First, it ignores that many independent retailers get their gas from distributors/refineries owned by Mobile and Exxon. So money is still going into those companies' "pockets."
Second, it ignores that the price of gas is going up for a number of reasons having nothing to do with Mobile or Exxon, and everything to do with supply and demand.
These include:
Seasonal driving patterns;
The fact that the price of oil and gas was lowered when demand went down after 9/11
Iraq's actions re: output;
The actions of OPEC;
The war on terrorism has increased demand by the government (ex: the government is buying up fuel to reshore the strategic reserve).
If people really want to lower the price of gas there's a very simple way to do so:
Stop driving so much!!!
For example:
Don't take a vacation this year;
Cut down on trips to the store--go once a week and "stock up" on groceries;
Walk, ride your bike, etc.
Ask yourself (as we did in WWII) "is this trip really necessary?"
If the demand goes down, the supply will increase and the price will go down.
Simple economics.
How can oil supplies increase without more drilling, more oil tankers, more oil exploration, etc. ?
You've trapped yourself into some false logic -- if supply were solely dependent on demand, we would all be living in Paradise.