Democrats hope to use anger over BP disaster to pass tax on oil production

Los Angeles Times / latimes.com ^ | June 27, 2010 | 9:40 p.m. | By Shane Goldmacher, Los Angeles Times

[thecodont]

Reporting from Sacramento — — As crude oil continues to gush into the Gulf of Mexico, many California Democrats are hoping to seize on the public mood created by the crisis to push through a new tax on oil production to help balance the state's beleaguered budget.

A proposed levy on oil production is at the core of both Democratic budget plans circulating in Sacramento, and thus will be on the table in upcoming budget talks with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. And though the Republican governor has emphatically said he is opposed to new taxes this year, he has supported the oil tax in the past. Perhaps more importantly, his relations with the oil companies — some of which are trying to dismantle his signature environmental achievement — are at an all-time low.

Democrats are confident they have finally hit upon a source of new revenue that voters won't loathe to help patch the budget shortfall.

[thecodont]

California is the only major oil-producing state not to charge companies for extracting oil. (Al Seib, Los Angeles Times / June 23, 2008)

California is the only major oil-producing state not to charge companies for pumping it out of the ground, Democrats are quick to note, though the state taxes the resource in other ways. Schwarzenegger himself endorsed an oil extraction tax in 2008, but he has opposed any new taxes since May 2009. That is when voters, by a nearly 2-1 margin, rejected extending several hikes that lawmakers and Schwarzenegger had approved months earlier to shrink the deficit.

[…]

"Oil companies are not in the highest regard right now," Assembly Budget Committee Chairman Bob Blumenfield (D-Woodland Hills) said. "That's not a reason to pick on them, but it is a reason for folks to say, 'Wait a second, there may be something here.' "

[EagleUSA]

All these reprobates can do is TAX. They serve only themselves.

[Salvation]

Nothing restrains anger, curbs pride, heals the wound of malice, bridles self-indulgence, quenches the passions, checks avarice and puts unclean thoughts to flight, as does the name of Jesus.

— St. Bernard

[FlingWingFlyer]

That’s it America! Get pissed off at BP so Barry the Kenyan will have an excuse to lay a massive tax on YOUR @$$!

[blackbart.223]

"Nothing restrains anger, curbs pride, heals the wound of malice, bridles self-indulgence, quenches the passions, checks avarice and puts unclean thoughts to flight, as does the name of Jesus."

Don't expect Obama Et Al to take that under advisement.

[Domandred]

Yea punish American companies for something a British company did.

Never let a crisis go to waste.

[historyrepeatz]

Fewer ships cleaning up the mess as a result of willful Gov’t negligence.. MORE ANGER! That was the plan.

[blackbart.223]

"That’s it America! Get pissed off at BP so Barry the Kenyan will have an excuse to lay a massive tax on YOUR @$$!"

You are someone who gets it. I pray there are many more like you. The Republic depends on it.

[historyrepeatz]

Good point, but the Obama Zombies can’t think.

[my small voice]

Amazing. These People think we are all morons. 53% of us clearly are but still......

I hate democrats (liberals).

[DTogo]

And all those "Fat Cat" oil company CEOs will suffer a HUGE pay cut from the new taxes!

/sarc

[American Constitutionalist]

Ahhhh yes, $ 5.00 - 7.00 a gallon will really do wonders for the failed economy..... Mega Sarcasm.

With their actions, and motives with this new tax that they want to add to oil production, it seems more and more they wanted this crises to use it as a excuse to raise taxes, and used it for a reason to push Cap & Trade.
It's as if they created this oil spill for a purpose.

[Hoodat]

With Democrats, emotion trumps reason every time.

[freekitty]

Most of the anger is being fuled and manufactured by these ingrates. Get rid of them now.

[BAW]

Pssst, Sacramento, here’s a clue: Spend Less.

[Aria]

Hey, I hit my thumb with a hammer today...we need to tax hammers!

[saundby]

In other news:

When an unidentified California legislator found a man passed out on the sidewalk from blood loss, he cut open one of the fallen man’s arteries to give him a transfusion. The legislator explained that it was the only way, and that if the man did not show signs of reviving soon, he’d have to tap into another of the victim’s arteries for even more blood.

The legislator stated that he required no payment for the medical treatment, other than a small percentage of the transferred blood.

[eyedigress]

Well, after 71 days and the panhandle could have been better protected, the ONE made a decision. Too late Bambi. Total Fail. It’s no mistake you have umpteenth Czars, you’re incapable of decision.

[cranked]

I am of the belief that the very first word spoken by idiotDems soon after birth was not “momma” or “daddy” by “tax”......=.=

[cranked]

I am of the belief that the very first word spoken by idiotDems soon after birth was not “momma” or “daddy” but “tax”......=.=