If I write often in criticism of the advertising sponsored by the "people of America's gas and oil companies," -- and I do! -- it's because they're so annoying. In just a couple of hours of television, you can easily see these ads, whose message basically is "don't tax us," five or six times. After a brief lull last year during the big Gulf oil spill, the "people's" mighty voice is back, more insistent than ever. Beyond the frequency, though, it's gross to see so much money being spent on such a self-serving and self-ish message.
Now, why do you suppose the big fossil-purveying companies are so worried about taxes? After all, we all know any tax increase will just be passed along to us as consumers. So what's the big deal? Is it because they are genuinely worried that you and I will have to pay more for gas? Believe that if you want to, but ...
No, I think it's pretty obvious, really. They're scared to death that increasing oil prices will lead to the same outcome that rising gasoline prices always produces: People find ways to get by with less, and consider other options, like riding the bus, making fewer trips, or... alternative sources of energy! And there you have it. If people come anywhere near paying the real price of oil and gas, without the subsidies that now exist, there's a good chance that Big Oil's stranglehold on the energy market could be broken, and that popular opinion could shift away from fossil fuels.
After all, no one is really talking about new taxes on oil. They're talking about taking away tax subsidies that already exist. Businessmen like to talk about how subsidies distort market forces, except when it's their market. This reality also lays bare another claim these same companies are making now in new anti-Obama ads (brought to you by your supreme court). They say that if no "new taxes" are levied(which no one is doing), the oil industry would create 500,000 new jobs. Cool! Yet if no new taxes are levied, that means we're exactly in the situation we have now; which in turn means, we ought to be seeing those new jobs already, at least a few hundred thousand of them. Where are they?
As we look for ways to reduce unnecessary government spending, we see a situation in which we subsidize oil and gas; then we subsidize other nascent forms of energy so that they can compete. If all subsidies are stripped away, we save money, and the various forms of energy compete on a level playing field.
Is there, in the 21st century, any company that builds a manufacturing plant or does any development in an urban area without getting some cut of your tax dollars? It doesn't seem so. In fact, they put governments in competition to see who will expend the most to woo business:
Posted by: Christian Louboutin Outlet | August 11, 2011 at 09:39 PM
I am proud of our two MINNESOTA SENATORS who voted aaignst big oil interests.When it comes to real priorities, our Senators and governor get it .
Posted by: Mariela | February 13, 2012 at 05:26 PM