Thank you for deciding not pass the energy bill that would have ended tax breaks on the oil companies. Because in the midst of the greatest corporate profits in history, you seem to think that oil companies need subsidy. Also, lets eliminate the requirement to start using renewable energy sources too.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/13/AR2007121300281.html

12/13/2007 12:50:22 PM

I think there were a few Dems that voted against em too... like Landrieu

12/13/2007 1:09:28 PM

and of course lieberman (like he was ever really a dem in the first place)

but hopefully this will mean that this bill will get passed.

[Edited on December 13, 2007 at 1:27 PM. Reason : .]

12/13/2007 1:27:06 PM

YOU ARE SO VERY WELCOME!!!

that billed sucked !! and im glad it went down!!!

12/13/2007 1:30:23 PM

^^^rofl

a few democrats>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>multiple republicans

12/13/2007 1:30:43 PM

^^are you talking about the whole bill? or just the part that took away tax cuts to oil companies? because the rest of the bill (keeping the tax credits to oil companies) will likely be passed before the end of the year.

[Edited on December 13, 2007 at 1:34 PM. Reason : .]

12/13/2007 1:33:30 PM

Quote :

"Because in the midst of the greatest corporate profits in history"

well why don't you invest in XOM and other energy companies so you can enjoy some of the profits too. Unless they are doing something to manipulate the markets or are doing something illegal behind the scenes then I do not see why people are so angry about the oil profits.

With such as profitability the free market will eventually correct itself by find alternative energy sources and other players joining the market to steal the profits.

12/13/2007 1:50:27 PM

you speak of free markets, but oil companies are being given tax credits, which seems a little contrary to free markets.

12/13/2007 1:55:59 PM

you're welcome!

12/13/2007 1:56:22 PM

^^Honestly, who doesn't get tax credits?

Small businesses
agribusiness
Businesses that recycle
Businesses that use renewable energy
renewable energy producers
homeowners
students
married people
poor people
rich people

etc...

OMFG BILLION DOLLAR CORPORATIONS GETTING TAX BREAKS!!!1

Welcome to the club. There are special interests everywhere.

12/13/2007 2:14:46 PM

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/13/washington/13cnd-energy.html?hp

Quote :

"The only senator not voting was John McCain, Republican of Arizona, who is campaigning for president in Iowa."

I guess actually doing one's job is simply too unimportant compared to matters as vital as say, self-aggrandizement.

That aside, I'm fully okay with taking away tax breaks for oil companies, but then, if you're going to support that, how can you legitimately turn around and say that wind and solar deserve tax breaks? Effectively it's simply a matter of playing favorites for the Industry of the Day. So... why don't we just dump all the subsidies and let the market figure things out, especially as fossil fuel energy sources begin to rise? (I mean, I know, it's an amazing concept that would never work - letting increasing scarcity price out fossil fuels from the market rather than doing so by federal decree, but work with me here.)

12/13/2007 2:15:40 PM

^^i know. but it seems strange to use a "free market" defense for a tax credit.

12/13/2007 2:19:34 PM

Quote :

"turn around and say that wind and solar deserve tax breaks"

we are trying to support R&D into new technology. ExXon Mobil a Gigantic Corporation does not need help.

12/13/2007 2:35:09 PM

Quote :

"I think there were a few Dems that voted against em too... like Landrieu"

One. One fucking Democrat.

Quote :

"well why don't you invest in XOM and other energy companies so you can enjoy some of the profits too. Unless they are doing something to manipulate the markets or are doing something illegal behind the scenes then I do not see why people are so angry about the oil profits."

XOM is providing money to legislators through campaign donations and lobbyists to vote against measures to correct market abuses. They say no to fighting global warming,no to reintroducing lapsed taxes on offshore oil rights, no releasing the strategic oil reserve to lower prices, no to upping fuel efficiency standards. They are buying votes to solidify their place in the markets.

[Edited on December 13, 2007 at 2:37 PM. Reason : .]

12/13/2007 2:37:02 PM

well stop voting these douches into congress.

^ that is the kind of manipulation that I favor regulation of.

but a company like Apple who through innovation has been having enormous profits shouldn't be punished for creating excessive profits.

[Edited on December 13, 2007 at 2:39 PM. Reason : a]

12/13/2007 2:38:00 PM

i really don't know what relevance that has to this debate

12/13/2007 2:40:19 PM

In America, free market = privatizing corporations' profits while socializing their losses.

12/13/2007 3:06:54 PM

No that is George W's Corporate Welfare Economic Policy.

Hillary's plan
Punish with more taxes those who work hard to make money
Give out handouts to anyone that does not feel like working or thinks they deserve more eventhough their life ambition consists of nothing more then flipping hamburgers at McD's.

[Edited on December 13, 2007 at 3:15 PM. Reason : aa]

12/13/2007 3:14:41 PM

you really know how to avoid the topic at hand

12/13/2007 3:15:34 PM

how did obama and clinton vote for this but mccain did not?

arent all 3 of them campaigning right now? do they like race back to washington to vote and then leave again?

12/13/2007 3:40:42 PM

that's exactly what they did actually. they were just in a debate in iowa.

12/13/2007 3:41:28 PM

Quote :

"but a company like Apple who through innovation has been having enormous profits shouldn't be punished for creating excessive profits."

I agree, but Apple's products don't send a ripple effect through the market and raise prices on all other goods through inflation.

12/13/2007 3:44:49 PM

Quote :

"HUR: we are trying to support R&D into new technology. ExXon Mobil a Gigantic Corporation does not need help."

The oil companies turn around and make the same argument. "We're investing in new resource recovery technologies! We're providing energy more cheaply than we otherwise would!"

Look, you can't pick favorites to subsidize and still claim to be in favor of the free market, much less even be consistent. Even if you think you're handing out subsidies to "the good guys" for "all the right reasons."

12/13/2007 3:51:53 PM

IF YOU HAVEN'T FIGURED IT OUT YET THERE IS A SHIT TON OF OIL MONEY IN THE GOVERNMENT RIGHT NOW.

12/13/2007 3:58:43 PM

Quote :

"I guess actually doing one's job is simply too unimportant compared to matters as vital as say, self-aggrandizement."

McCain may be the worst in the pack but he's hardly the only one playing hookie.

http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/110/senate/vote-missers/

McCain (R-AZ) 54.8%
Biden (D-DE) 36.9%
Dodd (D-CT) 35.5%
Obama (D-IL) 35.2%
Brownback (R-KS) 31.7%
Clinton (D-NY) 20.3%

Move the cut off to the August recess and...

Quote :

"According to washingtonpost.com's U.S. Congress Votes Database, Obama has missed 74 out of 93 roll-call votes (79.6%) since the end of the August congressional recess. McCain has missed 63 out of 93 roll-call votes (67.8%) since the end of the August congressional recess."

12/13/2007 4:06:57 PM

^ I love it. What the hell are we paying these people for?!

12/13/2007 4:20:00 PM

Quote :

"McCain may be the worst in the pack but he's hardly the only one playing hookie."

are you kidding me??? you really put mccain behind those right wing christian bafoons i.e huckabee and romney

12/13/2007 4:33:35 PM

Quote :

"are you kidding me??? you really put mccain behind those right wing christian bafoons i.e huckabee and romney"

I have no idea how Huckabee or Romney came into this point. I was simply pointing out that while Senator McCain has skipped a lot of votes, he's not the only congressman who's skipped a lot of votes for, as you put it, self-aggrandizement.

12/13/2007 5:00:54 PM