Sunday, August 13, 2006

Politics in the Oil Patch of Alaska

This is a rant, disregard if your not aware of the politics and tax issues facing Alaska. How convenient that before the vote on raising taxes against the oil companies, that BP would stop the flow of oil from Prudhoe. With their lack of foresight in taking care of corroding pipes for 14 years it would bubble to surface right at the most critical time in the vote. How convenient that this should happen when they have the highest oil prices and profits in years. Am I the only one who thinks this was a political ploy. If it smells like crude, taste like crude, feels like crude, I'm betting it's crap. Of course, everyone is now thinking about the money there is to be made fixing the problem. The Unions, big business (VECO), and oil workers of course are all straining at the bit for the short time money that will flow into their coffers and check books. Everyone of them is forgetting the long term affects that the Murkowski Plan will have on the state by giving the oil companies these huge tax breaks. Short sighted decisions will come back to haunt us. After the vote in the State Senate and House, I've come to one conclusion. We have the best politicians money can buy. They should all be sent packing at the next election. I'm for not voting for a single incumbent running for office in the next election. Mark my words, the electorate of Alaska won't do that. The good old boys rule the day. Who is going to pay, we all are at the pump, and no amount of gas coming down the purposed future gas line will help defray our extreme high cost of living we have to deal with. Just like the promise of the oil line. It's all hype, rhetoric and illusions for average Alaskans.

11 comments:

  1. Hey I though New Jersey had cornered the market on corrupt government!
    I have a question for you- when I was in Alaska I struck up a conversation with a fellow who worked for the oil co., he said the real ripoff is that they tell you how much the US relies on Alaskan oil, but the reality is that most of that oil from Prudhoe Bay is sold to Japan... the only thing gained by drilling oil in Alaska is huge profits for the oil companies... any truth to that?

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  2. I'm not quite up to scratch. But in Eyrope we've learned to live with higher pump prices - yet the punch line is not greener or cleaner fuel, but bumper profits for BP £13billion & Shell £13billion. Of course good news for shareholders and the Treasury.

    I feel a bit of a mug sometimes when I support gasoline price rises at the pump, on the Green banner hoping to reduce consumption and improve efficiency - only to be taken for a holly ride by the oil companies and the government

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  3. PS - I tried to have a look in your daughters site, but either my humble machine is not sophisticated enough, or ...

    couldn't get past the front page of her web without freezing and crashes. Is this my machine's problem?

    ReplyDelete
  4. Anonymous5:15 PM

    Somehow, I'm not shocked. We have oil men in the White House and they aren't in the business of losing money. The amount of money it takes to get elected these days has turned 90% of all our politicians into prostitutes of one kind or another.

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  5. Sandy,
    To answer your question. I don't know if Alaskan oil is being shipped to Japan. I think at one time it wasn't allowed but I don't know if that is still in place. There is no doubt in my mind that huge profits are being made by the oil companies from Alaskan oil. For example, Exxon, which to this day has fought in court all attempts at any repreations and fines from the Oil Spill in Valdez back in the past. They haven't paid a penny but the profits they make from their share of Purdhoe Bay has pushed them into one of the most profitable oil companies in the world. This lastest problem is a prime example of where the pirorities of the oil companies really are. The state has taken the oil companies to court in the past over non payment of taxes due, incomplete accounting and have won every time. The reputation of the oil companies proves in my little mind, that they can't be trusted to do what is right.

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  6. Quasar9,

    My daughters page works fine on my Windows Machines but not on my Mac. I'm not sure what is up with that site.

    Sorry, if your having problems, I'll notify her and see if she is aware of any problems from others.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Yeah, thanks Robert.
    Just thought I'd look in and say hello
    But only got to front page, when I tried to click to webpage ...
    it just hung (froze) so I crashed out ...
    Will try again some other time.
    If not here's a hello for them!

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  8. The ""oil men "" in the White house are working hard to encourage Americans to play a major role in creating another energy source besides oil.
    Here in the south Bio diesel is getting very popular and the city of Mobile Alabama is working now to get it perfected to the point that all of its city cars/trucks/equiptment/ runs on it.
    This should have been done years ago by Non-oil men presidents.

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  9. Anonymous10:45 AM

    Hey Dorothy,
    Didn't mean to offend. I think there was actually a non oil man president who tried that a lot of years ago. Jimmy Carter tried to get people to conserve, got us started on a lot of the conservation rebates we have today, encouraged alternate energy sources and companies, and tried to get the automakers on board. Everyone thought he was a little crazy. I'm thinking he might have been ahead of his time. Maybe it'll work out better for his son, Jack, who's now running for the US Senate.
    Have a great weekend!

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  10. Developing alternatives is great, but what about incentives to conserve? Serious tax savings for those that choose fuel efficient vehicles, luxury tax for those that don't (and have a choice).Incentives for employers to offer flexible hours (4 day work weeks), and incentives to have a work from home program.

    ReplyDelete
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