I pick socialism over capitalism, any day.

No, I'm not a socialist... but the way the American government ignores flagrant wrongs with the current state of the "free market" in the name of "profit/creating jobs" makes me so disgusted with capitalism that I would rather be labeled a Robin Hood Socialist. Yes, steal from the rich to give to the poor. Sounds a hell of a lot better than stealing from the poor and killing them with industry-caused and no health insurance to deal with the resulting health problems in order to add to the bank accounts of the filthy rich.

Though even after reading this, Bin would still probably disagree with me:

For the nation's top oilmen, it was a new and uncomfortable reality. They were summoned by the Republican leadership of the Senate and appeared this morning before two congressional panels to explain why prices climbed as high as they did and what they intend to do with their companies' soaring profits. The executives sought to persuade legislators not to take tough punitive action.

Uh, drill the National Wildlife Reservoir in Alaska, which would destroy the environment with not only drills but additional infrastructure and pollution?

The hearing is an indication that big oil companies, which have received billions of dollars in tax breaks from Congress, are facing an increasingly hostile audience in Washington. Even some Republican lawmakers, whose party has long been sympathetic to the requests of the industry, are considering a windfall-profit tax for oil companies. Concerns mounted after oil companies recently reported record quarterly profits, including Exxon Mobil's $9.92 billion, up 75 percent from the third quarter last year.

Sen. Pete V. Domenici (R-N.M.) told the executives this morning, "I expect the witnesses to answer whether you think your current profits are excessive and to talk about what they intend to do with the reserves and the profit accumulations that they have. . . . The oil companies owe the country an explanation."

Eh, I think my dad will also be expecting an explanation after he gets into my car (which he is driving from tomorrow and throughout the weekend) and finds that I have left the lovely task of filling my gas tank to him and his wallet ^.- Oh, only if the weather would clear up, then I'd probably have my car washed too.