Constituents Laugh At GOP Rep. Quayle For Denying Existence Of Billions In Special Oil Subsidies

[Donnachaidh]

http://thinkprogress.org/2011/05/17/ben-quayle-oil-subsidies/

Last month, ThinkProgress took note of a strange new defense of oil subsidies: denying their existence. Rep. Rob Bishop (R-UT), a top recipient of oil industry campaign contributions, defended billions in targeted oil subsidies by telling a constituent that they don’t exist, so Congress shouldn’t cut them. Now, it appars freshman Rep. Ben Quayle (R-AZ) is adopting Bishop’s novel defense.

At a town hall in Anthem last night, Quayle was asked by a constituent why he had pushed to cut services for the elderly and women while pushing massive tax cuts for the rich and tax subsidies for the oil industry. In a condescending manner, Quayle demanded that the constituent name the specific subsidies targeted towards oil companies. The constituent didn’t miss a beat, and reminded him that the Senate just last week held a hearing where oil industry CEOs defended billions in special taxpayer money. Quayle then went on to deny that any of the subsidies used by the oil industry are at all targeted:

CONSTITUENT: I’d like to know why you’d like to do this on the backs of seniors, and of women. All the cuts are going to hurt seniors, future seniors, and women! Your attacks on Planned Parenthood are hurting women who need healthcare. <...> And why are you are choosing that way rather than cutting oil subsidies <...>

QUAYLE: In terms of the oil subsidies, if we’re going to address it, can you just tell me what oil subsidies you’re talking about so I could have better information on what to expand on it?

More at the link ---

[Drale]

1. If you can't see me, I'm not really here

Just more republicans acting like children. How can get get rid of something that doesn't exist, if I deny that it exists?

[Auntie Bush]

2. 'Like father, like son!'

Just plain Ignorant!

[pscot]

3. This is no slam dunk

Oil is subsidized, but it's a complicated mix of tax forgiveness, low interest loans and research programs. It's not easy to describe in 25 words or less. That's why this defense is dangerous and tougher to deal with than it looks. We really need a brief list of specific program cuts or we'll lose this arguement. These people are not stupid. They are hard, smart, greedy men who have a good thing going and mean to hang on to it. Even tougher, half the Congress are being pieced off by the industry. There are a lot of people who are getting a taste off the operation.

[daggahead]

4. Video Link broken at Think Progress ...

Here it is from YouTube:

http://youtu.be/FKoB0phsoO4