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Emile

(22,741 posts)
Sat May 21, 2022, 10:21 AM May 2022

POLL on a Windfall Profit Tax

With Big Oil raking in record profits, should congress vote on a windfall profit tax?


15 votes, 0 passes | Time left: Unlimited
Yes
15 (100%)
No
0 (0%)
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Disclaimer: This is an Internet poll
9 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Emile

(22,741 posts)
3. I'm sure the Predatory Capitalists in congress are totally against this.
Sat May 21, 2022, 11:22 AM
May 2022

Be a good way for the public to see how they are being represented in congress!

LakeArenal

(28,817 posts)
2. Oil overcharge funds from the 1980's
Sat May 21, 2022, 10:55 AM
May 2022

I had a job with the State dispersing those funds back to the people.

It should happen again

TreasonousBastard

(43,049 posts)
4. Oil companies argue that they have been losing money for years and this is just catchup...
Sat May 21, 2022, 11:56 AM
May 2022

I have no idea what the reality is, but it is usually somewhere in the middle, and I have no doubt that the dimmer half of
congress can not figure it out.

Emile

(22,741 posts)
5. I got shares of Marathon oil stocks that were given to
Sat May 21, 2022, 12:02 PM
May 2022

me in a will over 20 years ago. I get a small check from them every quarter. Never once have they reported a loss.

TreasonousBastard

(43,049 posts)
6. True, but corporate accounting is an amazing thing. You can legally show a loss but pay...
Sat May 21, 2022, 12:24 PM
May 2022

your investors.

Grabbed this from Wikipedia:

Marathon Oil began as "The Ohio Oil Company" in 1887. In 1889, the company was purchased by John D. Rockefeller's Standard Oil. It remained a part of Standard Oil until Standard Oil was broken up in 1911. In 1930, The Ohio Oil Company bought the Transcontinental Oil Company and established the "Marathon" brand name. In 1962, the company changed its name to "Marathon Oil Company".

In 1982, Mobil made a hostile takeover offer to buy the company; however, the board of Marathon Oil rejected the offer and instead sold the company to United States Steel. A legal battle ensued thereafter.[4]

In 1990, the headquarters was moved to Houston, Texas, but the company's refining subsidiary maintained its headquarters in Findlay, Ohio.

In 1984, Marathon purchased the U.S. unit of Husky Energy for $505 million.[5]

In 1998, Marathon and Ashland Global contributed their refining operations to Marathon Ashland Petroleum LLC, now Marathon Petroleum.[6]

In 2001, USX, the holding company that owned United States Steel and Marathon, spun off the steel business and, in 2002, USX renamed itself Marathon Oil Corporation.[7]

In 2003, Marathon sold its Canadian operations to Husky Energy.[8]

In 2003, the company sold its interest in the Yates Oil Field to Kinder Morgan for $225 million.[9][10]

In 2007, Marathon acquired Western Oil Sands for $6.6 billion and gained ownership of its 20% stake in the Athabasca oil sands in northern Alberta and other assets in the midwestern United States.[11]

In 2011, Marathon completed the corporate spin-off of Marathon Petroleum, distributing a 100% interest to its shareholders.[12]

In June 2013, Marathon sold its Angolan oil and gas field to Sinopec for $1.52 billion.[13]

In September 2013, Marathon sold a 10% stake in an oil and gas field offshore Angola for $590 million to Sonangol Group.[14]

In October 2014, the company sold its business in Norway to Det Norske Oljeselskap ASA for $2.1 billon.[15]

In 2017, it sold its interests in the Athabasca oil sands for $2.5 billion and acquired assets in the Permian Basin for $1.2 billion.[16][17]

In March 2018, it sold its assets in Libya for $450 million to Total SE.[18][19]


The US Steel monkeyshines alone could yield years of tax losses. My point isn't that they actually lost money, but will claim they did.

Emile

(22,741 posts)
7. We all know a windfall profit tax would
Sat May 21, 2022, 05:38 PM
May 2022

never be passed in the senate. The whole purpose of the vote would be to show voters which elected politicians in Washington is on their side and also make a point that big oil is to blame for this inflation.

Lurker Deluxe

(1,036 posts)
9. Interesting
Sat May 21, 2022, 07:22 PM
May 2022

Not to disagree with big oil being money grabbers ... however.

A quick look at their charts shows a financial loss, including a non payment of dividends in second and third quarters of 2020, with overall loss of revenue for 2020.

WarGamer

(12,444 posts)
8. Then you'll need price control...
Sat May 21, 2022, 06:27 PM
May 2022

Corporations will ALWAYS increase the cost of their goods or services in response to higher operating expenses, including taxation.

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