Tom, one thing you're failing to see in your arguments is that most of the other companies you cite sell a product that isn't essential to the general welfare of the nation and its citizens. Utilities have always been handled differently in our economy than other industries and for good reason. Were a utility to completely fail or get too greedy, the consequences would be enormous for those that depend on it.

Somehow the people that run oil companies have managed to put themselves outside the utility spectrum. There's some distinction surely but I see them as a hybrid of a regular business and utility.

The need for strict governmental oversite of energy companies is essential in my opinion for the public good. That's the one concept neo-conservatism forgets. Individuals and private enterprise need to be free to flourish until.....they begin to harm the society they serve. Otherwise, we might as well simply dissolve the country and let everyone fend for themselves.

I doubt anyone on here wants the oil companies not to make profit and give away their product. They simply don't want people getting greedy when their neighbors and businesses are dying because of tremendous rising costs.

Forget the profit statistics Tom. Why don't you change your research to finding out the gilded lives the executives of our major oil companies live, how completely out of touch these people are from you and me. That would be info we really need to know to understand the dynamics here.

Art