Republicans love giant corporations far more than the voters that elected them. Yesterday Republicans defied the will of the majority of the Senate, not to mention the overwhelming majority of US voters, by filibustering a bill to end $21 billion of outdated, unneeded subsidies for Big Oil. Two Republicans broke ranks. But three cowardly DINO traitors, voted with the Republicans. Yes, I have the names.

In dueling, back-to-back votes, the Senate this week is taking up two oil bills, both expected to fall short on votes but score big in getting out a partisan message for 2012 campaigns. Senate Democrats voted on Tuesday to strip the top five oil companies of tax breaks worth some $21 billion over 10 years, with the savings to go to paying down the deficit. Republicans will respond on Wednesday with a bill to boost oil production by extending leases affected by President Obama’s drilling moratorium after the Gulf oil spill. While the Tuesday bill fell short of the 60 votes it needed to proceed, it was intended to send a message: Republicans would rather help Big Oil than cut deficits or meet the needs of struggling Americans… [emphasis added]

Inserted from <Christian Science Monitor>

Cenk Uygur covered the vote and interviewed Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI).

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They are right. Keep bringing this back, and make Republicans vote on it over and over again.

Now, as promised, here are the senators who voted for Big Oil.

Alexander (R-TN) Ayotte (R-NH) Barrasso (R-WY) Begich (D-AK) Blunt (R-MO) Boozman (R-AR) Brown (R-MA) Burr (R-NC) Chambliss (R-GA) Coats (R-IN) Coburn (R-OK) Cochran (R-MS) Corker (R-TN) Cornyn (R-TX) Crapo (R-ID) DeMint (R-SC) Enzi (R-WY) Graham (R-SC) Grassley (R-IA) Hatch (R-UT) Heller (R-NV) Hoeven (R-ND) Hutchison (R-TX) Inhofe (R-OK) Isakson (R-GA) Johanns (R-NE) Johnson (R-WI) Kirk (R-IL) Kyl (R-AZ) Landrieu (D-LA) Lee (R-UT) Lugar (R-IN) McCain (R-AZ) McConnell (R-KY) Moran (R-KS) Murkowski (R-AK) Nelson (D-NE) Paul (R-KY) Portman (R-OH) Risch (R-ID) Roberts (R-KS) Rubio (R-FL) Sessions (R-AL) Shelby (R-AL) Thune (R-SD) Toomey (R-PA) Vitter (R-LA) Wicker (R-MS)

Inserted from <US Senate>

The Republicans who defected were Collins and Snowe of Maine. I wouldn’t put too much stock in it. Both are on our side, when the issue is not in doubt, and their votes do no good, but when it matters, they almost always goose-step.

As for the three who betrayed America, they should be publically reviled and challenged in their next primaries.