Monday, May 23, 2011 by OtherWords
Instead of working for the American people, many lawmakers are shilling for Big Oil.
by Kate Colarulli
Over Memorial Day weekend, tens of millions of Americans will take road trips, emptying their wallets at the pump.
The oil industry hardly needs the boost this year. Just in the first quarter of 2011, oil companies posted billions of dollars in profits. They're raking it in while working families are shelling out their earnings to pay at the pump. On top of those massive profits, the oil industry also benefits from tax breaks of $4 billion each year.
Outrageously, Big Oil believes that it somehow deserves this special treatment. ConocoPhillips CEO Jim Mulva recently went as far as to call repealing oil industry tax breaks "un-American."
Adding insult to injury, lawmakers in the Senate have been unable to get the 60 votes they need to end these tax breaks. GOP leaders blocked altogether a recent attempt to bring up the issue for a vote in the House of Representatives. At a time when Americans are struggling to support their families, put food on the table, and fill up their gas tanks, giveaways to Big Oil make no sense.
As Congress continues to pass bills favorable to Big Oil — from accelerating the issue of off-shore drilling permits to shelling out oil industry tax breaks — we continue to see signs that our leaders are more interested in helping campaign contributors than average Americans.
According to the Center for Responsive Politics, House members who voted to continue oil subsidies received, on average, five times more money in 2010 from oil and gas interests. Instead of working for the American people, many of these members of Congress are shilling for Big Oil.
Public support for ending oil industry subsidies is overwhelming. A recent NBC/Wall Street Journal poll found that 74 percent of voters support eliminating oil company tax breaks. It's clear that we need leaders who will stand up to Big Oil and support the American people's call to eliminate its tax loopholes.
Instead of working for the American people, many lawmakers are shilling for Big Oil.
by Kate Colarulli
Over Memorial Day weekend, tens of millions of Americans will take road trips, emptying their wallets at the pump.
The oil industry hardly needs the boost this year. Just in the first quarter of 2011, oil companies posted billions of dollars in profits. They're raking it in while working families are shelling out their earnings to pay at the pump. On top of those massive profits, the oil industry also benefits from tax breaks of $4 billion each year.
Outrageously, Big Oil believes that it somehow deserves this special treatment. ConocoPhillips CEO Jim Mulva recently went as far as to call repealing oil industry tax breaks "un-American."
Adding insult to injury, lawmakers in the Senate have been unable to get the 60 votes they need to end these tax breaks. GOP leaders blocked altogether a recent attempt to bring up the issue for a vote in the House of Representatives. At a time when Americans are struggling to support their families, put food on the table, and fill up their gas tanks, giveaways to Big Oil make no sense.
As Congress continues to pass bills favorable to Big Oil — from accelerating the issue of off-shore drilling permits to shelling out oil industry tax breaks — we continue to see signs that our leaders are more interested in helping campaign contributors than average Americans.
According to the Center for Responsive Politics, House members who voted to continue oil subsidies received, on average, five times more money in 2010 from oil and gas interests. Instead of working for the American people, many of these members of Congress are shilling for Big Oil.
Public support for ending oil industry subsidies is overwhelming. A recent NBC/Wall Street Journal poll found that 74 percent of voters support eliminating oil company tax breaks. It's clear that we need leaders who will stand up to Big Oil and support the American people's call to eliminate its tax loopholes.
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