Necessary Roughness

The Washington Post reports that the House of Representatives voted to rescind tax breaks for the five largest petroleum businesses and spend the money on alternative energy.

I actually feel some sentiment toward rescinding tax breaks for oil companies, since they got some breaks when oil was $9/bbl. Two problems: first, the tax break that is being rescinded is one that is being enjoyed by American manufacturers. Why should one industry be more special than another?

Secondly:

“We don’t think it’s asking too much to ask them to assist in a partnership to help find out whether there’s a better way to meet our energy needs,” said House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charles B. Rangel (D-N.Y.). He called the money raised from the oil giants “grains of sand on the beach.”

Congressman Rangel: a partnership consists of two voluntary entities. There’s nothing voluntary about transferring earnings to fund a competitor. It wasn’t like the giants weren’t already doing their own research into alternative energy.