"They ensure the lowest price for crude through monopolistic practices, and they ensure the highest prices for retail products through monopolistic practices."

OK, "They ensure the lowest price for crude through monopolistic practices" Now explain to us how they do that, i.e. ensure lowest prices for crude. Is $70+ a barrel the "lowest price for crude"? Or does that just happen to be the market rate? What price do you think they would prefer it to be and then tell us all why through "monopolistic practices" they can't force the price of supply down to meet that.