The People v. the Corporations

This speaks to the heart of what’s wrong with Congress. Tuesday, the Republicans struck down the repeal of tax breaks to big oil companies [“Senate votes against repeal of $2 billion in oil tax breaks,” News, May 18]. Soon, the Democrats are going to strike down expanding offshore drilling.

Why can’t Congress figure it out? “We the People” are fed up with them making a political football of everything.

What’s worse is that they admit they are doing just that. Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham said on NPR Wednesday that, while he agrees that the subsides could be reduced or even eliminated, he doesn’t want the Democrats to score points.

Both sides do it.

Listen, there are arguments for and against both these issues. Figure it out and split the difference. Get this country out of this “can’t move forward” funk. Oh wait, I forgot; this country is not “We the People” — it’s “We the Corporations.”

— Ed Wilson, Seattle

Breaks and rewards

Regarding the $4 billion loss to the Treasury, it’s only the tip of the iceberg and a drop in the ocean.

How could the depletion allowances be overlooked for all resources? The depletion allowance (Pandora’s Box) costs the people — or in nicer terms, could be called larger subsidies, be it a gravel pit, gold mine, silver mine, coal mine, an oil well, or a natural gas well, etc.

The double-edged sword swings both ways. Both the landowners and the producers get these unreal tax breaks/rewards.

— Daniel Molleker, Bothell