lupine's Journal: Senator Mary Landrieu extends tax breaks for Big Oil

In bushes first term when republicans controlled congress as part of a new energy bill for the 21st century they enacted big tax breaks for big oil companies and a pork barbeque for coal companies and a few scraps for renewable energy. This was probably done to keep those RNC campaign contributions a flowin, just like the new income tax breaks we targeted towards the wealthy, or his base as bush like to call them.

Now in 2007 the democrats control congress, and public approval of the bush administration is in the toilet, even bush admits global warming is real and so democrats are trying to pass a new energy bill that emphasizes investment in research of renewable clean energy sources. To fund this research(without increasing the deficit) the tax breaks on big oil were to be rescinded. This bill overwhelmingly passed the house and was set to pass the Senate with support from some republicans, but it was blocked by one vote.

Mary Landrieu democratic senator from Louisiana stood up with her fellow republicans to block this bill and keep the tax breaks for big oil. Well it turns out that Big Oil is one of Mary's main campaign contributors, to the tune of $324,626 so far this fund raising cycle which shouldn't be surprising since she raises most of her money in Washington DC from corporate lobbyists. This is why I do not donate to any DNC general fund, because many Congressmen are already bought and paid for, they don't need my money and they wouldn't stand up for the little guy even if I gave it to them.

In her Defense she says: "[The Energy Bill] left Louisiana and America's Energy Coast holding the bill. Our energy producers would be severely disadvantaged against foreign competitors."

Sure bush would have vetoed the legislation in order to preserve the tax breaks for his friends in big oil, but that would have been yet another public reminder that you cant trust bush do do whats right for the people and the war in Iraq is all about the sweet sweet crude. Instead we are reminded that Mary Landrieu takes a lot of money from oil companies and does their dirty work screwing America in the public square with a smile.