By Ted Barrett and Rachel Streitfeld, CNN May 17, 2011 10:25 p.m. EDT

Democratic bill to end oil subsidies is defeated in the Senate

Washington (CNN) -- On a mostly party-line vote, the Senate on Tuesday defeated a Democratic measure to strip major oil companies of about $20 billion in tax subsidies over the next 10 years and use the savings to pay down the deficit. Three Democrats and two Republicans crossed sides in the 52-48 vote, preventing the bill from reaching a required 60-vote threshold for passage. Republicans opposed the measure, arguing the big five oil companies would pass any tax increases to consumers in the form of higher gas prices. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, said the Democratic bill would "raise the price of gasoline at the pump, export American jobs and make us more dependent on people like (Venezuelan President) Hugo Chavez because the amount of oil we'll have to import will go up." Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada, accused Republicans of preferring to "continue subsidizing these wealthy oil executives and oil companies" rather than pay for health and education programs and reduce the debt. A White House statement called Tuesday's vote "disappointing" and said efforts to end the subsidies would continue. "The bottom line is that there are more responsible ways to spend tens of billions of federal dollars, including investments that will help protect American consumers from high gas prices," said the statement by White House Press Secretary Jay Carney. "The vote today -- with support from over half the U.S. Senate -- is an important step towards repealing these unwarranted subsidies for the oil and gas industry." The vote was largely symbolic because Democrats knew they had no chance of passing the measure without support from at least seven Republicans. In the end, Democrats from oil-producing states, including Sens. Mary Landrieu of Louisiana and Mark Begich of Alaska, opposed the bill, along with Democratic Sen. Ben Nelson of Nebraska. A handful of Republicans -- including conservative Sens. John McCain of Arizona and Mark Kirk of Illinois -- previously expressed openness to the bill but ended up opposing it. The two Republicans who supported the measure were Maine's Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins. Snowe, who is up for re-election in 2012, said in a statement that it was "difficult to justify oil development incentives given the current level of crude oil prices, and the fact that the U.S. government has to borrow money to pay for these incentives." If Snowe had joined most of her GOP colleagues in opposing the measure, Democrats were prepared to accuse her of protecting big oil companies while consumers are feeling pain at the pump. Collins, who also supported the measure, said she had concerns that Democrats pushed the proposal for political reasons. "I do think that the Democrats are being disingenuous in implying that this is somehow going to have an impact on prices at the pump, because it won't," Collins said. "But it might be good tax policy to reduce the subsidies and use the money for deficit reductions." Despite the legislative defeat, Reid vowed Tuesday to get the measure included in any debt reduction package Congress is expected to consider in the weeks ahead. The Senate will vote Wednesday on a Republican proposal to increase the domestic oil supply through new exploration and drilling. It is not expected to get the 60 votes needed to pass, aides from both parties predicted.

ASKFMB OPINION

Perfect Example Of Corruption In Our Leaders

I wrote all of the below, then I came up to the top to say this, I'm pissed that a bill that helps all Americans has been killed. We are giving "big oil tax breaks" even when we continue to see them making record profits for the past 8 years. While, all of the U.S. Citizens pay bail outs for the rich, our representatives continue the good nature giving on all of our backs. Dems & Reps are all responsible, no party is in the right here.

Prime example of why our two party system have completely failed us all. It's time to clean house completely. Obama has shown that he, at least, will fight for the common person by passing a Health Care Bill that no other President was able to accomplish. It's not perfect, but it was sincere. Name me one previous or current rep that accomplish the same challenge prior to Obama?

My Rant

This Is A "NO BRAINER"!!!!!

90% of all Americans are suffering from the price of "Gas", meaning, the other 10% are the rich or well off that can afford $20 per gallon of gas.

This means that out of the 330 million people that live in the U.S., 330 thousand people are not affected by high gas prices, the other 329 million people who live as U.S. citizens, are directly negatively affected by the high gas prices, but our "800" ELECTED OFFICIALS VOTED IN FAVOR OF THE 10% and said "Fuck You" to the other 90%.

Yet, its the 90% that vote these corrupt sleazy sons of bitches into office because you all refuse to read enough information to know when you have a snake selling you a bridge that does not exist.

If this is not enough to cause you to blow a gasket, then I will say to all of you,,, YOU DESERVE TO BE BROKE, RAPED, AND SOLD AS THE IGNORANT IDIOTS THAT YOU ARE.

This isn't a Democrat or a Republican Issue at all. Each and every American Citizen is being screwed by all of our politicians, in that, the ones that voted against this bill ought to be tarred and feathered, the ones that voted for this bill, knowing that all of their voters have just been screwed over, should be in front of a microphone screaming at the top of their voices, telling all of us that a bill that screws 90% of all Americans has just been approved by the ones that voted against this bill. No passing means it was approved for the rich.

If your rep does not scream at the top of his lungs the ramifications and the obvious results of this "No" vote, the your rep is part of the problem, meaning, he or she is part of the overall whole all corrupt politicians who are being paid off by the big oil companies. All your corrupt politician have to do is ensure that they vote "yes" when there are not enough votes to actually pass the bill, which is all orchestrated by all the politicians that have been elected.

Example, how many times have you heard a elected official, who clearly ought to be against a specific bill, state to a report, "I'm not sure what I'm going to vote tomorrow"!!! That's a sign that he's waiting for a "Lobbyist" to make him an offer.

JESUS, what does it take to wake the ignorant up?

The Reality is: IT'S THE IGNORANT THAT KEEP VOTING FOR THESE CROOKS. Thus, it's the ignorant that cause us all to suffer, because the ignorant believes the lies due to their unwilling to freaking read or learn!!

This is the type of voting that ought to cause a man to walk into his Senators office, climb on top of his desk, pull his private parts out, and urinate all over his desk, chair, floor, paper work and the politician himself. Then, simply walk out and go home, because you paid this ass to work for you and due to his willingness to be bought, he deserves the degradation of his person.

For Females, you should go to your local Senator's office and climb on top of his table, pull your pants down and defecate on his desk, wipe your behind with his letter head and leave it there for him, then just leave, because this is the type of treatment a corrupt leader deserves. He just defecated on all of us with this vote.

In My Opinion

ASMFMB
5/17/11