Republicans know where their bread is buttered
Republicans block extra taxes on oil companies
Republicans help out their Big Oil buddies:
WASHINGTON - Senate Republicans blocked a proposal Tuesday to tax the windfall profits of the largest oil companies, despite pleas by Democratic leaders to use the measure to address America’s anger over $4 a gallon gasoline.
The Democratic energy package would have imposed a tax on any “unreasonable” profits of the five largest U.S. oil companies and given the federal government more power to address oil market speculation that the bill’s supporters argue has added to the crude oil price surge.
“The American people are clamoring for relief at the pump,” said Sen. Pete Domenici, R-N.M., but if taxes are increased on the oil companies “they will get exactly what they don’t want. The bill will raise taxes, increase imports.”
And screw alternative energy development:
Separately, Democrats also failed to get Republican support for a proposal to extend tax breaks for wind, solar and other alternative energy development, and for the promotion of energy efficiency and conservation. The tax breaks have either expired or are scheduled to end this year.
Of course the article ends with letting Republicans get he last word, Paraphrasing: We can fix the problem at the pump by drilling in Alaska.
What the AP article fails to mention is that drilling in ANWR is a bad idea and will not solve our problems at the pump. As we’ve known it since least 2004:
House Energy Bill Rewards Oil and Gas Industry, Ignores the Problem
Drilling in Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) will do nothing to relieve our dependency on foreign oil. The House leadership is attempting to buy votes for drilling in ANWR – the centerpiece of the Bush administration’s energy plan – by linking proceeds to health care costs of retired coal mine workers. This ploy does not change the proposal’s fundamental flaws. Drilling in ANWR would likely produce only 3.2 billion barrels of oil, according to the U.S. Geological Survey, not even enough to satisfy six months’ demand; oil would not begin to reach the market for another 10 years; and it would take 50 years to extract the full amount. For this pittance, the House leadership and the administration are willing to disturb hundreds of acres of pristine wildlife habitat.
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