Saw today's diary on
$100 rebate checks for ANWR, and it pissed me off to no end. The Republicans are shelling out cash again to buy off the stupid contingent of the electorate, while picking their pockets at the same time.
I encourage all of you to let your local media know that you're not falling for this sucker move. My letter below:
Oil companies have been gouging Americans with higher prices since before the beginning of the invasion of Iraq, justifying it by citing "uncertainty" in the region. This uncertainty did not increase the costs associated with producing oil and gasoline, only the price for the consumer. This goes directly to the profit margin of oil companies.
The Republican-controlled Senate offers an answer: a crisp $100 bill. One hundred dollars. That's supposed to cover your financial woes. Of course, the fact that it'll wind up going straight into oil company coffers anyway is something they hope you don't think too much about.
And, since nobody gets something for nothing (except, apparently, oil companies), the Senate Republicans have a little something they want in exchange for your $100 bill: the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. That unspoiled land up north that has a total of about six months' worth of oil, but won't be available for years after drilling begins. In the meantime, you'll just have to tough it out.
And just so we don't forget: oil companies have already received billions in tax cuts and royalty-free extraction from publicly-owned American sources from the Republicans, money that also goes straight to their bottom line.
Oil companies get billions, you get $100 (well, they get that too, but you get to give it to them yourself).