Posted on 04/25/2011 3:46:37 PM PDT by Qbert
At a time of skyrocketing gas prices and near-record profits for oil companies, House Speaker John Boehner made a major concession today: Congress should consider cutting multi-billion dollar subsidies to oil companies.
"Everybody wants to go after the oil companies and, frankly, they've got some part of this to blame," the Ohio Republican told ABC News today.
Blame aside, what about the cold, hard cash -- the billions of dollars in tax breaks and other subsidies big oil receives every year? President Obama has proposed doing away with many of them, which he says would save $45 billion over the next 10 years.
"It's certainly something we should be looking at," Boehner said. "We're in a time when the federal government's short on revenues. They ought to be paying their fair share."
That is a major departure for the speaker on an issue that Republicans have long defended as necessary to encourage domestic oil production.
The speaker said that while he wanted to "take a look" at oil subsidies. He also wanted to "see all the facts" first.
(Excerpt) Read more at abcnews.go.com ...
- Last time I checked, Big Oil was paying more than their fair share in tax rates. Maybe you should learn a thing or two before opening your big mouth, Mr. Speaker...
They certainly are.
How bout we drill Mr. Speaker Boob?
That’s it. I am done with Boner and the Republicans.
The are part of the disease and what destroyed this country.
We need a third party now. Tea Party may need to spin off.
Oil Companies control 4% of the Oil market.
He can't read what Oil prices are that Oil Countries sell on the open market.
Boner is beginning to sound like ozero......we placed our faith in this idiot?
“We need a third party now. Tea Party may need to spin off.”
What we need is to highjack the GOP and primary every last one of these clowns (and then get real leaders in office).
So whom saved and for how long?
It's all smoke and bullshit until we drill and refine and beg the fed to invade the refineries and drill sites.
I can't be David Koresh by myself, but if big oil backs and supports me, I'll go man a tower at a drill site or refinery.
Was there a tear rolling down his cheek when he said the oil companies needed to bail out the government? /s/
The stupid party earns it’s name every day.
Boehner is doing a McCain and caving in early and often.
He need to be replaced.
Boehner is unable to say anything with nuance, or else he is showing the color of yellow. He is now co-opted, morally unable to fight against the increasing expansion of government, EPA, and the general bullying going on against capitalism through raising taxes and increasing regulation. I am about done excusing Boehner and hoping he doesn’t really mean what he says the way he says it. But he does.
The Patriot Party.
Hey, Weeping Willie...ever heard of INFLATION? Brought on by the debasement of our dollar?
Boehner’s statement shows that none of the Republican “leadership” have a clue as to the financial abyss we are sliding into. I suspect they are undermining Paul Ryan at every opportunity. We need more Tea Party congresspeople.
$45 billion over 10 years? So we’re talking $4.5 billion per year? That’s what — less than one DAY’s worth of deficit spending?
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