Obama’s Crucifixion of “Big Oil” - Jets Insider.com Forums

Frequent Flyer · 05-01-2012, 12:53 PM

If it ever was a secret, it’s not a secret any longer: The Obama Administration is on a vindictive campaign to injure America’s oil and gas industry. The proof materialized last week when video of an Environmental Protection Agency official revealed the White House’s vicious attitude toward the very industries that supply the American people a reliable, affordable energy source. Yesterday, that official fell on his sword and resigned to spare the president any further embarrassment from the truth he disclosed.

Last week, Heritage’s Lachlan Markay reported on a video showing EPA Region VI Administrator Al Armendariz describe his agency’s “philosophy of enforcement” with respect to the regulation of oil and gas companies — likening it to brutal tactics employed by the ancient Roman army to intimidate its foes into submission. With a wry smile, Armendariz detailed the joy with which the EPA inflicts punishment on the disfavored industries:

It was kind of like how the Romans used to, you know, conquer the villages in the Mediterranean. They’d go into a little Turkish town somewhere and they’d find the first five guys they saw and they’d crucify them. And then, you know, that town was really easy to manage for the next few years.

Lest there be any doubt, it’s worth reiterating the point — according to Armendariz, the EPA views its enforcement efforts as a violent crucifixion used to strong arm companies into submission. The Constitution bars cruel and unusual punishment, but evidently that doesn’t apply to the axe-wielding EPA when it comes to enforcing regulations.

None of this, though, should be a surprise coming from what very well may be the most anti-energy administration in history. For the president and his cadre of bureaucrats, “Big Oil” is the enemy that deserves to be beaten into submission.

Exhibit A: The president’s unremitting crusade to raise taxes on the oil industry by denying it access to tax credits available to other industries. This, of course, is a game of semantics and populist rhetoric. In his appeal to the American people, the president is claiming that oil and gas companies enjoy special loopholes and subsidies that need to be eliminated. In reality, they get the same tax treatment enjoyed by producers of clothing, roads, electricity, water, and many other goods manufactured in the United States. Actually, oil companies receive less of a tax break than those manufacturers. (Oil companies receive a six percent reduction while all other manufacturers receive a nine percent reduction.) Yet the president wants to impose a higher targeted tax hike and take the tax break away completely.

When President Obama lashes out at “Big Oil,” guess who’s going to pay the price? You. First, raising taxes on any company means that the costs will be passed on to consumers. If you’re tired of paying high gas prices, you would pay even more if the president levies new costs on the industry that is supplying your fuel.

Second, when the president talks about “Big Oil,” keep in mind who “Big Oil” is — it could very well be you. Thirty-one percent of U.S. oil and natural gas shares are owned by public or private pension plans. On top of that, individual retirement accounts hold 18 percent of shares, individual investors have 21 percent, and asset management companies including mutual funds account for 21 percent — comprising more than 90 percent of oil and gas stocks in 2011. That means when those companies profit, there’s a good chance you profit. And when those companies suffer, there’s a good chance that you suffer, too.

That doesn’t matter, though, to an Administration that is in an unyielding pursuit of a singular “green” agenda. Billions in taxpayer dollars are spent to fund solar companies that go bankrupt and to give tax credits to wealthy Americans so they can buy a handful of electric vehicles. Meanwhile, the president’s Secretary of Energy, Steven Chu, gives himself an “A” for his work in lowering gas prices, despite their reaching all-time highs under his watch. And all the while, the president is saying “NO” to domestic energy exploration, including his decision to block the Keystone XL pipeline.

So when Armendariz spoke of “crucifying” oil and gas companies, it was not a surprise. His crime was saying what the rest of the Obama Administration — including the president — have been thinking and doing all along. Last week, Armendariz apologized and called his comments ”an offensive and inaccurate way to portray our efforts to address potential violations of our nation’s environmental laws.” In fact, though his words were vivid, they were all too accurate. The Obama Administration has an obvious political agenda that is not focused on enforcing rules, but on vindictively assaulting an industry that doesn’t comport with its green agenda — even though Americans depend on oil and gas companies each and every day.

President Obama has said he favors an “all of the above” strategy when it comes to energy policy. “All of the above” apparently means taking no prisoners as he marches toward a “greener” future, regardless of what it costs the American people.

[url]http://blog.heritage.org/2012/05/01/morning-bell-obamas-crucifixion-of-big-oil/[/url]

palmetto defender · 05-01-2012, 01:32 PM

Ther president and his advisors are STUPID people. Totally ignorant of business. He has ZERO knowledge or experience and few of his people do.

What this idiot fails to understand is that tax is part of cost of goods sold. If you raise taxes say 5%, you raise costs 5%. BUT, the oil companies will raise PRICE 10%. Why? To cover their costs, to cover additional taxes on the price increase and to maintain their profit margin percentage. This is marketing 101. But above the Hawaiian's head.
But it gets better. Fuel distibutors will increase prices in an accelerated way. And retailers will do the same.
Who suffers? Ah, the consumer. And the gov has more money from taxes to waste on nonsense programs like giving money to Moslems that hate us.

FF2® · 05-01-2012, 02:37 PM

I feel so bad for the oil companies. Are they able to make any money at all?

cr726 · 05-01-2012, 02:54 PM

Competition would be horrific.

parafly · 05-01-2012, 03:14 PM

All fluff, no substance.

The only time this blog post comes close to describing any type of "crucifixion" of big oil is a reference to Obama trying to eliminate all tax credits for the oil industry, which simply put, hasn't and won't happen.

PlumberKhan · 05-01-2012, 04:13 PM

[QUOTE=FF2®;4456277]I feel so bad for the oil companies. Are they able to make any money at all?[/QUOTE]

Nope.

Most oil companies are in it for the betterment of the American people with a mission statement to: "...supply the American people a reliable, affordable energy source...."

JetPotato · 05-01-2012, 07:54 PM

[QUOTE=PlumberKhan;4456426]Nope.

Most oil companies are in it for the betterment of the American people with a mission statement to: "...supply the American people a reliable, affordable energy source...."[/QUOTE]

No, their job is to make profits, just like any other business. A happy side effect of it is that you, the consumer, get what you need, what you want, at a price cheaper than the alternatives at the current time. They should be treated the same as any and all other businesses. They're no more evil than the others, despite what the Dems are selling you.

Try to keep up with the real world. Not your angry fantasy version.

PlumberKhan · 05-01-2012, 08:35 PM

[QUOTE=JetPotato;4456704]No, their job is to make profits, just like any other business. A happy side effect of it is that you, the consumer, get what you need, what you want, at a price cheaper than the alternatives at the current time. They should be treated the same as any and all other businesses. They're no more evil than the others, despite what the Dems are selling you.

Try to keep up with the real world. Not your angry fantasy version.[/QUOTE]

Dear JetPotat-hole:

Write a letter to the idiot that wrote the article that prefaced the entire substance of what he wrote as though oil companies do what they do for soaring f*cking American Eagles and baseballs and sh*t. I wasn't the one that wrote it, was I?

JetPotato · 05-01-2012, 08:49 PM

[QUOTE=PlumberKhan;4456755]Dear JetPotat-hole:

Write a letter to the idiot that wrote the article that prefaced the entire substance of what he wrote as though oil companies do what they do for soaring f*cking American Eagles and baseballs and sh*t. I wasn't the one that wrote it, was I?[/QUOTE]

Nah. I don't bother with some of those guys. There's no point. At least engaging you in convo can be mildly amusing at times.

Your problem is you let their nonsense push you to propose opposite nonsense. Why not just expose their silliness with facts and reality? It's far more effective.

Buster · 05-01-2012, 09:37 PM

Wow.

I just got my Hyperbole meter recalibrated and now this article is posted. I guess I need to send it back to the shop/English department.

Crucifixion, ha-ha

:rolleyes:

PlumberKhan · 05-01-2012, 09:55 PM

[QUOTE=JetPotato;4456772]Nah. I don't bother with some of those guys. There's no point. At least engaging you in convo can be mildly amusing at times.

Your problem is you let their nonsense push you to propose opposite nonsense. Why not just expose their silliness with facts and reality? It's far more effective.[/QUOTE]

I don't propose much I'd anything :)

But you get what I get at Potato...:)

Just don't tell anyone else!!

Sent from my Double-Wide using Semaphore...

05-01-2012, 12:53 PM	#1
Frequent Flyer Now....infrequent. Banned Join Date: Aug 2010 Posts: 1,903	Obama’s Crucifixion of “Big Oil” If it ever was a secret, it’s not a secret any longer: The Obama Administration is on a vindictive campaign to injure America’s oil and gas industry. The proof materialized last week when video of an Environmental Protection Agency official revealed the White House’s vicious attitude toward the very industries that supply the American people a reliable, affordable energy source. Yesterday, that official fell on his sword and resigned to spare the president any further embarrassment from the truth he disclosed. Last week, Heritage’s Lachlan Markay reported on a video showing EPA Region VI Administrator Al Armendariz describe his agency’s “philosophy of enforcement” with respect to the regulation of oil and gas companies — likening it to brutal tactics employed by the ancient Roman army to intimidate its foes into submission. With a wry smile, Armendariz detailed the joy with which the EPA inflicts punishment on the disfavored industries: It was kind of like how the Romans used to, you know, conquer the villages in the Mediterranean. They’d go into a little Turkish town somewhere and they’d find the first five guys they saw and they’d crucify them. And then, you know, that town was really easy to manage for the next few years. Lest there be any doubt, it’s worth reiterating the point — according to Armendariz, the EPA views its enforcement efforts as a violent crucifixion used to strong arm companies into submission. The Constitution bars cruel and unusual punishment, but evidently that doesn’t apply to the axe-wielding EPA when it comes to enforcing regulations. None of this, though, should be a surprise coming from what very well may be the most anti-energy administration in history. For the president and his cadre of bureaucrats, “Big Oil” is the enemy that deserves to be beaten into submission. Exhibit A: The president’s unremitting crusade to raise taxes on the oil industry by denying it access to tax credits available to other industries. This, of course, is a game of semantics and populist rhetoric. In his appeal to the American people, the president is claiming that oil and gas companies enjoy special loopholes and subsidies that need to be eliminated. In reality, they get the same tax treatment enjoyed by producers of clothing, roads, electricity, water, and many other goods manufactured in the United States. Actually, oil companies receive less of a tax break than those manufacturers. (Oil companies receive a six percent reduction while all other manufacturers receive a nine percent reduction.) Yet the president wants to impose a higher targeted tax hike and take the tax break away completely. When President Obama lashes out at “Big Oil,” guess who’s going to pay the price? You. First, raising taxes on any company means that the costs will be passed on to consumers. If you’re tired of paying high gas prices, you would pay even more if the president levies new costs on the industry that is supplying your fuel. Second, when the president talks about “Big Oil,” keep in mind who “Big Oil” is — it could very well be you. Thirty-one percent of U.S. oil and natural gas shares are owned by public or private pension plans. On top of that, individual retirement accounts hold 18 percent of shares, individual investors have 21 percent, and asset management companies including mutual funds account for 21 percent — comprising more than 90 percent of oil and gas stocks in 2011. That means when those companies profit, there’s a good chance you profit. And when those companies suffer, there’s a good chance that you suffer, too. That doesn’t matter, though, to an Administration that is in an unyielding pursuit of a singular “green” agenda. Billions in taxpayer dollars are spent to fund solar companies that go bankrupt and to give tax credits to wealthy Americans so they can buy a handful of electric vehicles. Meanwhile, the president’s Secretary of Energy, Steven Chu, gives himself an “A” for his work in lowering gas prices, despite their reaching all-time highs under his watch. And all the while, the president is saying “NO” to domestic energy exploration, including his decision to block the Keystone XL pipeline. So when Armendariz spoke of “crucifying” oil and gas companies, it was not a surprise. His crime was saying what the rest of the Obama Administration — including the president — have been thinking and doing all along. Last week, Armendariz apologized and called his comments ”an offensive and inaccurate way to portray our efforts to address potential violations of our nation’s environmental laws.” In fact, though his words were vivid, they were all too accurate. The Obama Administration has an obvious political agenda that is not focused on enforcing rules, but on vindictively assaulting an industry that doesn’t comport with its green agenda — even though Americans depend on oil and gas companies each and every day. President Obama has said he favors an “all of the above” strategy when it comes to energy policy. “All of the above” apparently means taking no prisoners as he marches toward a “greener” future, regardless of what it costs the American people. [url]http://blog.heritage.org/2012/05/01/morning-bell-obamas-crucifixion-of-big-oil/[/url]

05-01-2012, 01:32 PM	#2
palmetto defender All League Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 4,850	Ther president and his advisors are STUPID people. Totally ignorant of business. He has ZERO knowledge or experience and few of his people do. What this idiot fails to understand is that tax is part of cost of goods sold. If you raise taxes say 5%, you raise costs 5%. BUT, the oil companies will raise PRICE 10%. Why? To cover their costs, to cover additional taxes on the price increase and to maintain their profit margin percentage. This is marketing 101. But above the Hawaiian's head. But it gets better. Fuel distibutors will increase prices in an accelerated way. And retailers will do the same. Who suffers? Ah, the consumer. And the gov has more money from taxes to waste on nonsense programs like giving money to Moslems that hate us.

05-01-2012, 02:37 PM	#3
FF2® Believes Sloppy Guy was involved JetsInsider.com Legend Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 46,600	I feel so bad for the oil companies. Are they able to make any money at all?

05-01-2012, 02:54 PM	#4
cr726 Jets Insider VIP Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 13,532	Competition would be horrific.

05-01-2012, 03:14 PM	#5
parafly so why side with anything? All Pro Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Colorado Posts: 6,315	All fluff, no substance. The only time this blog post comes close to describing any type of "crucifixion" of big oil is a reference to Obama trying to eliminate all tax credits for the oil industry, which simply put, hasn't and won't happen.

05-01-2012, 04:13 PM	#6
PlumberKhan HAIL SATAN! Hall Of Fame Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Van down by the river Posts: 21,081	[QUOTE=FF2®;4456277]I feel so bad for the oil companies. Are they able to make any money at all?[/QUOTE] Nope. Most oil companies are in it for the betterment of the American people with a mission statement to: "...supply the American people a reliable, affordable energy source...."

05-01-2012, 07:54 PM	#7
JetPotato fermenting Hall Of Fame Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: New York, NY Posts: 12,209	[QUOTE=PlumberKhan;4456426]Nope. Most oil companies are in it for the betterment of the American people with a mission statement to: "...supply the American people a reliable, affordable energy source...."[/QUOTE] No, their job is to make profits, just like any other business. A happy side effect of it is that you, the consumer, get what you need, what you want, at a price cheaper than the alternatives at the current time. They should be treated the same as any and all other businesses. They're no more evil than the others, despite what the Dems are selling you. Try to keep up with the real world. Not your angry fantasy version.

05-01-2012, 08:35 PM	#8
PlumberKhan HAIL SATAN! Hall Of Fame Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Van down by the river Posts: 21,081	[QUOTE=JetPotato;4456704]No, their job is to make profits, just like any other business. A happy side effect of it is that you, the consumer, get what you need, what you want, at a price cheaper than the alternatives at the current time. They should be treated the same as any and all other businesses. They're no more evil than the others, despite what the Dems are selling you. Try to keep up with the real world. Not your angry fantasy version.[/QUOTE] Dear JetPotat-hole: Write a letter to the idiot that wrote the article that prefaced the entire substance of what he wrote as though oil companies do what they do for soaring fcking American Eagles and baseballs and sht. I wasn't the one that wrote it, was I?

05-01-2012, 08:49 PM	#9
JetPotato fermenting Hall Of Fame Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: New York, NY Posts: 12,209	[QUOTE=PlumberKhan;4456755]Dear JetPotat-hole: Write a letter to the idiot that wrote the article that prefaced the entire substance of what he wrote as though oil companies do what they do for soaring fcking American Eagles and baseballs and sht. I wasn't the one that wrote it, was I?[/QUOTE] Nah. I don't bother with some of those guys. There's no point. At least engaging you in convo can be mildly amusing at times. Your problem is you let their nonsense push you to propose opposite nonsense. Why not just expose their silliness with facts and reality? It's far more effective.

05-01-2012, 09:37 PM	#10
Buster not a rocket surgeon All League Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: East of the Jordan, West of the Rock of Gibraltar Posts: 4,295	Wow. I just got my Hyperbole meter recalibrated and now this article is posted. I guess I need to send it back to the shop/English department. Crucifixion, ha-ha :rolleyes:

05-01-2012, 09:55 PM	#11
PlumberKhan HAIL SATAN! Hall Of Fame Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Van down by the river Posts: 21,081	[QUOTE=JetPotato;4456772]Nah. I don't bother with some of those guys. There's no point. At least engaging you in convo can be mildly amusing at times. Your problem is you let their nonsense push you to propose opposite nonsense. Why not just expose their silliness with facts and reality? It's far more effective.[/QUOTE] I don't propose much I'd anything :) But you get what I get at Potato...:) Just don't tell anyone else!! Sent from my Double-Wide using Semaphore...