Oil-tax, or oil-company tax?

What difference does it make? Corporate taxes are passed on to consumers, aren't they?

That was my point...some naifs walking among us might think "sticking it" to the oil companies won't affect them.

This guy Smith is such a tool. I say we just allow Oregon and the U.S. to go even further left and let the country implode.

On another note, the top 16 oil companies in the world are foreign owned. Like big U.S. oil is the reason for high gas prices. Please.

It's abject stupidity to enact a 'windfall' profits tax.

strike a pose, there's nothin to it, Todd Snider would be pleased

Corporate taxes are passed on to consumers, aren't they?

Yup.

And how come they arent doing this to every company? Computers, clothing, food?

Hey, Microsoft made like 30% profit last year...nearly three times more than most oil companies. We just cant have that.

Why can't we just open up the Alaskan National Wildlife Refuge to tap the million barrels a day of production or so available there? It would shave our nation's oil import bill by 10% or so, helping provide some support for the greenback. I really doubt there's much environmental consequence to doing so considering such bans actually raise the use of relatively dirtier coal. They also make it more tempting to invade or protect countries solely for their oil resources.

Until we take material steps to cut oil costs, this country will continue its current economic malaise. If it goes on too long, the federal government will be lucky if it can afford to continue the Medicare program as is let alone expand healthcare coverage. If you want more social services, the economy needs to grow at least at its long term trend of 2 to 3 percent per year, real.

Niether of the two yahoos currently running for president offer much hope or change with respect to energy. How sad. It's like the 1970s all over again. Only most of us aren't kids anymore.

Taxes are passed on to the customer

JK: Here is what, I think, you are missing: most Portland progressives are so economically illiterate that they think the companies just pay the tax out of profit and nothing else happens.

We saw that on a national level with the windfall profits tax. Did the supporters really think that the oil companies would not raise prices , or not reduce exploration if the government took most of the profits? (I do think most of congress is that economially illiterate.)

I saw a local legislator support a carbon cap & trade for Oregon and said that it will make money available for green power - Not a hint that these schemes will be paid for by ALL OF US through higher prices. That person was either hiding that fact from us or did not recognize it.

Now, with such an illiterate electorate, Smith can vote for an oil tax and hope to get some of the illiterate progressive vote, while not losing too many literate supporters (as long as the bill ultimately fails), because they know the game going on. To be clear, he can only do this when he knows the bill will fail.

Thanks
JK

End prohibition - Drill Now!!

Nit-pick: Smith "voted to bring the measure up for consideration," not in favor of the bill itself. Still, your point about his election-year moderation is exactly right.