actually knew something about oil. Where would you find them? You would have to look in the oil companies to find them. So you would end up right back where you started from, except worse. At least now there is some competition between them to make them try to be efficient. All you would do would be to eliminate that competition.

It is a sad fact that every time an industry is nationalized, it is always captured by the same people whose behavior it was supposed to control. The exceptions are those cases where people who know nothing about the industry are put in charge and then they really screw it up.

[ArkDem]

7. I see that you haven't seen each day's evening glow cast by

the aura of Hugo Chavez....

[knowbody0]

8. ArkDem

beautiful post. his aura a rainbow of justice.

[K-W]

10. Because having unaccountable profiteers running things is idiotic.

Also, where would you have to look to find people to staff the Nat'l Oil Co. I would hope that you would want people who actually knew something about oil. Where would you find them? You would have to look in the oil companies to find them. So you would end up right back where you started from, except worse.

The people who actually run the oil infrastructure are EMPLOYEES of the oil companies. They can just as easily be employees of the United States People as they can be employees of a bunch of investors.

The only people who would be removed from the equation are profiteers who do nothing but demand a cut to make them richer.

At least now there is some competition between them to make them try to be efficient.

Bwahahahahahahahahaha

All you would do would be to eliminate that competition.

Dont let reality spoil your ideology or anything, but if you think the current system is working I want whatever you are smoking.

It is a sad fact that every time an industry is nationalized, it is always captured by the same people whose behavior it was supposed to control. The exceptions are those cases where people who know nothing about the industry are put in charge and then they really screw it up.

No, that actually isnt a fact, it is a bad generalization.

[marmar]

6. Absolutely...

There's nothing wrong with govt. corporations, contrary to the prevailing mindset in this country (the result of decades of brainwashing).
Nationalized oil in Venezuela is actually used to benefit its people. Nationalized industries of all sorts in Europe are used to for (gasp!) the common good. There's nothing wrong with capitalism, but it's been allowed to run unchecked here and it's about to slam into a brick wall.

[Burried News]

9. Why is their insufficient refinnery capacity. Who controls the choke

point and for whose benefit?

1. The lack of elasticity in refinnery capacity puts our security at risk.

2. The failure to use double hulled tankers also puts us at risk as does the pollution potential that we see playing out in the Gulf Coast this week.

3. Excess profits are not being reinvested in alternative energy R&D.

And note we have not even mentioned the Elephant in the Room: an industry that is the major player in electing a president, controlling a president and maneuvering Congress into supporting oil wars.

[David Zephyr]

11. I've been calling for this for thirty years.

Nationalize the energy industry, the rails and the health care industry. Then let real entrepreneurship blossom.

But health care, energy and transportation are needs, not wants.

Euro socialism for America? Yes, we're only 50 years behind now.