Despite opposition by the GOP and protest by oil executives, Democrats have continued their call to end government tax breaks for major oil and gas companies, the beneficiaries of windfall profits this year. But it was only a short time ago when Republicans, too, supported ending these unfair tax breaks.

Republican Senator Susan Collins, in 2008, took to the Senate floor and made the case to end taxpayer subsidies for oil and gas companies:

In a 2008 press release, Collins said:

With net profits of a single oil company reaching almost 10 billion dollars in a single quarter, we simply should not expect taxpayers struggling to pay their energy bills to continue to subsidize the oil and gas industry.

And Republican Senator John Thune of South Dakota also called for an end to these subsidies – but he has since reversed his position. Collins has yet to declare her position on the current debate.

Whether it’s Mitt Romney running away from his health care record or Tim Pawlenty reversing course on climate legislation, Republicans seem more eager to tow the party line than stand by their convictions.

Today is the 41^st annual Earth Day. In recognition of that occasion DNC Interim Chair Donna Brazile released the following statement:

In the more than four decades since Earth Day was established, Americans have taken action to clean up our air and water, make our cars and factories more environmentally friendly, and preserve our precious natural resources. That progress was hard won, but we still have work to do. Safeguarding the globe for our children and grandchildren means doing more to confront climate change and support sustainable renewable energy policies.

That’s why President Obama has laid out a comprehensive plan to build a 21^st century clean energy economy. He recognizes that our current path is unsustainable – we are not only dependent on foreign countries for the energy we need to keep our nation running, we are putting our environment at risk. The President’s plan would change that by reducing our dependence on foreign oil, supporting new clean sources of energy, and addressing the root causes of global warming. By adopting the President’s plan, we can not only bequeath our children a healthier world, we can build for them a healthier economy and a brighter future.