Senate GOP blocks windfall taxes on Big Oil
By H. JOSEF HEBERT, Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON - Saved by Senate Republicans, big oil companies dodged an attempt Tuesday to slap them with a windfall profits tax and take away billions of dollars in tax breaks in response to the record gasoline prices that have the nation fuming.
GOP senators shoved aside the Democratic proposal, arguing that punishing Big Oil won't do a thing to lower the $4-a-gallon-price of gasoline that is sending economic waves across the country. High prices at the pump are threatening everything from summer vacations to Meals on Wheels deliveries to the elderly.
The Democratic energy package would have imposed a 25 percent tax on any "unreasonable" profits of the five largest U.S. oil companies, which together made $36 billion during the first three months of the year. It also would have given the government more power to address oil market speculation, opened the way for antitrust actions against countries belonging to the OPEC oil cartel, and made energy price gouging a federal crime. . .
Shortly after the oil tax vote, Republicans blocked a second proposal that would extend tax breaks that have either expired or are scheduled to end this year for wind, solar and other alternative energy development, and for the promotion of energy efficiency and conservation. Again Democrats couldn't get the 60 votes to overcome a GOP filibuster
Not only do they give the oil companies free reign to stick it in your ass and break it off, they say "fuck you" to alternative energy. How brain dead are these corporate sponsored bastards? Obviously they feel they have no chance of winning in Nov., so they're selling their votes to the highest bidders. . . and we all know who that is; the companies with the highest profits.
Remember this every time you walk into a voting booth and pull the level on some corporate facist republican. And all you dumb fucks who voted for these bought-and-paid-for corporate lackeys; are ya proud of that vote you cast. Are you glad you got to keep your guns and prevented so many babies from dying and saved your marriage from those godless, queer loving democrats? And just think, 1 out of 4 American approve of the job MoronMonkeyBoy Bush the Chimp is doing. Almost half of all American voters say they will vote for the next corpo-fascist lap dog monkeyboy McBuch/McCain.
What a bunch of stupid sorry ass voters we have in this country.
The founding fathers feared the stupidity and self interests of the common voter. We can see how that fear was so terribly justified in todays political environment.
BTW: Even Alexander Hamilton agreed that there were times when the federal government would have to step in and regulate and control certain segments of enterprise.
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4 comments:
The GOP has no shame, especially when they're getting payoffs from lobbyists behind the scenes. Maybe things will change when the house and senate get an infusion of democrats and when they know that a President Obama will sign their bills.
On another subject, I thought about your music-loving self when I did a musical post this evening. Let's keep the faith but continue to push for change.
I'm not holding my breath waiting for the dems to step up to the table of humanity. I hate to be cynical, but they seem to have gotten as bad as the repubs on many levels.
I loved your post when I read it this AM.
Hope you like the Screamin Jay vid. I first saw him when I was in my 20s and I never got over what a balz out don't give a shit let er rip guy he was.
I agree, Sagacious - I ain't holding my breath either. I'll need it for all that walking I'll have to do when I can't afford to drive anymore.
Those who suffer the most from high gas prices will be rural folks who can't just walk or ride their bikes.
Although, I was up in the middle of Ohio the other day and saw some Amish folks who had the right idea.
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