Obama's jobs bill hurts Montana energy industry

The president's "second stimulus" jobs bill and deficit reduction plan both include measures to increase taxes on domestic oil and gas production, which by extension will penalize consumers, workers and shareholders. The administration's continued pursuit of these controversial tax increases — which have been routinely rejected by Congress — amounts to simple political posturing. But the economic fallout is even less appealing.

In 2009, President Barack Obama stood before Congress to present his first $787 billion stimulus package. His economic team originally projected that the plan co...