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Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi of California called it all "a shameless display of the Republican culture of corruption,"
It looked as if the bill was going down to defeat, two votes shy of approval. Democrats to no avail called for gaveling the vote closed as GOP leaders lobbied their own members to switch votes and support the bill.
Finally, long after the vote had been scheduled to close, two GOP votes switched, providing the Republican victory. A tie would have killed the bill. "Shame, shame, shame," came a chorus from the Democratic side of the aisle.
Critics of the legislation argued a cash-rich industry with huge profits over the past year shouldn't need government help to build refineries. They said the bill would allow the oil industry to avoid environmental regulations and would lead to dirtier air.
Rep. John Dingell, D-Mich., accused GOP leaders of using "the hardships and devastation of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita ... to pass Republican and industry wish lists" that would do nothing to curtail gasoline prices or help people facing huge heating bills this winter.
Pelosi called the bill a rehash of "all the special favors to the industry that were too extreme" for Congress last summer when it passed energy legislation.
President Bush welcomed the vote. "I commend the House for passing legislation that would increase our refining capacity and help address the cost of gasoline, diesel fuels, and jet fuels," he said in a statement.
I feel like I'm standing on the bow of the Titanic screaming "ICEBERG!" seconds before impact.
The US needs more refineries, heck the US needed them before the recent bout of hurricanes destroyed some of the refineries that the US did have.
Originally posted by Icarus Rising, so why can't they build their own refineries? You know, re-invest profits to build infrastructure to make even bigger profits
Originally posted by Icarus Rising
Again, the circumstances, and the methods, and the exorbitant nature of the profits seem to be lost on you. Or maybe you are impressed by it, and approve of, even admire, it.
There is, however, a groundswell of growing awareness itself propagating through caring people across this country that is going to sweep the current batch of thieves out of office in '06 and '08,
Not in the hands of corrupt politicians, fascist military warmongers, bloated corporate billionaires, or slimy sellout lobbyists.
If they care so much about the American consumer
But occurs that is not in their mind, profits, prices and more control.
That is corruption without government intervention
Originally posted by Nygdan
Thats 'unfair' in a certain sense, and yeah, it'd sure be nice those greedy sonsofbitches would lower the price, take a cut in profits, and help the people and the country out. But its not corrupt that they're greedy selfish bastards.
[edit on 15-11-2005 by Nygdan]
Originally posted by marg6043
But the meaning of Capitalism is not the same as Monopolizing and that is what is going on with the oil industry they control everything is nothing else to competition and that is part also of capitalism.
[edit on 15-11-2005 by marg6043]
Nygdan
Thats 'unfair' in a certain sense, and yeah, it'd sure be nice those greedy sonsofbitches would lower the price, take a cut in profits, and help the people and the country out. But its not corrupt that they're greedy selfish bastards.
dr_strangecraft
Again, if you want to get out of poverty, and change corpporate culture, the way to do it is to buy the companies themselves.
dr_strangecraft
refining.... is totally controlled by the US govt. especially EPA. That's why there hasn't been a new refinery built in the US in a quarter century:
Because the government won't allow it.
So who is really the enemy of cheap gas here?
someone baiting me
Originally posted by Icarus Rising
This is exactly my point, that these corporations need to factor in social responsibility, or they will kill the proverbial "goose that lays the golden egg", in that the source of all those profits will eventually go elsewhere, or turn on them at the first opportunity.
I'm trying to find out where the line is between corporate profits and the public good, and it seems skewed to the CP side right now to me.
The government's job, imo, is to put the appropriate pressure on big oil to act in the best interests of their customers as well as their shareholders.
We aren't developiong alternative resources fast enough,
Well, now, with the big oil and other lobbies virtually controlling the government, I'd say they are just getting what they want for their money.
Farting around on the internet playing commodities futures trader may stroke your ego and make you feel like a big player
, but it really is just the distraction from reality they need you to take to go about their dirty business unmolested.
As a footnote, you scream about billions in profit. I looked at their stock, and they made less than 2 dollars a share this last year in profit.
Those billions are spread among millions of investors globally. Probably some of their dividend is going into your pension fund.
Originally posted by Icarus Rising
. . . to challenge your capitalist belief structure . . .
. . . I do believe that government should legislate the public good against the profit driven corporate good . .