The problem with the oil companies is that they were making record profits. They were at the same time, crushing fueling our economy.
The big bad oil companies are some of the chief producers that keep this nation going. Not only do they produce the fuels vital to our transportation and industrial networks, they also provide hundreds of thousands of jobs. All those hundreds of thousands of workers put money back into the system whenever they purchase anything.
@ Muffinmix - Yeah, you probably could blame most of the ills of the world on America...but then again, take a look around....
China - Mass pollution, child sweat shops, billions living below the poverty line, apathetic communist
(term used lightly) government.
Korea - Nuclear proliferation, deteriorating conditions in the north, millions starving or homeless, looming threat of war
Middle East - Need I say more? Waring tribes, unstable pseudo governments, abusive alliances, mass destruction, a war a 1000 years old