Senate Republicans block taxes on oil majors

[Ripley]

Source: MSNBC Breaking News online

WASHINGTON - Senate Republicans have blocked a Democratic plan to tax the windfall profits of the largest oil companies.

Democrats on Tuesday failed, 51-43, to get the 60 votes needed to overcome a GOP filibuster of the energy package, and bring the bill up for consideration.

Democrats said the huge profits enjoyed by the largest U.S. oil companies should be reined with motorists paying more than $4 a gallon for gasoline and oil prices soaring well beyond $100 a barrel. But Republican critics said higher taxes on oil companies would increase — not lower — gasoline prices and reduce the incentive for domestic oil exploration and production.

(entire article so far)


Read more: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25078420/

[geomon666]

1. Ya filthy war mongering pigs.

Squeeze every dollar out that you can until November pigs.

[Ripley]

2. I'd like to know how all the Dems voted. nt.

[lonestarnot]

8. Me too! Where's the vote count!

[xyouth]

12. Roll call

http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=110&session=2&vote=00146

DEM NAYs
Landrieu (D-LA) Usual
Reid (D-NV) Don't Get it?

Not Voting
Byrd (D-WV) Old and sick.
Clinton (D-NY) Not ready to piss off the oil companies
Kennedy(D-MA) Just had brain surgery
Obama (D-IL) Also does not want to piss off big oil at this time.

[roguevalley]

20. nice dem commercial, showing the faces of the pugs would be

nice given the gas prices now. go, dnc

[OhioChick]

3. Well, color me surprised.... n/t

[acmavm]

4. I hope the republicans voters are paying attention to how their

guys are all for letting them get stiffed while the predator class gets richer.

[Spouting Horn]

5. But how

would a "windfall profits" tax lower prices at the pump?

[lonestarnot]

9. Who gives a shit!

[roguevalley]

21. I believe that gas prices are inflated by the companies because

driving is down, oil has fallen a couple of times and the prices keep going up. I personally want oil nationalized. no buttholes should own a resource this important that theoretically belongs to all of us. Fuck them. Put them all in prison.

[KansDem]

22. In agreement 100%

I personally want oil nationalized. no buttholes should own a resource this important that theoretically belongs to all of us. Fuck them. Put them all in prison.

[knixphan]

23. I'm with KansDem!

Make oil part of the commons...

and get the pre-Reagan solar panels up.

[primavera]

32. And another voice in favor!

This is precisely why most countries do nationalize their vital national resources, to protect them from profiteering. Of course, in this country, profiteering and piracy are considered positives, a healthy part of our beloved free market economy, so I guess we're just screwed.

[mcollier]

6. Here is where the debate should be

McCain and republicans side with the oil companies and corporate welfare and tax breaks.

Obama and democrats side with the American people and provided them with real solutions to energy issues.

Why should our tax dollars (billions) be given to record profitting oil companies?

Haven't we paid enough? Do you want to continue paying higher and higher?

[lark]

24. Obama didn't take a side - get real

How long will it take for the people here to realize he's not the answer to our dreams. He's another DLC type who's afraid to take a major stand. The best thing about him is he's better than the alternative.

[lonestarnot]

7. Solid evidence that pugs are in the pocket of big oil tycoons!

Rub it in their faces!

[Tempest]

10. Yet another Repug filibuster

Time to use the nuclear option.

:sarcasm:

[FatDave]

11. Yeah, I was thinking the same thing.

Remember how they threatened democrats? If we filibustered they'd do away with the filibuster? Then we get the majority and it turns into a god-damned republican filibuster party. Fuck, I hate those cocksuckers with every fiber of my being.

[Kaleko]

13. Aye! You guys saved me a whole post.

[PittPoliSci]

15. bush would have vetoed it anyway.

[safeinOhio]

14. So ya want lower prices?

Get rid of big oil. Break em up into small competitive companies. I've noticed all the small independent stations are at least a few cents cheaper than "big oil" stations. No more owning the wells, refineries and distributors. Take the big 4 or 5 and make about 4 or 5 HUNDRED. Let em drill on OUR federal land and tax em 50% to use OUR oil to sell back to us or China. If some one buys futures, they must take delivery. 55mph speeds. This is just too easy.

[slackmaster]

34. That actually makes more sense than raising taxes on them

I've never understood how imposing a windfall profits tax (of less than the windfall amount) is supposed to discourage price gouging.

[SpiralHawk]

16. "My cronies and I love this. Sneer." - VP Dickie 'Five Military Deferments' Cheney

[guitar man]

17. sickening

a trillion dollar war on behalf of big oil and they can't be asked to pay for one goddamned dime of it! sickening! :grr:

[Plucketeer]

18. Yet another

instance of GOP NON-thinking. Of course, they don't HAVE TO THINK! Their corporate masters do it for them. GOP :dunce:'s - one and all.

[mcollier]

19. Hello...Hello?

Stop voting against your economic interests.

When I see billions of tax credit corporate welfare being given to Oil and Pharmacutical companies it makes me sick...

Why is it the republican leadership stand with the lazy corporate freeloaders and the democrats stand with ordinary everyday struggling Americans?

What about the 1 trillion dollars that the Fed Reserve has injected into the Financial markets over the past 8 months..? Who is paying for that? Who is getting benefitted from that?

Why are our tax dollars being given away to Corporations at a .01 percet interest rate so these scum companies can turn around and lend that money back to hard working tax payers at a rate of 6.35 to 35 percent interest rate... And even higher???

If you don't realize what the Fuk is going on, then God help you...

[Dont_Bogart_the_Pretzel]

25. I wonder how many kickback$ they are getting by blocking it.?

somebody making some serious bonuses in the Senate.

[tired]

26. Republicans Block Extra Taxes On Oil Companies

Source: Huffington Post

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.


--Snip--

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.

Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/06/10/republicans-block-extra-t_n_106282.html

---

Speechless

[darue]

27. what the hell is wrong with these damned Republicans? march them all to jail

they're traitors and ignorant fools every one. What a fucking outrage!

[Ilsa]

28. Thank you, tired! I just spread that one around the internets. nt

[Earth_First]

29. Chalk another one up for the Democratic majority!

This portion really annoys me:

"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."

[BlueJazz]

30. The Democrats should be happy.

They have some great "Ammunition" to fire at the Repugs come election season.

[theoldman]

31. One way or another the national dept must be paid off.

The only way to do this is to stop spending a little and raise taxes a little. You cannot tax the poor because they don't have any money. You have to tax the ones who have the money.

[OneBlueSky]

33. so . . . which senators are owned by which oil companies? . . .

inquiring minds want to know . . .