“All you have to do is drive down the street in your car, see the price at the pump, and you know that Americans can no longer afford George W. Bush as President and his Rubber Stamp Republican Congress.”
Nancy Pelosi
April 26, 2006
Despite surging gas prices– Democrats refuse to drill or develop national reserves. Democrats refuse to approve new refineries. Democrats refuse nuclear energy.
DEMOCRATS REFUSE TO ACT.
Democrats refuse to drill in ANWR or inside domestic “No Zones.” (Senator Craig website)
Democrats promised they had a plan to cut energy prices–
So far they have not produced this plan.
President Bush lashed out at Democrats today for not acting on the surging energy costs.
Bush proposed drilling in ANWR and building nuclear plants during his Rose Garden Press Conference:
One of the main reasons for high gas prices is that global oil production is not keeping up with growing demand. Members of Congress have been vocal about foreign governments increasing their oil production; yet Congress has been just as vocal in opposition to efforts to expand our production here at home.
They repeatedly blocked environmentally safe exploration in ANWR. The Department of Energy estimates that ANWR could allow America to produce about a million additional barrels of oil every day, which translates to about 27 millions of gallons of gasoline and diesel every day. That would be about a 20-percent increase of oil — crude oil production over U.S. levels, and it would likely mean lower gas prices. And yet such efforts to explore in ANWR have been consistently blocked.
Another reason for high gas prices is the lack of refining capacity. It’s been more than 30 years since America built its last new refinery. Yet in this area, too, Congress has repeatedly blocked efforts to expand capacity and build more refineries.
As electricity prices rise, Congress continues to block provisions needed to increase domestic electricity production by expanding the use of clean, safe nuclear power. Instead, many of the same people in Congress who complain about high energy costs support legislation that would make energy even more expensive for our consumers and small businesses.
Congress is considering bills to raise taxes on domestic energy production, impose new and costly mandates on producers, and demand dramatic emissions cuts that would shut down coal plants, and increase reliance on expensive natural gas. That would drive up prices even further. The cost of these actions would be passed on to consumers in the form of even higher prices at the pump and even bigger electric bills.
Instead of increasing costs and increasing new roadblocks to domestic energy production, Congress needs to clear away obstacles to more affordable, more reliable energy here at home.
(GP- US Regular Conventional Retail Gas Prices)
The Anchorage Daily News reported on the Democrat’s response to this serious crisis:
Democrats pushed back, accusing Bush of trotting out old ideas and of favoring big oil companies at the expense of average Americans.
At a Democrat news conference where Sen. Charles E. Schumer, D-N.Y., said: “He says he’s concerned with high gas prices and high food prices and student and home loan problems. But the truth is that the president has closed his eyes and put his hands over his ears as these crises have grown.”
WOULD ANWR HELP?
Gov. Sarah Palin lauded Bush’s call for ANWR exploration.
“President Bush is right. Here in Alaska and across the nation, communities are feeling the pinch of high energy costs. It is absurd that we are borrowing hundreds of billions of dollars from one foreign country to buy oil from another,” she said. “It is well past time for America to develop our own supplies.”
U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, spoke on the Senate floor on behalf of her bill, co-sponsored by Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens and others, to automatically open ANWR if the world oil price tops $125 a barrel for five days. This week oil prices pushed within $6 of that trigger, a price that just a few years ago seemed absurdly high. Murkowski’s bill would channel the federal revenue from ANWR to alternative energy development, programs to help improve energy efficiencies and to those in need.
“Americans are tired of hearing about why the cost of energy is so high, what they want to know is what we in Congress are doing to drive down prices,” Murkowski said.
Investor’s Business Daily explains how irresponsible the Democrats have been on the energy crisis.
They lay into the worst Congress ever:
Failing to allow drilling in ANWR. We have, as Bush noted, estimated capacity of a million barrels of oil a day from this source alone — enough for 27 million gallons of gas and diesel. But Congress won’t touch it, fearful of the clout of the environmental lobby. As a result, you pay at the pump so your representative can raise campaign cash.
Refusing to build new refineries. The U.S. hasn’t built one since 1976, yet sanctions at least 15 unique “boutique” fuel blends around the nation. So even the slightest problem at a refinery causes enormous supply problems and price spikes. Congress has done nothing about this.
Turning its back on nuclear power. It’s safe and, with advances in nuclear reprocessing technology, waste problems have been minimized. Still, we have just 104 nuclear plants — the same as a decade ago — producing just 19% of our total energy. (Many European nations produce 40% or more of their power with nuclear.) Granted, nuclear power plants are expensive — about $3 billion each. But they produce energy at $1.72/kilowatt-hour vs. $2.37 for coal and $6.35 for natural gas.
Raising taxes on energy producers. This is where a basic understanding of economics would help: Higher taxes and needless regulation lead to less production of a commodity. So by proposing “windfall” and other taxes on energy companies plus tough new rules, Congress makes our energy situation worse.
These are just a few of Congress’ sins of omission — all while India, China, Eastern Europe and the Middle East add more than a million barrels of new demand each and every year. New Energy Department forecasts see world oil demand growing 40% by 2030, including a 28% increase in the U.S.
Americans who are worried about the direction of their country, including runaway energy and food prices, should keep in mind the upcoming el
ection isn’t just about choosing a new president. We’ll also pick a new Congress.
Meanwhile, China, Cuba, Canada and others continue to drill off our shores where US companies are not allowed to drill because of Democratic policies!
Senator Craig:
China is actively exploring oil fields 50 miles from Key West, Florida. U.S. companies are barred from working in this area because of U.S. policy . So, instead of allowing the most environmentally responsible companies to operate there and increase our domestic supply, China, who has a dismal environmental record, is sucking close, lucrative oil reserves dry.
How long can Democrats continue to do nothing about this crisis?
And, how long before the media will report on it?
This is unbelievable.
** Doug Ross makes a great point!
And, Rush Limbaugh thrashes the Democrats.
Previously:
Thanks to Democratic “No Zones”, the US Is in Grave Danger
It’s Official, Cuba Hires China to Drill Oil Off Florida Coast
Despite Oil Crisis, Democrats AGAIN Block US Firms from Drilling!
Democrats Crack Gas Jokes Then Vote Against US Oil Development
Union Protesters Get Lost, End Up at White House
Democrats Fail to Prevent Senate Oil Drilling Bill from Passing
Despite Global Oil Crisis, Dems Will Block Drilling & Exploration!
In First 100 Hours, Democrats Propose Ban on Oil Drilling
Democrats Force American Energy Companies to Flee
Americans Can No Longer Afford the Pelosi-Reid Gas Prices
Pelosi-Reid Congress Sets Another Record… In Gas Prices
House Dems Pass Massive Tax Hike on Oil Companies to Bring Down Price of Fuel
So Much For That Pelosi Plan to Cut Gas Prices
UPDATE: Captain Ed has more and notes that oil companies make less than half the profit margin as companies like Microsoft.
Related… Iran’s Most Powerful Weapon is Energy
