Gas prices?

[linklaw]

What incentive does the oil industry have to build new refineries? I'm not talking about tax breaks or government handouts, just plain old business incentive. They are making record profits with the outdated, constantly breaking refineries they have and seem to use the inefficiency and breakdowns as an excuse for higher prices. I read somewhere that President Bush offered an abandoned air force base in California, for free, to any oil company that would build a new refinery there, free from any EPA interference. There were no takers. As far as drilling in the Gulf is concerned, talk to the tourist related lobbies in the Gulf coast states about that. Nuclear power seems like the answer, but as long as the oil and coal lobbies continue to be able to influence our politicians, we'll never see it. Oh yeah, keep blaming the environmentalists, EPA and "bleeding heart liberals" for the current situation. Maybe you would like to pay exhorbitant prices for gasoline while breathing polluted air and drinking poisoned water. I don't recall any oil or energy company ever being proactive as far as cutting back on pollution is concerned. Exxon is still fighting about the Alaska oil spill which happened what, 17 years ago? It seems that the "pleasers" are already in the white house. They always find a way to please their corporate friends, at all of our expense. Just my two cents. John