[Boiling point]

So, let me get this straight, you are trying to tell me that the oil companies are testifying before congress because they are loosing money?

[Alberta's Child]

The oil company executives are testifying before Congress because they were called to testify before Congress (Congress DOES have subpoena powers that allow them to compel testimony like this).

This testimony is nothing more than a political charade -- in which 535 of the most useless, unproductive people on the face of the earth actually have the b@lls to question the "profits" of an industry that is among the most efficient in the history of mankind.

Exxon/Mobil posted earnings of $40.6 billion on revenues of $404 billion in 2007 -- a return of about 10%. This was the largest annual profit in the history of capitalism, in a year when commodity prices were at historic highs . . . and this kind of profit generated all kinds of nonsensical calls from elected officials and political candidates here in the U.S. for massive taxes on these "obscene profits." You've got people and politicians in this country complaining about profits that represent a 10% return on investment in the best year of the industry's history. And these same people and politicians are complaining about "price gouging" in a retail industry where profit margins are razor-thin, and where the typical retail operation in many parts of this country is owned by a recent immigrant with a small staff working long hours at near-minimum wages.

You might want to do some research and see which industries in this country are actually the MOST profitable.

[Ditto]

The oil company executives are testifying before Congress because they were called to testify before Congress

No. They are testifying because it is an election year and slime ball politicians want to demagogue an issue because they know with our economically illiterate population, they can get away with it.

You are an example that proves that the slimeball politicians are right.