If the oil companies, and their CEO's are making obscene profits, as I've seen reported, the Govt. must have overflowing vaults. The average tax on a gallon of gasoline in the US is $.47. The average profit for oil companies is $.10/gal.

So whatever profit you see reported for the oil companies, multiply it by 4 or 5 to see your govt's profits.

well how else is the gov't going to support their pork belly spending...duh!

Pork is right.

So, doesn't it make sense for the government to want to do what they can to drive down the cost of gasoline because if they are making that much money in taxes and it is charged by the gallon, the less gallons people use the less money they would have.  The higher gas prices go, the less gasoline people use.  So, if they did what they could to get the price down people would use more gas and the government would earn more money!

Or, on the other hand, since less gallons of gasoline are consumed, government just raises the tax so they are still making the same amount of money, so they really don't care what the price of gasoline is!  That sound more like what our government would do than the first scenario!!

Thanks for the info.

 well, the big boys from Saudi put in billions to help prop up C, etc.

and they're all now under water

but, our money for gas goes back to them, 

 so, they get their money back, and also get a stake in our US banks

lol, what a crock

 I read somewhere that the Saudis make $1M a day in oil profits

food for thought, eh?

Thank you to bush and cheney

How the hhheeellll is it Bush and Cheney's fault? Did Saudi Arabia just get in the oil business under their watch? Did they not make billions while Clinton, Bush Sr, Reagan, Carter, etc. were in office. This mindset of blaming everything on the people in for everything that happens while they are in office is dishonest. Clinton got to credit for such a great economy, which was boosted by computer sales in the 90's, well when did the technology for faster CPU's get developed? When did the PC get developed? During the Reagan years. I'm not saying credit Reagan, but what happens while in office should not always be credited or blamed on the ones holding said office 

podstock:

 well, the big boys from Saudi put in billions to help prop up C, etc.

and they're all now under water

but, our money for gas goes back to them, 

 so, they get their money back, and also get a stake in our US banks

lol, what a crock

 I read somewhere that the Saudis make $1M a day in oil profits

food for thought, eh?

Thank you to bush and cheney

Pork..........indeed.  Then let us consider that Shell, BP, Exon now control the oil in Iraq.  How'd that happen and who decided and will ANY oil monies return to our government as our fearless oil leader once said would occur, to repay our costs for this war?

nanakeser:

Pork..........indeed.  Then let us consider that Shell, BP, Exon now control the oil in Iraq.  How'd that happen and who decided and will ANY oil monies return to our government as our fearless oil leader once said would occur, to repay our costs for this war?

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Good question, what is your answer? Is any of that oil money being returned to our govt.?

very true....how do you think the gov't has funds to hire 6 people to do 1 persons job?

http://www.globalpolicy.org/security/issues/iraq/dfi/2004/0510resolution.htm

http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/2004-05-18-iraq-un_x.htm

after reading the entire article, as I was suprised I could still locate it, I am still unable to find out the current status but I keep looking.

the federal gov't charges 18.4 cents per gallon in taxes....and state governments vary....i think there is a webpage somewhere that shows each states taxes...

 http://www.gaspricewatch.com/usgastaxes.asp

this isn't the page i was thinking of....but works just as well....

PA just sticks it to you both for gas and diesel....it's ridiculous.

 http://www.taxfoundation.org/publications/show/1054.html

"Local, State and Federal Gas Taxes Consume 45.9 Cents Per Gallon on Average"

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25419540/

 If you really want to know where the money from all of those gas taxes is going.....