No, but if they are pulling oil out of my state and selling it abroad and I am the Governor, I'm going to get the best price I can for the royalties.
I guess you think the oil companies should just be able to yank all the oil out of the ground in Alaska and sell it to the Japanese and Chinese and keep all the profits for themselves?
You'd make a really lousy governor if that were your attitude about the mineral resources in your state.
The only time any Alaskan oil was sold to Japan (or China) was during the period 1996-98, when there was a temporary glut of crude on the West Coast.
Otherwise, every drop of Alaskan oil has been refined and consumed in the USA.
And much to your chagrin, I'm sure, those big, nasty oil companies still got to "keep all the profits for themselves".
OK, so you apparently agree that Gov. Palin raised taxes on corporations in Alaska — although you’re trying to spin things because it’s OK for her to raise taxes so long as it’s levied on “Big Oil”
-George