‘”They have as much allegiance to the U.S. as does Obama. “
Okay, you are now president of a publically owned Americo Gas corporation. You can sell your product in the domestic market for $x/gallon. Or, you can sell your product into the foreign market for 1.Y*($x/gallon). Now, who do you actually work for? The answer is the shareholders. So, do you tell the shareholders, “Hey, I could have made more money for you, but I’m patriotic.”? I don’t think you’d work there much longer.
Also, producing gas for the domestic market is probably much more expensive. You have to meet all kinds of standards that you do not have to meet for the foreign market, making the cost end of your cost/profit equation that much better for the stockholder.
In addition, if you saturate the local market, yes it does drive down prices. That means you make even less on the gas because you sent it here.
Good post and demonstrates that you have an understanding of the Free Market.
Gen. you forgot to mention that officers of public companies are required to maximize return to their shareholders. Being out of a job might be the least of their concerns if they fail to do so.