WAR is a Racket

There is one rule that works in every calamity. Be it pestilence, war, or famine, the rich get richer and poor get poorer. The poor even help arrange it.

Will Rogers

With the cost of gas ticking up daily because of this “trumped-up” Iranian war, and the blockade of the Gulf of Hormuz, Americans can soon see five or six dollars for a gallon of gas, which will likely impact prices, and strain everyone’s pocketbook. Everyone except the ruling class oligarchs, who will monetize destruction and death by wartime profiteering. The biggest winners of this baseless illegal war will be the military industrial complex, which makes the munitions and the oil companies that have historically made windfall profits during times of conflict.

If the government was really concerned about the cost of gas, they could do several things to keep prices stable: suspend the federal tax on gas, which is currently 18.4 cents per gallon; or cut the state and local sales tax, which range from 35 cents to 45 per gallon depending on the state. These tax reductions could at least keep gas affordable in the short term, while gas quantity is insecure.

Last year Exxon— the largest and most profitable company in America— made 28.8 billion in profits in 2025 and paid little to no U.S. taxes. Profits increase as gas prices increase. What would happen if the oil companies decided to show some patriotism and limit their profits and reinvest access profits back in the business, to reduce the cost to the retail consumer? That would be considered heresy and an insult to capitalism where war is essential.

The C.E.O of Exxon makes 44.1 million dollars a year in salary and other bonuses. What would happen if all the top oil executives had their salaries cut by half and only made 20 million dollars for a year or two. I think they would survive. Did you know Exxon produces 4.7 million barrels of oil per day, and each barrel has 42 gallons. My point is Gas doesn’t need to be expensive; it is only expensive because of pure the greed capitalism. War has always been a way to economic stimulus ruling classes.

There was once a highly decorated Marine Major General named Smedley Darlington Butler, the most decorated American military officer in American history (July 30, 1881 – June 21, 1940). After serving in several military campaigns in various countries around the world, he retired and wrote a book called War is A Racket, where he outlives his belief, all war has a profit motive and the miliary are government gangsters for the rich and powerful.

He published that book in 1935, and nothing has changed. Butler’s best-selling book detailed how the government uses the military to essentially hijack weak nations to force them to bend to the will of the capitalist oligarch.