The price [of oil] is set on the world market by willing buyers and sellers.

Our numbers are huge because the scale of our industry is huge.

It makes no sense to talk of the social obligations of the corporation without reference to its economic obligations. The two are intertwined.

Ethical conduct is something that becomes inherent in an organization over a long period of time.

In politics time is measured in increments of two, four and six years.

We have seen that in this country in the last few years, particularly on Wall Street, with the rise of the old human frailty of greed. This occurs when people begin to serve only their own needs to the detriment of everyone else.

We should seek a system that provides outlets for those skills and talents so that everyone can find a way to work and serve in a manner that best suits the strengths of each individual.

History teaches us that punitive measures hastily crafted in response to short-term rises in prices will have unintended consequences and disincentives to investment.

Without competition, the spectacular development of technology that we have seen in the last one hundred years in this country would not have happened.

The competitive instinct is what I think drives organizations and people to become better and better. It can promote change toward progress and development, which is good for everybody. It can be the motivating force behind improvement in our social well-being that is far beyond anything we might have imagined on our own.

In order to gain the tools to fully address the broad impact of business on society, economic success is indispensable.

The market system requires that people be committed and willing to work hard. Inherent with that is what I call a merit system, which I think gives people the greatest opportunity.

It was a tough balancing act.

There are no quick fixes and there are no short-term solutions.

When you add it all up, that energy legislation is zero on how it affects Exxon Mobil.

Petroleum earnings go up and down with the volatility in the openly and globally traded commodities in which we deal. ... History teaches us that punitive measures hastily crafted in reception to short-term market manipulations, will likely have unintended negative consequences including creating disincentives for investment.

History teaches us that punitive measures, hastily crafted in reaction to short-term market fluctuations, will likely have unintended negative consequences.

It is unfortunate that there are people who say that capitalism is inherently immoral. I do not view it that way at all. I think that capitalism, more than any other system, gives a person the capability, through economic growth and economic development, to provide more opportunity to people.