The Senate GOP Makes Its Stand

As of June 10, 2008 we now know a little more about where the Repub Party (at least in the United States Senate) stands on the issue of the American consumer.

On that day, Senate Republicans blocked two measures proposed by Democrats. One, reports the San Francisco Chronicle, would have "impose(d) a windfall profits tax of 25 percent on the major oil companies, the proceeds going to subsidize new renewable energy." According to Raymond J. Learsy on yahoo.com, "it would have given government the leeway to address oil market speculation, opened the way for antitrust actions against the OPEC oil cartel (the forever oil lobby and administration stymied NOPEC legislation) and made energy price gouging a federal crime." It fell nine votes short (51 to 43) of the 60 votes which would have been needed to break a GOP filibuster.

The other bill failed on a 50-44 vote and would have extended tax credits for wind, solar, and other renewable energy sources. The tax credits would have been paid for by increased taxes on hedge-fund managers, and so offended Repub lawmakers.

We have, clearly, a Repub Party opposed to the American consumer and alternative energy. But the GOP, never a party to "gloom and doom" politics, is maintaining a positive outloook: it stands foursquare in favor of OPEC, high energy prices, and white collar crime.