Why question oil companies about price gouging, without questioning Congress for tax gouging on gasoline?

All the news today is on possible price gouging by oil companies, yet the lion's share of taxes, from local, state, and federal government, impacts on consumers far more than profit by oil companies on gasoline. Ask instead: Why is Congress and Government gouging gasoline consumers with excess taxes?Why question oil companies about price gouging, without questioning Congress for tax gouging on gasoline?
';they charge what ever they want';





This may explain why people complain about the oil companies. It's because they have absolutely NO understanding of how our economy works. Of course, no company can simply charge ';whatever it wants';. It it limited by what people are willing to pay, which in turn is affected by how great a supply there is in comparison with the demand. But don't expect politicians (esp Democrats) or the major media -- who don't understand basic economics themeselves-- to bother to explain this.





As for complaining about government (and NOT that they just 'let business get away with it'!) I'm not sure the ';tax gouging'; is the most important thing to look at... as correct as you are that government gets more per gallon of gas than the oil companies do! (not to mention that they don't have to take any of the risks!)





Rather I would look at all the foolish things the government has done --mostly in response to (Democratic) environmentalist groups-- that restrict the SUPPLY of oil relative to demand. Such as:


1) the regulations that have prevented a new refinery from being built in the U.S. in the past 30 years (while demand continues to rise)\


2) the numerous different BLENDS environmental regulations now demand (including the boneheaded ethanol requirement that played a huge role in the lasted price spikes)


3) refusing to let oil companies explore and drill for oil in many coastal waters or in ANWR


4) the restrictions that have kept any new NUCLEAR plants from being built to meet energy demandsWhy question oil companies about price gouging, without questioning Congress for tax gouging on gasoline?
You Americans don't know when you've got it good.


We in the UK are being Gouged as you call it by severe taxes on Gass.


Us brit's are paying 拢4.00 per US gallon.


Pint of largar beer 拢2.80


All government tax in the uk is a Rip-off.
because you/we voted these people into office that pass these tax bills. we can change that by making our voices heard by either constantly writing and calling our elected officials or voting their ***'s out. But we are at the mercy of the oil companies and other large corporations because oil is a commodity we depend on and that makes it valuble so they charge what ever they want and know that we or our government won't do anything about it but ***** and complain.