As Exxon Pays Zero Taxes, Fox Host Defends Big Oil Subsidies By Claiming It Pays The Most Taxes

[Playinghardball]

Source: ThinkProgress

Right now, the federal government is on the verge of being shutdown due to an impasse in funding negotiations. Conservatives want deep cuts to programs for Main Street Americans like the Pell Grant and Head Start, claiming that they are necessary to rein in the budget deficit. Yet at the same time, House Republicans voted unanimously to protect taxpayer giveaways to Big Oil, even with major oil companies like Exxon paying absolutely nothing in federal corporate income taxes in 2009.

Rep. John Garamendi (D-CA) appeared on Fox Business Network yesterday and criticized the industry’s subsidies, asking why we they need billions of dollars a year from taxpayers. Host Eric Bolling attacked Garamendi for his criticism, saying that oil companies are paying the most taxes in the world and that their profit margins aren’t very high:

GARAMENDI: The wealthiest industry in the entire world, the oil industry … They’re going to see extraordinary profits yet about 12 billion dollars a year is used to subsidize the oil industry.

Rwad more at: http://thinkprogress.org/2011/04/07/exxon-fox-taxes/

[gratuitous]

1. Just tell lies, it beats having to discuss issues

Although why elected Democrats seem purely incapable of saying "The Republicans want to balance the budget on the backs of the poor while their fatcat pals pay nothing" is beyond me. The framing seems ridiculously easy: "Let's get the free-riding fatcats to help pull this wagon instead of lounging around complaining that poor folks aren't paying more of the robber barons' share."

But what do I know? There's probably some subtle 12-level Vulcan chess game going on here with such a brilliant secret strategy that will be revealed at the right moment that will be so flabbergasting I'll shit my pants. But until then, I have to say I'm tired of watching reasonable people get their brains beat in by this traitorous demagoguery.

[jwirr]

2. I don't know about the rest of you but I would be ashamed to go in

front of the tv audience and prove I was that stupid.