What is wrong with making a profit? Nothing, but hyperinflation of energy benefits only a tiny few. Once you have brought the econonomy into a recession that costs the workers and consumers is hundreds of billions of dollars. Like I said, they will back off once they think that Congress will intervene or the economy starts to sour.
There is profit and then there is greed.
How does the US government regulate the world oil market traders? Key word here is WORLD
A meager ten percent profit is not greed. You might want to read Dr. Sewell's basic Economics book. You don't seem to have a clue about markets.
All you can think about is "poor me". The rules haven't changed since I started driving in 1960. If I can't afford the gas, I stay home. PERIOD.
I think it's ironic, the extreme sacrifices that "the greatest generation" went through during WWII. Now the country is filled with whiney snots complaining that gas prices are too high. Grow up. There are bigger problems in this country than what you pay for a tank of gas. Which ones are you solving?
OK, I'll ask it this way: What can the oil companies do about it, even if they want to? Again, say they choose to sell oil at $30 per barrel. What then? Well, people buy it, and then they turn around and sell it at the prevailing price; today that's about $72. And it does exactly NOTHING for the consumer; it only lines the pockets of traders instead of oil companies. Seriously, it's just basic market economics. And it's a beautiful thing - another name for it is freedom.
And do you have a separate number the share holders can call to let you know how they feel about your metric?