Big oil companies have had tax exemptions since time immemorial. In fact, I worked in the tax shelter unit of the IRS in the early 1980s and know first hand what monies they have gotten. All this time they have gotten a free ride at taxpayer expense. And what have they done with all this welfare they have gotten? They have sheltered it in more tax free accounts overseas instead of using it to create jobs. In fact they should have created MILLIONS of jobs with all that welfare they've been given. Therefore, the idea that taxing them hurts the economy is totally ridiculous. It time that these corporate welfare queens pay up their taxes like everybody else does.
I have heard that same sad country song sung in Canada too, but magically, those calculations (in Canada) never seem to include the reality that gas (oil) is subject to a 'sin tax' and gets nailed all the way along through the process.... I don't know about the US, but in Canada, the various levels of government make more off of a liter of gas than the actual producer makes.
I wonder if that's the same as the tax a local body shop or a baker gets saddled with?
But if it makes you feel better, tax the crap outta the b*stards - that will fix your economy in a jiff.