October 13, 2006
Nancy Pelosi stumping for Darcy Burner

Postman interviews House Democrat Leader Nancy Pelosi(D-San Francisco), who is in town campaigning for Darcy Burner:

we're up against Republicans who are unconcerned about money, truth or decency. They will say anything."
That sounds more like Darcy Burner, who, as I watch the debate on TVW, just said (21:49) "This Congress and my opponent voted to give $14.5 billion in tax subsidies to the oil companies". As I've noted before, that statement is wildly untrue.

On a related note, anybody care to wager whether Burner and/or her supporters will be posting photos of Nancy and Darcy together?

Posted by Stefan Sharkansky at October 13, 2006 05:35 PM | Email This
Comments
1. Proving yet again you don't win the middle by serving vinegar at your campaign rallies.

Posted by: Andy on October 13, 2006 06:06 PM
2. I got to witness a Darcy campaign speech today. She really is running against George Bush.

Posted by: South County on October 13, 2006 06:50 PM
3. I'd have to worry about President Bush being stalked by Babyfat Burner, in an effort to "stand up against" him, if we, in the 8th, don't get off of our duff's and vote in November!
Babyfat Burner is a Communist!

Posted by: Peaches Marie on October 13, 2006 07:05 PM
4. One more face lift and Pelosi's eyeballs are going to fall out. Someone needs to intervene.

Posted by: Organization Man on October 13, 2006 07:19 PM
5. "Money, truth, or decency"?

You know, I like money, but I have to question whether it should be placed along side truth and decency in the pantheon of Good Things.

Posted by: ScottM on October 13, 2006 07:29 PM
6. Perhaps Burner could invite Harry Reid to help her campaign. Then they could give a talk on money and truth and decency.

Posted by: Michele on October 13, 2006 09:00 PM
7. Just to bring the raw data forward for the $14.5 Billion:

The tax package includes $14.5 billion dollars to improve energy production, transportation and efficiency, according to the chart. Here's the breakdown:

*$3.1 billion for electricity reliability
*$2.9 billion for clean coal
*$2.9 billion for renewable and clean energy incentives
*$2.7 billion for energy efficiency and conservation measures
*$2.6 billion for oil and gas production and enhanced refining

$11.6 Billion goes somewhere other than oil and gas. - and Darcy wants to claim the high road of truthfulness?

Ha! (That's a laugh, not an ad for the dark side)

Posted by: SouthernRoots on October 13, 2006 09:14 PM
8. Watching this debate, I can say of Darcy, (in agreement with South County) she should be running for president, because she is running against George Bush, not Dave Reichert.

Posted by: GS on October 13, 2006 10:36 PM
9. The entire Democrat platform seems to be, "Say anything and make them prove you wrong."

Posted by: Elaine on October 13, 2006 10:42 PM
10. I haven't had to do anything for a month while the Republicans and Dave Reichert implode. As a life long conservative, this political season is the most fun I've had since cheering the Reagan landslides. It is so nice to watch this party go down in flames - maybe you'll learn in 2008 to stop making fun of the people that voted you into office, and that some people in the Republican party actually believe in controlling spending, care about life issues, think that a president should not open the borders to anyone that can run, walk, crawl, or swim, that property rights matter, that you should not nominate your secretary for supreme court, that flying bin ladens out of the country is not fighting terror, and that not convicting and executing terrorist is wrong, especially when our soliders are getting tried, convicted, and face the death penalty. Now find another job while the rest of us start our work to elect real conservatives in 2008.

Posted by: John McDonald on October 13, 2006 10:56 PM
11. John, your method of "electing real conservatives" only ends up putting "real liberals" in office.

Give it a rest.

Posted by: SouthernRoots on October 13, 2006 11:14 PM
12. The Republicans method of governing is what puts real liberals in office. Stop blaming the base, give it a rest.

Posted by: John McDonald on October 13, 2006 11:29 PM
13. John

What you are saying is that between 2006 and 2008

It is ok with you
1) that our troops cut an run in Iraq - so that violent jihad can come to your local shoping center and Iran gets a nuke and uses it, while 1000's of Iraqs are slaughtered like people were in Vietnam and Cambodia
2) That taxes go up on everybody for everything,and the economy dies and tax and spend liberals take over.
3) no conservative judges are appointed, no Roberts etc. in effect you will be voting for pro-abortion - baby killers
4) The anti-terrorist programs are killed, and Jihad will flourish here.
5) that a suit case nuke goes off in Seattle
6) That nothing at all is done about the border (the dems will do nothing - , they let "green card" voters vote in king county)
7) That you want more false accusations by John Murtha of "cold blooded killing' to continue.

In fact you want Pelosi, Murtha, Schumer, Reid, Biden, etc. to take over and pave the way for Hillary in 2008.

John, conservatives are often confronted, especially in this state, with the lesser of two evils. The issue is not simply what do you think of republicans ( you are frustrated as a conservative, you are not alone in this) but how you vote also says how serious you think electing democrats is. Because we do not have a viable third party system. A stay at home, no vote or third party vote is a vote for the dominant element here in WA, by default it is a Dem vote.

Posted by: TomasM on October 14, 2006 12:38 AM
14. Ask Pelosi if any of her family or relatives are lobbyists or are enriched by any government contracts.

THEN feel free to point fingers and slam 'evil corporations'. As if your little government consulting firms are exempt from evil? Hypocrites all.

Posted by: jimmie-howya-doin on October 14, 2006 02:42 AM
15. HMMMMMNNNNNNNNNNNN!!

Posted by: monkey jr.pophalous on October 14, 2006 06:30 AM
16. The UCS study, "Money Down the Pipeline: Uncovering the Hidden Subsidies to the Oil Industry" concludes that the oil industry profits from preferential treatment in tax laws and government support. While the non-oil industries are taxed at a rate of 18 percent, the oil industry is taxed at a mere 11 percent. This reduced rate equates to $2 billion in federal corporate income tax benefits per year. They also benefit from low state and local sales tax rates on gasoline, an indirect subsidy exceeding $4 billion a year. Direct government funding of oil and motor vehicle infrastructure and services tops off at $45 billion a year. And taxpayers, not the oil industry, are left to pay the cleanup bill for oil-related health and environmental damage, which could be as high at $232 billion annually.
"The current system creates an energy policy by default through lower income tax rates for oil companies, government handouts, and hidden environmental costs," said Roland Hwang, author of the UCS report. "These subsidies fuel our unhealthy appetite for oil."
http://www.monitor.net/monitor/10-9-95/oilsubsidy.html

Posted by: monkey jr.pophalous on October 14, 2006 06:45 AM
17. Sorry to disturb your paranoid reveries with some actual facts....

Posted by: monkey jr.pophalous on October 14, 2006 06:48 AM
18. Rep. Tom DeLay just inserted a $1.5 billion chunk of pork into the energy bill. For what, you ask? The oil and gas industry.
Worse, he snuck it in after the bill had left conference committee, so committee members had no chance to consider (or reject) it.
An enormous direct subsidy from taxpayers to one of the most profitable industries in the world, implemented in total contravention of the democratic process, by a Representative whose district stands directly to benefit. The mind really does boggle.
http://gristmill.grist.org/story/2005/7/27/165745/589

Posted by: monkey jr.pophalous on October 14, 2006 06:58 AM
19. monkey, even if your cut and paste is true, it is:
1) Outdated--the first report was published in 1995, ELEVEN years ago! The second "Rep. Tom DeLay just inserted..." is an article from July of 2005.
2) Irrelevant and unresponsive to the issue--i.e. whether Darcy lied when she referred to $14.5B in tax subsidies being passed and whether she and Pelosi can claim the "Truth, Justice and American Way" title.

Obviously they cannot and based on your trying to palm off old articles as current information, neither can you.

Bill H

Posted by: Bill H on October 14, 2006 07:27 AM
20. We are living at the dawn of a new epoch. Year by year, degree by degree, Earth is growing warmer... a legacy of the Industrial Revolution, population growth, and our addiction to technology, speed and power.

Just as other generations spoke of a Great Plague and a Great Depression, our children will be compelled to endure The Great Warming - and find a way to conquer its consequences.

Filmed in eight countries on four continents, endorsed by dozens of the world's leading scientists, this three-hour television series is the most factually accurate, visually stunning and wide-ranging production ever mounted about this complex, fascinating subject.
Narrated by: Alanis Morrissette and Keanu Reeveshttp://www.thegreatwarming.com/

Posted by: monkey jr.pophalous on October 14, 2006 07:30 AM
21. re 19: So, you're saying that current information is better than information that is a few years old? I guess the world has turned on its head and all that subsidy big oil was getting in '95 is a thing of the past?

You know, I'd reference Cheney's meetings on energy policy but, guess what, it's a state secret.

Posted by: monkey jr.pophalous on October 14, 2006 07:36 AM
22. "Year by year, degree by degree, Earth is growing warmer..." Tell that to the people in Buffalo, NY. I see that you are buying into the biggest scam to be perpetrated since, oh, the global cooling scare of the 1970's.

This could be good, though. Keep up the scare routine, and maybe I can buy some ocean front property from some other "true believers" for a bargain price!

By the way, this is OFF TOPIC.

Bill H

Posted by: Bill H on October 14, 2006 07:39 AM
23. Great reasoning! If I want to explore the reality of global warming I'll just, "... ask the people of Buffalo."

They'll tell ya, fer sure! You bet-cha!!!!!!

Posted by: monkey jr.pophalous on October 14, 2006 07:44 AM
24. So, Bill H, I'm, "off topic"? Well, by all means let's return to the topic.

Are you denying that the oil industry is subsidized or are you merely quibbling over the exact figure? And since Burner's dollar amount doesn't jibe with yours, then she's a "liar"?

Is that all you got ,Bill? Just a few lame rhetorical devices that Reichert is incapable of even understanding...

Posted by: monkey jr.pophalous on October 14, 2006 07:50 AM
25. monkey, there was a large free-ranging discussion of this topic on Sound Politics about a week ago. Go back and educate yourself by reading some of the discussion there. This is not the thread to go into this discussion since, as I already mentioned, it is OFF TOPIC.

Bill H

Posted by: Bill H on October 14, 2006 07:51 AM
26. Hey, if it was up to me, the Government would not do anything except provide armed forces for protection from without, and police and courts for protection from within. I have no desire to subsidize ANY industry or special interest. You can point to the oil industry and I can point to the Department of Education, the National Endowment for the Arts, etc., etc.

The point is that Darcy is not telling the truth when she says "This Congress and my opponent voted to give $14.5 billion in tax subsidies to the oil companies". You have shown nothing to refute the point that that statement is a lie.

Do you have anything relevant to that question?

Bill H

Posted by: Bill H on October 14, 2006 07:58 AM
27. You'll have to forgive poor Liberal~john~mcDonald - he's been drinking Drano ever since he didn't get his way in '04

Now a complete buffoon, he has to get his kicks by carrying the Dhimmicrats water (do you shine their er, shoes too, liberal~john?).

Posted by: alphabet soup on October 14, 2006 08:25 AM
28. Pelosi says, "we're up against Republicans who are unconcerned about money, truth or decency. They will say anything."

If she substituted the work "Democrats" she'd be right on the money. Dems such as Burner can lie about the energy tax subsidies all they want because they know their Mainstream Media protectors won't call them on it. It's disgusting.

Posted by: Bill Cruchon on October 14, 2006 09:35 AM
29. That should be "word". Ugh.

Posted by: Bill Cruchon on October 14, 2006 09:37 AM
30. There were several bills that gave huge tax breaks to the oil compaines, not just one. Las time I checked, the person who yells "liar, liar, pants on fire" has the responsibility to back it up with actual facts. The 14 billion is a sum of several bills and merely includes the one cited- a lot of websites back it up.

Posted by: David on October 14, 2006 09:43 AM
31. David, Southern Roots at #7 breaks down the allocation of the 14 million. If there are other bills that "gave huge tax breaks to the oil companies" please provide links to back it up.

Posted by: Bill Cruchon on October 14, 2006 09:55 AM
32. That should be "billion". Big difference there.

Posted by: Bill Cruchon on October 14, 2006 09:57 AM
33. Bill H: If it's not 14.5 billion, then what is the figure you have and where and how did you arrive at that figure?

Posted by: monkey jr.pophalous on October 14, 2006 09:57 AM
34. You've called her a liar, now back it up. Don't tell me to read something you said weeks ago. As you reminded me in an earlier comment of mine: "That's old news!"

Posted by: monkey jr.pophalous on October 14, 2006 09:59 AM
35. monkey, refer to comment #7. Might help clear things up for you.

Posted by: Bill Cruchon on October 14, 2006 10:01 AM
36. Cite the energy discussions Cheney cahaired--you know, the ones attended by Ken Lay. Oh. I forgot! They are secret.

Posted by: monkey jr.pophalous on October 14, 2006 10:02 AM
37. You guys crack me up!

No david, you ditz - the one who makes the claim backs it up. And the notion that one moron making a claim and then citing another moron who posts it on the Internet automatically lends credibility?!

Have you been smoking from the same crack pipe as liberal~john?

Posted by: alphabet soup on October 14, 2006 10:03 AM
38. We've got them again, alphabet. They're spinning off into never never land because they can't come up with facts. Great entertainment as always.

Posted by: Bill Cruchon on October 14, 2006 10:06 AM
39. Soup is correct and David is wrong. Darcy was the one who made the statement that needs to be backed up. Southern Roots in #7 gave the back-up that refutes her statement. If she is correct, then show the information that proves she is correct.

Monkey said "You've called her a liar, now back it up. Don't tell me to read something you said weeks ago. As you reminded me in an earlier comment of mine: 'That's old news!'" I think you are referring to my statement in #25 that was referencing you going off topic by getting into global warming. I said "monkey, there was a large free-ranging discussion of this topic on Sound Politics about a week ago. Go back and educate yourself by reading some of the discussion there. This is not the thread to go into this discussion since, as I already mentioned, it is OFF TOPIC."

Status: As I see it, where we stand is that Southern Roots, in Post #7 refuted Darcy's claim that $14.5 Billion went to the Oil Companies and here we are more than 20 posts later and I have not seen any response that backs up Darcy's claim or that casts doubt on Root's refutation.

Now, let's start again. Anything of relevance to say?

Bill H

Posted by: Bill H on October 14, 2006 10:19 AM
40. That should be "more than 30 posts later"!

Bill H

Posted by: Bill H on October 14, 2006 10:24 AM
41. i'll take the $14.5 bil. in a heartbeat over 40 years of Great Society spending and social engineering (govt dependency) programs that have flopped.

Posted by: jimmie-howya-doin on October 14, 2006 10:27 AM
42. Bill H - "It's deja vu all over again"!

Posted by: alphabet soup on October 14, 2006 10:55 AM
43. Soup, I can see why nothing gets done in Congress if the Dems there talk all around the issue rather than addressing it, as exemplified by the Darcy supporters posting here!

Bill H

Posted by: Bill H on October 14, 2006 11:06 AM
44. Bill, who controls the agenda in Congress? I thought it was the majority party- they have the votes, and still the Republicans accomplish nothing.

Posted by: Ben Diamond on October 14, 2006 11:18 AM
45. Ben, actually quite a bit gets done in the House. It is in the Senate that they usually have a problem--the Senate has the fillibuster available to the minority. Surely you are not suggesting that the Democrats have been doing anything other than blocking practically any and everything that has been attempted in Congress?? I hope you are honest enough to recognize that the Democrats' plan has been to obstruct, obstruct, obstruct.

Bill H

Posted by: Bill H on October 14, 2006 11:37 AM
46. #44 -- so republicans in congress are doing nothing, but they are also giving away $14.5 billion to oil companies? You liberals need to pick one lie, and then stick with it.

Posted by: the obvious on October 14, 2006 11:47 AM
47. "I can see why nothing gets done in Congress "

-Bill H

"Ben, actually quite a bit gets done in the House."

-Bill H

Posted by: The Kettle on October 14, 2006 01:21 PM
48. No pictures with Pelosi and Burner? How about the Karl Rove/ Mark Foley/ Cheney/ Reichert shots?

Posted by: David on October 14, 2006 01:23 PM
49. Kettle, what is your point? Congress is the combination of the House and the Senate. There is nothing inconsistent with saying a lot may get done in the House (where there is not the filibuster) and saying that not a lot gets done in Congress, when you include the Senate. There are many bills approved in the House that die in the Senate because of the use of or the threat of a filibuster.

Bill H

Posted by: Bill H on October 14, 2006 01:31 PM
50. I notice no one has taken up the challenge of defending Darcy's statement. I'm sure you are all frantically googling this topic to see if you can find any support at all for her unsupportable statement. Think you'll find anything before the election?

Bill H

Posted by: Bill H on October 14, 2006 01:36 PM
51. Since you couldn't back up your claims David, it's back to the cheap shots. What a surprise.

Posted by: Bill Cruchon on October 14, 2006 01:37 PM
52. Who said this?
Anyone care to hazard a guess?
Sure sounds like a darcy-is-it-Memorex-or-is-it-the-drama-queen soundbite, no?

"The Nov. 7 midterm elections are less than six weeks away. The stakes have never been so high: Control of the House and Senate and governorships nationwide. A recent poll shows that 75 percent of voters are disgusted by the Republican majority House and Senate, the highest disapproval rate since 1994. They are frustrated at Bush's endless Iraq war, by Republican cronyism and corruption, tax giveaways to the rich, cutbacks in vital services, and criminal negligence in the wake of Hurricane Katrina."

"Bush's policies of war and repression have made us less secure. The people are angry and they want change."

Are these the words of DNC Chairman Howard Dean? John Kerry? Ted Kennedy? Nancy Pelosi? Harry Reid? Al Gore? Dick Durbin? George Soros? Is it Hillary Clinton? Is it one of the Hollywood cast of idiots, or maybe the Ditzy Chicks? While all of these people and their many minions have regurgitated these words until we're sick of hearing them, this quote is taken directly from a mid-term campaign appeal issued by The National Board of the Communist Party USA, released Sept. 25, 2006.

Read all about it here:
So You Still Think Democrats Are American?

Posted by: Cheryl on October 14, 2006 01:58 PM
53. Cheryl, and we wonder why they get angry when we call them communists? Of course they been busy destroying our culture since way back in 1963. If you're old enough to remember what things were like back then, this will scare the pants off you: http://www.rense.com/general32/americ.htm

This link has been posted on SP before but deserves revisiting. A lot.

Posted by: Bill Cruchon on October 14, 2006 02:08 PM
54. How many times have the Dems used the filibuster?

Posted by: skeletor on October 14, 2006 02:34 PM
55. Skeletor, too many times to count. I also blame the Republicans for not forcing the Dems to actually IMPLEMENT a THREATENED filibuster. But the threat of a filibuster is a "use" of the filibuster, even if it is not forced to be implemented.

Bill H

Posted by: Bill H on October 14, 2006 02:45 PM
56. re 7; that's just a BS list. "And $11.6 billion goes somewhere else." Oh, now I understand : Some of the tax cuts are to do research that they do not verify and the rest of the money is for ,"something else"????????

You guys are idiots.

Posted by: monkey jr.pophalous on October 14, 2006 04:54 PM
57. monkey, what is it that you are having trouble understanding about SouthernRoots' post? If you add up the non-Oil and Gas allocations, they add up to $11.6B--i.e. $3.1 + $2.9 + $2.9 + $2.7 = $11.6B. Use a calculator if you need to.

What criteria are you using to imply that "You guys are idiots." I still have seen NOTHING that refutes Roots' post or that defends Darcy's post. Who is an idiot?

Bill H

Posted by: Bill H on October 14, 2006 05:04 PM
58. "You guys are idiots."

At least we aren't snotty, condescending trolls.

Posted by: Bill Cruchon on October 14, 2006 05:17 PM
59. monkey - Reading is fundamental. You should try it sometime before you fling monkey-poo.

Reread #7, or better yet, follow the links Stefan added.

Posted by: SouthernRoots on October 14, 2006 05:36 PM
60. Monkey doo


This is truly old old news. Most people who have kept up on current Politics know how the 14.5 million dollar LIE is allocated.


Read # 7 or find your perfect company over at Ha (horsesass.org)

Posted by: Chris on October 14, 2006 05:49 PM
61. What I am asking for is a link to your source. Or, do you not have enough confidence in it to tell me what it is? Anyone can dream up a list.

Show me da money!

Posted by: monkey jr.pophalous on October 14, 2006 05:56 PM
62. Oh for crying out loud! Unlike you liberals we don't just go around making stuff up. Here's a link that took me all of 20-seconds to find: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Energy_Policy_Act_of_2005

Posted by: Bill Cruchon on October 14, 2006 06:12 PM
63. monkey, if you don't trust the numbers in Post #7, you can look at the Washington Post article that discusses this

WaPo Article

It does not lay out the information in exactly the same way, but it is consistent with the numbers. It says "The tax package -- negotiated behind closed doors by lawmakers -- would award 58 percent of the total benefit over 10 years to traditional energy industries, including oil, natural gas, coal, electric utilities and nuclear power. About 36 percent of the total would go for renewable sources of energy, energy efficiency and cleaner-burning vehicles."

Stick with me on the math--58% of $14.5B is $8.4B, and 36% of $14.5B is $5.2B.

Now, from the chart, if you add the $3.1B for Electricity, the $2.9B for Coal and the $2.6B for Oil and Gas, you get $8.6B, which is within the rounding error of $8.4B in the WaPo article.

And, if you add the $2.9B for renewable energy and the $2.7B for energy efficiency, you get $5.6B, about the same as the $5.2B in the WaPo article.

The WaPo article only says what 94% (58% + 36%)goes for, while the chart breaks out about 98% (14.2/14.5) of the total, so the chart looks like it includes a few items in these categories that the WaPo article does not allocate.

You can nit-pick the differences, however, either set of numbers completely refutes the Darcy claim that "This Congress and my opponent voted to give $14.5 billion in tax subsidies to the oil companies".

Are you going to continue to pretend that this statement is not an out and out lie?

Bill H

Posted by: Bill H on October 14, 2006 06:20 PM
64. The 14.5 billion is the sum from several bills. It is Sound Politics that states it supposedly comes from a single bill, not Burner.

Posted by: David on October 14, 2006 06:35 PM
65. David that's irrelevant. Is Burner's claim a lie, or isn't it? That is the issue here.

Posted by: Bill Cruchon on October 14, 2006 06:38 PM
66. David, your argument is ludicrous. What is your source of your statement that "The 14.5 billion is the sum from several bills."? What are these "magic bills"? The president was trying to get an energy bill passed since 2001--FINALLY, in 2005 he signed the Energy Bill of 2005. When did these other "several bills" pass Congress??

Bill H

Posted by: Bill H on October 14, 2006 06:46 PM
67. David

Go to the fricking link above and come back here and tell Bill (with links) that the amount of 14.5 billion is from several "bills"


Jeeeezzzz, do you have a problem with English?

Posted by: chris on October 14, 2006 06:55 PM
68. Mr. Monkey


Done reading yet????


David

Done reading Yet????

Posted by: Chris on October 14, 2006 06:58 PM
69. Chris, to use a Texas expression, David and Monkey are all hat and no cattle.

Bill H

Posted by: Bill H on October 14, 2006 07:09 PM
70. Please don't feed the monkeys... or the trolls.

Posted by: Cheryl on October 14, 2006 07:10 PM
71. UNITED STATES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT REFORM -- MINORITY STAFF
SPECIAL INVESTIGATIONS DIVISION
JULY 2005
FLASH REPORT: KEY IMPACTS OF THE ENERGY BILL -- H.R. 6
TABLE OF CONTENTS
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
I. THE NATIONAL SECURITY IMPLICATIONS OF H.R.6
A. H.R. 6 Does Not Reduce Dependence on Foreign Oil
B. H.R. 6 Undermines Nuclear Nonproliferation
II. THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATIONS OF H.R.
III. THE IMPLICATIONS OF H.R. 6 FOR TAXPAYERS5
IV. THE IMPLICATIONS OF H.R. 6 FOR CONSUMERS.
FLASH REPORT: KEY IMPACTS OF THE ENERGY BILL -- H.R. 6
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
H.R. 6, the Energy Policy Act of 2005, takes the United States in the wrong
direction on key energy issues. It has four fundamental flaws:
• H.R. 6 undermines national security because it does not address U.S.
dependence on foreign oil and makes nuclear materials less secure.
• H.R. 6 harms the environment because it opens new loopholes in
environmental and public health laws that threaten water supplies, public
lands, and public input. It also fails to address global warming and authorizes
pre-drilling activities in coastal areas.
• H.R. 6 wastes tax dollars because it provides huge new subsidies for the oil,
gas, coal, and nuclear industries.
• H.R. 6 fails to protect consumers because it increases gasoline prices and does
not prevent energy market abuses.

Posted by: monkey jr.pophalous on October 14, 2006 08:19 PM
72. III. THE IMPLICATIONS OF H.R. 6 FOR TAXPAYERS
There is a strong rationale for providing government financial support to new
technologies and industries, where such investment will speed their development
and provide substantial societal benefits. However, the rationale for giving taxpayer
dollars to mature and wealthy industries is less clear.
H.R. 6 provides billions of dollars in tax breaks and direct spending to the oil and
gas, coal, and nuclear industries, and it authorizes tens of billions more.17 Some
of the subsidies include the following:
• Subsidies to the Oil Industry. The bill provides over $3 billion over ten
years in tax breaks and direct spending to the oil and gas industry, and
authorizes at least an additional $1 billion of subsidies. The oil and gas
industry is experiencing record profits.
• Subsidies to the Coal Industry. The bill provides roughly $3 billion over ten
years in tax breaks and direct spending to the coal industry, and authorizes
billions more.
• Subsidies to the Nuclear Industry. The bill provides an insurance policy to
the nuclear power industry for development of new plants that could cost taxpayers
roughly $2 billion. It also provides nuclear power over $1 billion in
tax breaks and at least another $1 billion of authorized subsidies.
IV. THE IMPLICATIONS OF H.R. 6 FOR CONSUMERS
The Western energy crisis, the Northeast blackout, and recent sharp increases in
gas prices all demonstrate the need for energy policies to protect consumers. H.R.
6, however, fails to include important provisions to shield consumers from
soaring energy prices.

Posted by: monkey jr.pophalous on October 14, 2006 08:24 PM
73. Denial of Refunds for Western States Overcharged by Enron and other
Energy Companies. Enron, Reliant, and other energy companies
manipulated Western energy markets in 2000 and 2001 to charge excessive
prices for energy. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has acted to
arbitrarily limit the amount of refunds available to Western consumers. H.R.
6 fails to contain provisions that would reverse this FERC policy and ensure
that consumers in the West are refunded their overcharges.
• Inadequate Market Manipulation Penalties. In case after case, companies
that have manipulated the energy markets in order to increase their profits
have had penalties assessed that were insufficient to recoup the profits
generated by the illegal market manipulation. Conferees rejected an
amendment that would have allowed FERC to assess treble damages in cases
where it was warranted by particularly egregious behavior.
18 Energy Information Administration, Renewable Fuels Legislation Impact Analysis
(online at http://www.eia.doe.gov/oiaf/servicerpt/jeffords/index.html).

Posted by: monkey jr.pophalous on October 14, 2006 08:27 PM
74. "66. David, your argument is ludicrous. What is your source of your statement that "The 14.5 billion is the sum from several bills."? What are these "magic bills"? The president was trying to get an energy bill passed since 2001--FINALLY, in 2005 he signed the Energy Bill of 2005. When did these other "several bills" pass Congress??

Bill H"

HR4297, HR5427

I wouldn't call them "magical." The suspense was just killing you, wasn't it!

Posted by: David on October 14, 2006 09:43 PM
75. Read it for yourself.

Looking at the votes, I guess Darcy is also telling Washington voters that Maria Cantwell has to go because, "This Congress[, Maria Cantwell,] and my opponent voted to give $14.5 billion in tax subsidies to the oil companies".

H.R.6

Washington

Jun 28, 2005: This bill passed in the Senate by roll call vote. The totals were: 85 Ayes, 12 Nays, 3 Present/Not Voting.

Aye WA Cantwell, Maria [D]
Aye WA Murray, Patty [D]

Apr 21, 2005: This bill passed in the House of Representatives by roll call vote. The totals were: 249 Ayes, 183 Nays, 3 Present/Not Voting.

Nay WA-1 Inslee, Jay [D]
Nay WA-2 Larsen, Rick [D]
Nay WA-3 Baird, Brian [D]
Aye WA-4 Hastings, Doc [R]
Aye WA-5 Mcmorris, Cathy [R]
Nay WA-6 Dicks, Norman [D]
Nay WA-7 McDermott, James [D]
Aye WA-8 Reichert, Dave [R]
Nay WA-9 Smith, Adam [D]

Jul 29, 2005: After passing both the Senate and House, a conference committee is created to work out differences between the Senate and House versions of the bill. A conference report resolving those differences passed in the Senate, paving the way for enactment of the bill, by roll call vote. The totals were: 74 Ayes, 26 Nays, 0 Present/Not Voting.

Aye WA Cantwell, Maria [D]
Nay WA Murray, Patty [D]

Posted by: SouthernRoots on October 14, 2006 10:36 PM
76. Nice to see that Monkey now agrees that Darcy was not being truthful when she said "This Congress and my opponent voted to give $14.5 billion in tax subsidies to the oil companies".

By Monkey's own cut and paste from some left wing website:
"Subsidies to the Oil Industry. The bill provides over $3 billion over ten
years in tax breaks and direct spending to the oil and gas industry"

$3B is obviously quite a bit less than $14.5B.

David--come back when you have something that refutes anything rather than just picking random House Bills.

Bill H

Posted by: Bill H on October 15, 2006 05:10 AM
77. i love when libs and the likes of Monkey whine about 'evil' government subsidies.

virtually every industry has some kind of tax break or subsidies, both nationally and locally. just look around. farmers, textile, small manufacturers. Between rants, Monkey enjoys the benefits of many market products brought to you by those evil subsidies.

would libs have us eliminate all breaks in the name of purity & honesty? how about starting with the liberal movie industry? singers/performers? the music industry? sports? the arts? other lefty-dominated businesses?

everyone is drinking at the tax & subsidy fountain. the question is, which favors are we willing to keep, at what cost & why.

is the industry critical? are taxpayers screaming for help or indifferent. it depends on who wants their ox gored or protected. should it be autos? gambling? booze? steel? or rap music?

tell your legislator if you don't like it. that's more productive than trading factiods & insults in a blog.

Posted by: jimmie-howya-doin on October 15, 2006 06:34 AM
78. Hi Jimmie,

Your statement about everyone drinking at the subsidies fountain is true.

However, your acceptance of this is very anti-Reagan and very much against what real conservatives stand for. Government should not be in the business of picking winners and losers in the marketplace, or aiding this market or that market. It raises taxes, governments pick more losers than winners, and it hurts the economy and innovation.

Posted by: John McDonald on October 15, 2006 08:23 AM
79. John@78...

Then why in heck are you trying to help the Democrats gain back power? What will that accomplish? How on God's green earth will giving the tax and spend Democrats control of any piece of the government do the opposite of what you posted?

...snip...

It raises taxes, governments pick more losers than winners, and it hurts the economy and innovation

... end snip from John...

Please do tell...

Posted by: Matt on October 15, 2006 08:34 AM
80. John 78--points taken--thanks

who said i accept it? i agree that the market, in it brutality, will pick winners itself. i'm just a realist. all sides want govt help when you boil it down. lobbyists are everywhere. and--why should the U.S. "play fair" when other countries subsidize their pet industries? why be the lone intl. fool? try selling rice in Japan. they guard their farmers like gold.

i'm just stating that it's dishonest for liberals to wine about "tax breaks for big business" when their lobbyists also ask for same--and i'm especially including the "big business" of social programs & that whole dependency industry who have lobbyists too.

for effectiveness, i'm urging people to contact their legislators if they want to whine about subsidies. some industries deserve subsidies or help--those that involve our strategic national safety or precious commodities that can cripple a nation in an instant. who wants to outsource our defense or crucial protections or critical resources? not me.

and John, with your ending 2 sentences, would you now remove all the AIDS research money the government spends? it dwarfs any other research spending of diseases with more numerical deaths like heart disease. (i wonder why--political?) i would cut the govt funding. let private industry do the research--they are better at it anyway--less bureaucrats and red tape.

Posted by: jimmie-howya-doin on October 15, 2006 08:59 AM
Post a comment
Name:


Email Address:


URL:


Comments:


Remember info?