距离选举日还有一周多一点的时间，美国总统乔·拜登(Joe Biden)向油气公司发出了某种最后通牒:要么提高产量，要么提高税率。
拜登周一下午在白宫与财政部长珍妮特·耶伦(Janet Yellen)和能源部长詹妮弗·格兰霍尔姆(Jennifer Granholm)一起发表讲话时说，“这些公司是时候停止牟取战争暴利，履行他们对这个国家的责任，让美国人民休息一下，仍然做得很好。”
拜登威胁说，如果公司不增加产量和炼油能力以压低加油站的价格，将对超额利润征收更高的税，并采取其他限制措施。
“我的团队将与国会合作，研究我们和其他人可以利用的这些选择，”他说。国会目前处于休会期，议员们将在11月8日的选举前回国参加竞选活动，并为他们喜欢的候选人进行游说。
石油公司获得了惊人的利润，而美国人却在支付更高的能源价格。
埃克森美孚上周表示，第三季度的净收入为197亿美元，创下了有史以来的最高水平。雪佛龙报告利润为110亿美元，而壳牌利润为95亿美元。
“我的意思是利润如此之高，令人难以置信，”拜登说，他指责公司将利润返还给股东，并回购他们的股票。
“饶了我吧，够了，”拜登补充道。
President Joe Biden arrives to deliver remarks on oil company profits in the Roosevelt Room of the White House on Oct. 31, 2022, in Washington, D.C.
德鲁·安格雷尔/盖蒂图片社
根据美国汽车协会的数据，截至周一，全国平均每加仑汽油价格为3.76美元。这比一年前的油价高出了30美分。
拜登说，如果石油公司将超额利润转移给消费者，油价将下降50美分。
更高的能源价格也影响到制造商，这些成本通常通过提高食品、服装、家具等价格转嫁给消费者。通货膨胀率处于几十年未见的水平，9月份消费者价格指数上涨0.4%，过去12个月消费者价格总水平上涨8.2%。
根据一项新的调查，近一半的美国人认为经济(26%)或通货膨胀(23%)是这个中期周期最重要的问题投票由ABC新闻和益普索调查。
共和党人在他们的中期信息中抓住了高价格，将通胀归咎于民主党的政策和支出计划。美国广播公司新闻/益普索民意调查发现，近四分之三的共和党人将这两个经济问题作为优先事项。
Biden, days before midterms, accuses oil companies of 'war profiteering' on gas prices
President Joe Biden, little more than a week away from Election Day, presented something of an ultimatum to gas and oil companies: ramp up production or pay a higher tax rate.
"It's time for these companies to stop war profiteering, meet their responsibilities to this country, give the American people a break and still do very well," Biden said as he spoke from the White House on Monday afternoon alongside Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm.
Biden threatened imposing a higher tax on excess profits and other restrictions if companies don't increase production and refining capacity to drive down prices at the pump.
"My team will work with Congress to look at these options that are available to us and others," he said. Congress is currently in recess as lawmakers return home to campaign and stump for their preferred candidates ahead of the Nov. 8 elections.
Oil companies have made staggering profits while Americans are paying higher energy prices.
ExxonMobil said last week it had its highest earnings ever for the third quarter, with a net income of $19.7 billion. Chevron reported making $11 billion in profits, while Shell made $9.5 billion in profits.
"What I mean is profits so high it's hard to believe," Biden said, accusing companies of passing the profits back to shareholders and buying back their stock.
"Give me a break, enough is enough," Biden added.
As of Monday, the national average for a gallon of gas was $3.76, according to the American Automobile Association. That's 30 cents higher than the price of gas a year ago.
If oil companies passed on their excess profits to consumers, Biden said the price of gas would go down by 50 cents.
Higher energy prices also impact manufacturers, and those costs are often passed down to consumers by raising prices on food, clothing, furniture and more. Inflation is at a level not seen in decades, with the consumer price index rising 0.4% in September and consumer prices overall rising 8.2% in the last 12 months.
Nearly half of Americans say either the economy (26%) or inflation (23%) is the most important issue this midterm cycle, according to a newpollconducted by ABC News and Ipsos.
Republicans have seized on high prices in their midterm messaging, blaming inflation on Democratic policies and spending packages. The ABC News/Ipsos poll found nearly three out of four Republicans point to the two economic concerns as a priority.
