Gas Taxes vs. Gas Profits

On June 6 John Stossel provided another great item, "Why is Profit a Dirty Word?" (thanks to Shawn Klein for this link). He begins as follows:

At a recent press conference Sen. John Kerry was upset as he snarled, "Oil companies in America are reporting record profits. Record profits."

When did profit become a dirty word?

I wish the oil executives would face the media.

They could say something like:
"What are you complaining about? What do you think we do with our profits? Buy fancy cars and homes? Well, we do, actually, but nearly all the money goes to looking for more oil and following environmental rules that you want us to follow. You should want us to make more profit. Anyway, we make less profit per gallon than your beloved government takes in taxes."

This is something I have thought about often: the lack of proper argumentation from those in business when they are attacked by the press or by politicians. And the point Stossel makes here is so ripe for use in response to the likes of John Kerry! "Can you explain your record profits?"... countered by "Sure I can. But if I do will you explain why you feel it necessary to take more in oil and gas taxes than we do in profits?" LOL... the look on the politician's face at that moment would be priceless.