Congress Gives Free Money to Big Oil

Oil companies receive hand outs!?!? Is this an April Fools joke?

Nearly $18 billion in tax breaks is given to the most profitable corporations in history. What a country.

This is almost as bad as 50% of the federal government discretionary spending goes to the military.

This is free money!

This is outrageous!

Congress brought top executives from five of the biggest oil companies -- Exxon Mobil, Royal Dutch Shell, BP, Chevron and ConocoPhillips – before them to ask why big oil does not want Congress to take these breaks away. First of all, why is Congressing asking why? Let me get this straight. Congress wants to know why big oil does not want free money taken away from them. This must be a sham. A ‘get tough’ show for the American people. I can see it now, after the TV cameras are turned off, after the reporters have gone away, congress and big oil are slapping each other on the backs and laughing it up about how they pulled another one over on the American public.

Here’s a quick laugh, "Imposing punitive taxes on American companies will discourage the investments needed to safeguard our energy security," said Stephen Simon, senior vice president of Exxon Mobil Corp. Mr. Simon views paying his fair share of taxes punitive. He feels big oil is being unfairly singled out. Since when does an American corporation, or any corporation, feel discouraged from investing in its own future? And to use America’s ‘energy security’ as the reason they should continue receiving the largest tax break in history is shameless.

That $18 billion needs to go to other more pressing needs, such as, oh I don’t know, thinking right off the top of my head, education, health care, social security, infrastructure repair. Now these are investments needed to safeguard our security.

Trust me, big oil will find a way to make profits without free money from taxpayers.

Let’s kick them off of the welfare train and start investing in the taxpayers.