After Voting To Keep Them, Rep. Joe Walsh Tells Town Hall We ?Absolutely? Should Get Rid Of Oil Subsidies
Posted in Main Blog (All Posts) on May 3rd, 2011 4:36 am by HL
Conservative members of Congress have been feeling the heat all over the country, as a Main Street Movement of everyday Americans have been protesting their efforts to cut crucial services and public investment, including their vote to effectively end Medicare.
Last week, during a town hall in Schaumburg, Illinois, Walsh came face to face with this public anger. A video of the town hall posted on YouTube shows that a constituent asked why we aren’t reforming the laws that give tax dollars to oil companies that are making huge profits. Walsh replied by saying that he “absolutely” wants to get rid of subsidies for oil companies:
CONSTITUENT: You say you want reform, how about reforming the banking system that got us into this mess? How about reforming the laws that give away our tax dollars to giant oil companies making record-breaking profits? And gives tax breaks to multi-millionaires. Your constituency wants Social Security, Medicare, and universal health care including the right to women’s health. […]
WALSH: The tax code is a convoluted, complicated mess that members of both parties have created, and the only ones who make out like bandits are big corporations and wealthy Americans because they can pay high-priced support from Congress and high-priced lawyers to find every loophole and they end up like GE not paying any taxes. Give me a simple flat low tax. (mix of booing and cheering) Hold on, hold on, raise your hand you can go at it. Energy subsidies. Absolutely. Absolutely. Get rid of subsidies for oil companies.
Watch it:
Unfortunately, the House Republican caucus voted unanimously last month to protect these very subsidies. Joining Walsh in now condemning the subsidies is Rep. Tom McClintock (R-CA), who now says we should end them. The question is whether these members of Congress are really serious about ending these giveaways to the oil industry and would change their positions if they once again came up for a vote. (h/t: McGonagleProductions YouTube account)
