Dem Landrieu Knocks Party's Oil Tax Plan as 'Laughable'

Democratic U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu attacked her own party’s latest plan to tax oil companies as “laughable” while complaining that the proposal had come from states that produce no energy. The Louisiana senator said she and fellow Democratic Sen. Mark Begich of Alaska realize they are going to be popular among their own caucus for their stand against the bill, The Hill reports.

“I know we are going to be the skunks at the garden party, to be the two Democrats against his bill,” she acknowledged on Senate floor.

The bill, authored by New Jersey Democratic Sen. Robert Menendez, would tax oil companies for drilling on government land and remove tax breaks for companies that drill overseas. It is claimed it would raise $20 billion to go to deficit reduction, but Landrieu said it would hurt the beleaguered Gulf of Mexico oil industry.

Landrieu rhetorically asked, “Can I vote for a bill like this? No. Not only can I not vote for it, it’s laughable.”