Those corporate profits are the dividend payments for a shareholder. In
the end it results in a person's income whether it be the sell of a
house or a gallon of gas generating the profit. I find it extremely
hypocritical that a person can justify taking $500k profit from one
individual and then trash an oil company for taking a mere fraction of
that from the same individual over their entire lifetime?

Spike wrote:
> I think therein lies the difference. With regard to one's home, you're
> speaking of something directly and personally close to home, where
> when you speak of corporations, there is a detachment there, and being
> less personal is not viewed in the same light.
>
> On Tue, 10 May 2005 01:38:32 -0400, "Michael Johnson, PE"
> > wrote:
>
>
>>My point was that most people will complain when someone makes a profit
>
>>from them but think it's justified when they are on the receiving end.
>
>>Any profit is subject to tax liabilities. The capital gains on home
>>sales many times aren't taxed. I hope everyone maximizes the profit for
>>whatever endeavor they persue. I know some of mine will go toward a
>>GT500, if Ford actually builds it.
>>
>>Spike wrote:
>>
>>>Possibly you forget something about selling a home. Market value goes
>>>up, a seller is not apt to sell for less than their neighbors are
>>>getting for an equal home. It's also a fact that when one sells a
>>>home, there are tax liabilities (or at least there were... I haven't
>>>checked in a while). And you have to get enough so you can afford to
>>>get into someplace else. If everyone else has jacked up their prices,
>>>you're about forced to do the same. Finally, the big drop in interest
>>>rates has made a major difference in home sales. Personally, I am not
>>>going to complain that my $119K home 13 years ago is now valued at
>>>over $320K. After all, it paid for the restoration and modifications
>>>to my Mustang. : )
>>>
>>>On Tue, 10 May 2005 00:26:36 -0400, "Michael Johnson, PE"
> wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>>Richard wrote:
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>>"Michael Johnson, PE" > wrote in message
...
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>>I would think about giving them incentives to develop alternative energy
>>>>>>sources. Maybe tie their tax rate to importation of foreign oil too.
>>>>>>We need to be much more self sufficient. The only way to drop the price
>>>>>>is to increase supply.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>Maybe but probably not. Don't forget that the supply side is dominated by a
>>>>>cartel (OPEC). In a global economy the floor price will be the OPEC price.
>>>>>Unless of course you are suggesting that there be price controls set by
>>>>>government. Believe me, price controls offer short term gain for long term
>>>>>pain.
>>>>
>>>>OPEC in and of itself is intended to be a price controlling entity. I
>>>>don't support price controls either. I do support creating incentives
>>>>to entice companies to develop alternative sources of energy for profit.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>>>I see the same huge profits in the housing industry right now in the
>>>>>>Washington, DC area. There are way more buyers than homes. Funny how
>>>>>>the homeowners that complain about the oil company profits don't mind
>>>>>>selling their home and gouging the next buyer for a $500k profit.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>In a free market how do you equate market prices with gouging? To the best
>>>>>of my knowledge no one was holding the buyer hostage or a gun to their head.
>>>>>In fact the resale side of the housing market is a near perfect example of a
>>>>>free market economy.
>>>>
>>>>The same people complaining about oil company profits will "take" a
>>>>profit on the sell of their home in a minute. That kind of profit is
>>>>just fine to them. I don't subscribe to the notion that one type of
>>>>profit is good and another is bad. The oil companies charge what we
>>>>will pay, just like a homeowner does when selling a house. No one
>>>>forces you to fill your tank either. I wasn't forced to drive a gas
>>>>guzzling Explorer but I do and I don't blame the oil company every time
>>>>I spend $40 to fill it up when I could buy a frugal econobox that fills
>>>>up on $10 that would last me two weeks until the next fill-up. For that
>>>>matter you (and I) could live near a bus stop and use public
>>>>transportation to get around and never buy a tank of gas for the rest of
>>>>our lives. Millions upon millions do it every day in this country. A
>>>>free market economy requires us to take the good with the bad. If we
>>>>don't then it's really not a free market.
>>>
>>>
>>>Hey! Spikey Likes IT!
>>>1965 Ford Mustang fastback 2+2 A Code 289 C4 Trac-Lok
>>>Vintage Burgundy w/Black Standard Interior
>>>Vintage 40 Wheels 16X8"
>>>w/BF Goodrich Comp T/A Radial 225/50ZR16
>
>
> Hey! Spikey Likes IT!
> 1965 Ford Mustang fastback 2+2 A Code 289 C4 Trac-Lok
> Vintage Burgundy w/Black Standard Interior
> Vintage 40 Wheels 16X8"
> w/BF Goodrich Comp T/A Radial 225/50ZR16