Energy Policy & Robert Byrd: What’s Old Is New Again

by Melissa Clouthier | July 1, 2009 8:34 am

Don Surber found a gem[1]. Evidently a 30-year old article from the Washington Post resurfaced and got printed either accidentally or on-purpose. President Carter and President Obama’s name could be interchanged and then there’s the part about coal:

Byrd said he agreed with a plan by Finance Committee Chairman Russell B. Long (D-La.) to whip a bill through the Senate this week and then bargain about energy taxes and production incentives in conference with the House. The House approved all three Carter taxes – on domestic crude oil, industrial useof oil and natural gas, and low-mileage cars.

“I would hope that we would not add amendments to the bill that would make it more difficult for the conferees to reach agreement,” Byrd told his weekly news conference. “Undue delay in the Senate will unduly delay final action on the energy package.”

Byrd said he has already warned Carter that the energy package that emerges from Congress may not be exactly what the President wants. He said he told Carter “it was better to get half or three-quarters a loaf and next year come back for more” than to endanger the whole package.

He will do everything he can to give Long bargaining room. Byrd said, “I favor a crude oil tax. But I would vote against such an amendment if I felt it would lead to a straitjacketing of the conferences and the demise of the energy package.”

That was back in the days when they still called taxes, well, taxes. Now, even Democrats know that’s a no-no. And taxes are stupid all the time, but completely lame-brained during a recession/depression. But Democrats are nothing if not persevering. If you go read the whole thing, there’s also a slap at South Korea. Ah, the bad old days are here again.

Endnotes:
  1. Don Surber found a gem: http://blogs.dailymail.com/donsurber/2009/07/01/wapo-reruns-30-year-old-story-on-byrd-on-energy-bill/

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