How about a Big Oil windfall profit tax to fund SS?

[BrainRants]

Heard this on Springer the other day and the more I've thought about it, the more it makes sense as a weapon against Bush.

With Big Oil enjoying the windfall of profits from the recent price gouging (something dear leader said he would not permit) why not fund the SS shortfall by putting a windfall profit tax on Big Oil?

If Shrub is TRULY looking to the Dems to put their options on the table for his consideration, why not use the greed of his big oil interests as a weapon against him? Make him choose between saving SS or allowing the greed of Big Oil to continue unchecked. This proposal would have the added benefit of exposing where his (party's) loyalties really lie.

Of course it would also get the RW echo chamber bleating about the "tax & spend liberals" but the bottom line is the American people are pissed off at the pumps, and Shrub is skipping around the country talking about Social Security. I don't think there would be a lot of sympathy from Joe Public for Big Oil while they're swimming in our cash.

Thoughts?

[B Calm]

1. Good idea.. But then so is taking back the social security surplus

that Bush gave away to the rich in the disguise of tax cuts..

[whistle]

2. Do both, hit the bastards where it hurts the most

[meti57b]

3. Exactly! Stop "loaning" the money out of the SS Trust Fund, immediately

They are trying to get out of paying the SS Trust Fund back the money they took out of it in order to fund tax cuts for the wealthy. Why is the SS Trust Fund continuing to load money to the rest of the government in the form of Treasury Bonds when we know they won't pay it back.

[dcfirefighter]

4. In Athens Greece

all free adult males received payments from the lease on the silver mines outside of town.

We should do the same thing for our social security payments: each american retiree of a certain age should get a share of the rents for use of public lands, oil rights, mineral rights, and fcc granted airwave rights.

[global1]

5. This Is A Brilliant Idea.....

puts the onus on the oil companies and *Co. If they want a war for oil - then they pay for it themselves. Put the $'s back into the SS fund by the oil companies. Maybe they'd think twice about gouging us.