Dems' policy on Big Oil is punishment, not reform

[Casino67]

Washington Examiner:

President Obama gave a tax break last year to every Wall Street and drug industry executive who contributed to his campaign.
The above sentence, while technically true, is a grossly unfair characterization of the facts (Obama signed a bill cutting taxes for everyone subject to the payroll tax).

But the misleading construction provides an insight into the way Obama and congressional Democrats talk about tax policy.

The Democrats' current war on "subsidies for Big Oil" is not about ending special favors for the oil industry. It's about singling out a handful of big oil companies and punishing them with tax increases. This reflects Obama's general view of government's role in the economy: Rather than being an impartial referee evenly applying neutral rules, the president uses taxes and regulations to reward "the good guys" and punish "the bad guys."