Take for instance the $4 billion in annual subsidies that taxpayers in Boulder City and across the country are giving to big oil companies that made $36 billion in profits during the first three months of this year alone. Big oil executives aren’t struggling like so many Nevadans looking for work or those working two or three jobs to put food on the table or to put gas in the car. So why should Nevada taxpayers subsidize the same oil companies that are making billions off of their commute?

Its obvious oil companies don’t need these subsidies. In fact, even the former CEO of Shell said they are unnecessary. That’s why cutting these giveaways to big oil companies is at the top of my list to reducing federal government spending. 

Unfortunately, Medicare is at the top of the list for Republicans. Seniors, many living on a fixed income, are struggling and trying to make their retirement savings stretch. The same can’t be said for the oil companies. So why do Republicans want to hand billions in giveaways to oil companies, while ending Medicare for seniors? That just doesn’t make sense.

It’s time to end the giveaways to Big Oil and break their chokehold on our energy choices that keep us dependent on foreign oil. Instead, we need to take advantage of Nevada’s abundant natural resources like wind, solar and geothermal energy to create good paying clean energy jobs that can’t be shipped overseas.

Boulder City residents know all about that. As one of Nevada’s leading locations for clean energy, Boulder City is helping our state and our country break free from its dependence on fossil fuels.

The push to end Medicare is not the answer to our federal deficit. However, ending taxpayer subsidies to big oil companies is an important start towards that goal. Those are priorities that we can all agree upon.

Contact Harry Reid at http://reid.senate.gov/