Obama Voted for Bush/Cheney Energy Bill, Written in Secret by Industry Lobbyists

[candice]

Sen. Obama voted for the 2005 Energy Bill, written in secret by Vice President Cheney and the energy lobby. Thomas Friedman referred to the bill as "the sum of all lobbies." U.S. PIRG noted that the bill's "heavy tilt toward big oil companies reflects the influence of Exxon Mobil and other oil companies on policy-makers in Washington, DC."
The Washington Post editorialized that the bill was a "piñata of perks for energy industries." Indeed, the bill contained $6 billion in subsidies to the oil and gas industry and $12 billion to the nuclear power industry.

Although Sen. Obama voted for the legislation, he has spoken as if he opposed it on the campaign trail, criticizing it repeatedly. At a presidential debate he said "You can look at how Dick Cheney did his energy policy…he met with oil and gas companies forty times, and that's how they put together our energy policy." He's attributed the failure of our current energy policy to Congress's "failure to stand up to the lobbyists."
Sen. Obama's rhetoric blasting the policies of Vice President Dick Cheney and energy lobbyists can be stirring. But Obama's actions haven't matched his words.

[anonymous171]

1. Clinton helped NAFTA get passed and says she opposed it.

[JoFerret]

15. What do you think would have happened without NAFTA?

Do you have a scenario for that?

[LakeSamish706]

2. Clinton lied about her so called sniper fire incident! You see how that works? n/t

[Ioo]

3. They Both suck... I want a redo...

[Forkboy]

7. What you said.

:)

[SammyWinstonJack]

14. Me too!

:thumbsup:

[Liberal Veteran]

4. Clinton voted for the Iraq War Resolution AND Kyl-LIEberman resolution.

But don't worry, she "promises" to end the war and her staunch anti-war voting record backs up her position.

[LakeSamish706]

5. Clinton said that if she were President she would Obliterate Iran. n/t

[Avalux]

6. Get the facts straight before trying to bash Obama about this lest you look foolish.

Although the Energy Policy Act of 2005 contained $14.3 billion in tax breaks, most of those breaks were for electric utilities, nuclear power plants, alternative fuels research and subsidies for energy efficient cars and homes.

The AP reported, "Clinton is on shakier ground when attacking Obama for supporting "Dick Cheney's energy bill," and not just because it's a stretch to assign the vice president name - red meat to Democrats - to the legislation. The 2005 act that she describes as packed with billions of dollars in oil industry breaks actually raised taxes on the oil and gas industry by about $300 million over 11 years, according to the Congressional Research Service. The nonpartisan analysis found $2.6 billion in tax cuts for the oil and gas industry and $2.9 billion in tax increases. The bulk of tax breaks went to other sources of energy, including alternative fuels favored by both Clinton and Obama."

Obama Worked Consistently to Improve Energy Bill, Which Took Important Step Towards Energy Independence. When Obama first voted for the bill, he said that he voted for the bill reluctantly and that he was disappointed with the missed opportunity to do something bolder to move the country towards energy independence by recognizing the importance of a fuel alternative. Obama played a leadership role in promoting seven amendments that strengthened the 2005 bill when it was on the floor and did not stop fighting to strengthen the bill after it was passed, introducing legislation in 2007 to end some of the most egregious tax breaks for the oil industry that were part of the 2005 bill.

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http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080312022828AAr0m1D

[TheDoorbellRang]

8. Thanks, sparosnare

You should be on the rapid response team. :thumbsup:

[bigtree]

9. you're promoting Cheney's energy bill to defend Obama??

frickin unreal

[Avalux]

11. Hardly. It's just not as black and white as what the OP wants people to believe.

Anyone with critical thinking skills can figure that out.

[bigtree]

12. the verdict has long been in on that bill

incredible

[KatieBloom]

13. Excellent response...

Thanks for this post.
Facts are facts.
Opinions are opinions.
Talking points are talking points...and usually have little to do with facts.


Again, excellent response.

[ScarletSniper]

10. Hillary voted for the WAR! rock paper scissors!