The GOPocrisy, it burns
Back in 2011 when subsidies for the filmmaking industry in Michigan were being debated, state Senator Rick Jones said, “The government is not qualified to pick winners and losers. That’s a case of the government being short-sighted.”
Pretty standard, boilerplate rhetoric from so-call small-government Republicans. They hate subsidizing industries with tax payer money.
Until they don’t.
This week, Jones has offered up a proposal to give oil companies tax abatements and favorable treatment to build new oil refineries in Michigan:
Jones wants to entice oil companies to build new refineries in Michigan by offering them a 10-year abatement on state property and equipment taxes. With more refineries in the state — to primarily serve Michigan — residents would see gas prices go down, Jones argues.
When legislation was introduced in 2008 to exempt energy providers from obtaining a certain percentage of their power from renewable sources by specific deadlines, Jones was right there to vote FOR that. Can’t be picking winners and losers, after all. But, when oil companies are involved, Jones is willing to break his rule and anoint them as a “winner”.
It’s GOPocrisy at its finest.
