At least they're turning off lights...
It's an election year, so it's not surprising that Congress has begun to "get serious" about price gouging and inflated profits in the oil industry. Of course, the "investigation" Bush is spearheading will undoubtedly result in nothing more than rhetoric. Tough talk with little action. Now that political "outrage" over the price of gas has begun to be voiced on Capitol Hill, let's all take a moment to reflect on three key facts:
1. The GOP Congress gave the oil industry over $2 billion in tax breaks in August of 2005.
2. Oil and gas companies [will] receive about $10 billion in tax breaks over the next five years
3. Much of Congress (and of course Bush himself) took millions from the oil industry to run their campaigns.
At least we can find it reassuring that Dennis Hastert is doing his part:
"Here at the Capitol, we're switching off all unnecessary lights, unplugging equipment that drains energy when not in use and turning off computers and monitors when they are not being used," Hastert said.
Comments
how about suspending government taxes on gas? i think i heard somewhere they account for almost 30% of the price at the pump?
Posted by: mike d | May 1, 2006 11:08 AM
Personal responsibility is dead.
Posted by: Anonymous | April 29, 2006 06:41 PM
The tax breaks are linked to investment in new drilling tech, renewable energy research, depletion allowances (which lower the cost of transferring resources away from inefficient wells), etc. This isn't just free cash to the oil industry. That's what makes me so pissed about the energy debate, inclusive of the kind of dribble you find on this website. So you're upset about the tax breaks to the oil industry, right? So that means you're in favor of higher taxes on the oil industry, so Congress can just pass the money along to consumers in the form of tokenary "gas tax holidays" or *shudder* outright cash rebates to taxpayers, who can then turn around and give it right back to the oil industry at the pump? Yeah, real efficient...
The people who are griping about gas prices are often the same people who are griping about Iraq. The gravy train of cheap oil from the 90's reverses course, consumers start paying competitive prices at the pump, the approval rating of politicians on both sides of the aisle plummets, and you wonder why we're in Iraq? The American consumer (irrespective of political view) talks a big game, but has chosen time and time again job growth, cheap gasoline prices, and dependable sources of petrochemicals over conservation, new energy sources, and non-intervention in the Middle East. Each and everyone of us is responsible for the mess this country has gotten itself in.
Posted by: trev | April 28, 2006 01:58 PM
Has'terd' just got caught:
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/060427/480/dcpm10904272019
House Speaker Dennis Hastert of Ill., center, gets out of a Hydrogen Alternative Fueled automobile, left, as he prepares to board his SUV, which uses gasoline, after holding a new conference at a local gas station in Washington, Thursday, April 27, 2006 to discuss the recent rise in gas prices. Hastert and other members of Congress drove off in the Hydrogen-Fueled cars only to switch to their official cars to drive back the few block back to the U.S. Capitol. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
Posted by: Dook | April 27, 2006 08:10 PM
At some point, all of these bozos will not be able to keep the imbeciles commonly known as 'the American public' from understanding at least the basics of peak oil theory. Hopefully, said imbeciles will remember the supply/demand paradigm from high school economics and demand that their leaders *really* develop renewable fuel sources, not just talk about them the way Bush did the other week. And then maybe 'alternate media' like *this* pile of stench will focus on the real problem (of course, they'll pretend like they understood the real problem all along).
Posted by: paul cox | April 27, 2006 03:52 PM
What a bunch of douche bags.
Posted by: Dook | April 27, 2006 01:04 PM
oops, thanks. no coffee yet. we're dumb
Posted by: FREEwilliamsburg | April 27, 2006 11:50 AM
exactly what i was about to ask....
they are = they're.
english and journalism majors, unite!
Posted by: Christine Ann(e)-Clare | April 27, 2006 11:34 AM
THEY'RE doing what?
Posted by: strunk white | April 27, 2006 11:28 AM