skybolt said:Big oil is a monopoly that exists with the quite acceptance of the US government.
Actually it is an oligopoly, few sellers, due to the huge capital required to run the research, exploration, drilling and many other functions required of an energy company.
The government actually makes three to four times as much as the oil companies on each gallon of gas sold. Government intervention in free markets, even those with few players such as the US automakers, has almost always resulted in very poor results for all involved.