Will Democrats ever understand that taxing domestic energy producers will force more importing of energy?

Question

Yesterday, the U.S. House of Representatives passed an energy bill that included a $21 billion tax on domestic energy producers. The Senate is now considering the same bill!
RAISE ENERGY PRICES, INCLUDING
HOME HEATING OIL AND GASOLINE
Taxes on energy production actually work against energy security and increase imports, as domestically produced energy becomes more expensive than imported supplies. Policies that act as disincentives for oil and natural gas production will ultimately hurt businesses and consumers by driving supply down and prices up.
DECREASE DOMESTIC ENERGY PRODUCTION
Increasing taxes on U.S. companies will effectively ensure that they will have less money available to reinvest in exploration, new technology and refining improvements that will help to meet more of our present and future energy needs with domestic energy supplies.
GRANT A SUBSIDY TO FOREIGN ENERGY PRODUCERS
If Congress places additional taxes on domestically-produced energy, the net effect will be the creation of a subsidy for foreign competitors. Congress should be taking steps to help make American businesses more viable in the world market ? not less.

Answer 1

Not only they should be taxed more but also they should be fined for being such nasty thieves? The hell with them all, bunch damn criminal Elites?

Answer 2

Your argument makes an inordinate amount of common sense, and it appears that you are very well-informed on this topic.
Still, I question why you blame Democrats for failing to understand this issue.
And, I wonder why it's necessary to continue increasing domestic oil production. Wouldn't it make more sense to develop automobiles that are more fuel-efficient? Wouldn't it make more sense to educate Americans on how to conserve energy, use alternative sources of energy that don't require 'Big Oil' or 'big business' participation? Why shouldn't the massive oil companies be taxed on their gargantuan, excessive profits? Perhaps the government could use that money to help small, local businesses develop new energy sources, create jobs, and sell to customers are at a more fair and reasonable profit margin without the expenses of multi-million-dollar executive salaries. I know I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed, but I resent the obscene profits the oil companies, auto manufacturers, and other 'big companies' earn off the backs of their customers. My motto - for years - has remained constant:
"The bigger any corporation, organization or government gets, the less manageable it becomes and the fewer people benefit from it."
I worked for a major Fortune 500 company that reported incredible profits. Little of it ever 'trickled' down to the 'average' employees or the customer base. We'd close a factory in the U.S.A. and move production to Mexico, then raise prices (even though the claim was that labor costs were far less in Mexico). All that excessive profit went to the chief executives and shareholders. Most employees and most customers never saw any benefit in the way of pay increases or lower retail prices. None of that excess profit ever went to the IRS.
I believe this country (and the world) can do with a lot less energy - and the giant corporations that control the world's energy can do with a lot less profit. -RKO- 12/07/07

Answer 3

First, they would have to pass a law. Second, it seems like an unconstitutional taking. Third, It misses the whole point that the government taxes the people. You are returning the money that tax payers have already given to the government. Why not just cut government spending so that your tax burden is reduced? Tax rebates are basically gimmics and create a deficit. This deficit causes the value of the dollar to go down. A lower dollar value results in more costly imports such as oil and leads to inflation. The best resolution is to cut government spending.

Answer 4

With barely a majority in Congress it would require Repbulicans to buy into it for such a bill to pass. Then, of course there is the presidential veto.

Here is how I would handle it. Tax the crap out of those who insist on pushing more fossil fuels and give tax breaks to those who are into alternative energy so they will have the incentive and the money to do that. Drastic times require drastic measures. WAKE UP people!

Answer 5

Tax the hell out of imports. Maybe that might bring back some of our good paying jobs too.

Answer 6

Or it might increase incentives to develop other energy sources as well as increase conservation.

Answer 7

Of course not. Their only concern is political power and they will do anything, and smear anyone, in that pursuit. The Democrat Party has become the home of socialism and the truth is not in them.

Answer 8

Switch to nuclear power and it becomes a non-issue. I don't need to understand taxing anything.

Answer 9

No, they will not. Most people consider only the intent of legislation, not the actual incentives it creates. Then, when it fails, they claim it didn't go far enough.

Answer 10

What we need to do is drill for oil on our OWN LAND!! We have tons of oil! Its just that the liberal enviormentalists won't let anyone touch it. What is better paying out the yinyang for gas or harvesting our own oil?