Republicans: the party of welfare
Have you ever noticed that Republicans like to perpetuate the myth that they're firm believers in
"self reliance" and oppose "government interference" in business?And have you ever noticed their hypocrisy when it comes to giving government handouts to their special interest friends?
Today's Washington Post has a prime example: Republicans in Congress want to give enormous new tax breaks to energy companies that drill for natural gas. And it's not like the companies need the help.
"Congress is poised to reinstitute a multimillion-dollar tax break for companies that drill for natural gas in coal beds, even though that business has been booming for a decade without the special help.
...
A coalition of environmental organizations, western ranchers and Washington-based budget watchdogs opposes the provision, citing boom conditions in such regions as eastern Wyoming's Powder River.
'We're opening about five new wells a day," said Don Likwartz, head of the Wyoming Oil and Gas Conservation Commission. "It just depends on gas prices.'"
This is nothing more than a giveaway for energy companies who don't need it. Of course, it's also reckless and irresponsible economics:
"The credit for each well could reach $104 a day, or $37,960 a year. It would result in hundreds of millions of dollars in lost tax revenue and more red ink in the federal budget if exploration companies go ahead with plans to drill thousands of new wells."
But of course no one still believes that other myth about Republicans being the party of fiscal responsibility anyway.
First of all, the title is misleading. They use the word "welfare" which everybody associates with the well-known social program which is in turn commonly associated with the Democratic party. It is no secret that one of the major ideals of the Democratic party is to spend more money on handouts to the poor or unemployed while taxing those who work for their money. Its also no secret that the welfare system is an abysmal failure and is an issue commonly used by Republicans when criticizing Democrats. The title of this
entry is an easy way to cast some of the blame for welfare onto Republicans. The problem is that social spending in the form of the welfare program is totallyll separate issue from the one discussed in the blog entry. The issue discussed in the blog entry has to do with tax breaks (not handouts) given to energy companies. This difference is conveinently over-looked by the author.As far as the actual issue is concerned, I don't see what the problem is. The tax breaks will allow energy companies to expand the number of wells they have, meaning more jobs in those areas and less dependance on foreign energy sources. The argument against the tax-breaks given in the Washington Post article states that the businesses being given the tax breaks are already booming. Well, that's good that they're booming but maybe we should keep encouraging them to grow until our dependence on foreign energy is down to nothing.
Apparently the Democrats are against any sort of legislation that would encourage business growth, especially in the energy industry. As you can see above, the entry also talks about the Republicans being against government interference in business. In light of that statement, the author then calls the Republicans hypocrites for supporting this measure. How a measure giving tax breaks to energy companies can be called "interference with business" is beyond me.
I'm sure the environmental section of the Democratic party is interested in seeing this measure defeated as well.
The last jab in the entry is a sharp one. Too bad it comes from the party that wants to spend millions of Calfornian tax-dollars on licensing illegal alien drivers. Tax dollars that California can ill-afford.
Who's not fiscally responsible? Its no wonder the Democratic mascot is a jackass.
DNC: Kicking Ass