>La Grande Observer | Union and Wallowa Counties' News Leader

Wade

The Republican efforts to block the proposed windfall oil profits tax, the rescission of some existing oil corporation tax breaks and the extension of tax breaks for alternative energy development seem absurd, even for our corporate-controlled Congress.

Should the American people continue providing tax breaks and low tax rates to oil corporations that have profited so greatly from what is now a financial crisis for most lower and middle income working people?

I remember a huge push by certain Republicans during the Clinton era to reform the welfare system so that “welfare cheats” couldn’t take advantage of the American public. It seems that these same politicians have no problem with corporate welfare, no matter what the consequences for our country’s future.

We can’t just blindly follow this failed logic that ignores that oil is a limited resource, that fails to fund alternative, homegrown energy sources, that ignores conservation and that relies on corporate interests to develop public policies.

It is past time that we consider the consequences of our present energy policies and remove corporations and their political lackeys from the public trough.

Gary Wade

Cove