Big Oil too big for Arnold's "shared sacrifice" (tags)
Who is the Governor willing to include in what he calls "shared sacrifice"? Children who will go without health care, young pregnant women who will not receive counseling, working moms, students depending on state sponsored college scholarships, and people with disabilities, Alzheimer's, mental illness, and HIV/AIDS. Arnold Schwarzenegger calls for "shared sacrifice" in California State budget cuts. But who is he willing to sacrifice? Children who will go without health care, young pregnant women who will not receive counseling, working moms, students depending on state sponsored college scholarships, and people with disabilities, Alzheimer's, mental illness, and HIV/AIDS. And who is to too big to sacrifice? Exxon-Mobil, Chevron, Shell, Conoco-Pillips, and BP. The Governor and California Republicans adamantly insist that the oil and natural gas companies will pay no severance tax for the privilege of extracting oil and natural gas that belongs to Californians, even as the State goes $25 million deeper into high interest debt every day.