[ArkyBeagle]

Mitch McConnell is from Kentucky. That alone is enough to explain his actions. Because, you know, coal mining, Kentucky... likewise whatsisname...ah, Inhofe ... from Oklahoma.

You know that people from states with strong extractive industries have a conservative tendency because of the really large business cycles, right? Throw in that these climes also sport lots of farmers, and.... Not everybody can move to the large, overpriced urban areas.

If Congress/the Senate is bought off that cheaply... which is always a questionable thing ... http://voices.washingtonpost.com/ezra-klein/2010/10/ten_thin...

[DrScump]

Note that Kentucky has an Oil Extraction tax of 4.5%.

Meanwhile, solidly blue California has none.