Is Exxon's (XOM) 9% margin "windfall profits"? Then what about the 2,300 companies making 10% and more?

Is Exxon’s (XOM) 9% margin “windfall profits”? Then what about the 2,300 companies making 10% and more?

Today's Financial News - Posted August 12, 2008

For Obama and others unfamiliar with the term “margins,” the profits recently reported by Exxon Mobil (NYSE:XOM) may indeed look high. No wonder liberals would like oil company investors to buy their candidate’s presidency.

Click here to view…

by J. Christoph Amberger

Baltimore — (TFN): Responding to my article “Obama expects Exxon Mobil Corp. (XOM) investors to buy him his presidency”, the base for this week’s Smackdown, reader PK de C’ville responded:

“If you keep on referring to Obama as ‘The Anointed One’, will that sarcastic smear be enough to get Sen McCain elected? Have you lost your minds? Do you think another 4 years of Republican leadership is good for this country? If you do, argue that. Stop with the sly bullshit. Or some will start commenting on ‘Angry Mr Magoo’. Let’s see now. America votes and people are thinking, ‘Should I vote for The Anointed One or Angry Mr Magoo?’ Hope you get my point. Let’s get out of the gutter and seriously honor the choice we have to make this November. It’s called good citizenship. Regards and I mean no disrespect to Sen McCain or Sen Obama.”

The question at this point seems to be not if four more years of a Republican Administration is “good for this country”. It is “whose program will prevent the United States from becoming a complete economic basket-case.”

Based on Obama’s platform, the question if, at the beginning of what could be a protracted global recession, a heavy-handed tax and confiscation policy (let’s call the “windfall redistribution” by its proper name) is truly commendable seems easy to answer:

Finish reading here…

****Make sure you sign up for our FREE TFN News Feed for breaking news, special reports and new financial videos. Sign up through your favorite reader here. Or, if you prefer, have the feed delivered to your email.