June 08, 2008
Fox News Sunday: Energy policy
The McCain and Obama campaigns have sent two surrogates to discuss the candidates' respective strategies for winning the presidential election, and they're currently dodging and weaving on energy policy.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, a Republican, responds to charges from Democratic Obama backer Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine, that the U.S. has had no energy policy for the last eight years. Pawlenty reels off a series of proposals, none of which lodge in my brain because I'm so aghast at the sheer temerity of the riposte.
Chris Wallace says what I'm shouting at my TV (Hey! How'd he do that?), pointing out that McCain's as liberal on this issue as his opponent: McCain opposes drilling in ANWR, would leave it up to the states whether we'd drill for oil off their coasts (No drilling for you!), and is pressing for an economy-crippling 60-percent reduction in carbon emissions based upon nothing more than speculative junk science.
So, Wallace's point is well made: Neither candidate has a clue about energy policy. A pox on both their houses, right?
Not so fast, Buster. I'm still pointing the finger of blame at the Democrats for our current energy woes. Allow me a moment to explain.
I've been feeling the pain at the gas pumps lately, especially because my new truck runs on diesel, which has hit – and passed – the five-dollar mark in Southern California. As I watch the numbers climb – Ding!Ding!Ding! – into the three digits (a hundred bucks to fill up?!) my ire turns toward the feckless crapweasels responsible: Democratic congresscritters.
Yeah, I know, you think I’m letting the Stupid Party (aka, the GOP) off the hook again, but the problem is that, without denying for a moment that the Republicans are indeed the Stupid Party – and also a party filled with countless feckless crapweasels, too – it’s the Democrats who have done everything they can to keep us suckling on the foreign-oil teat that they claim to hate, as well as jacking up the price of gas.
The folks over at Power Line explain how the Dems have been getting off easy.
For several decades, the Democratic Party has pursued policies designed to drive up the cost of petroleum, and therefore gas at the pump. Remarkably, the Democrats don't seem to have taken much of a political hit from the current spike in gas prices. Probably that's because most people don't realize how different the two parties' energy policies have been.Congressman Roy Blunt put together these data to highlight the differences between House Republicans and House Democrats on energy policy:
ANWR Exploration
House Republicans: 91% Supported
House Democrats: 86% OpposedCoal-to-Liquid
House Republicans: 97% Supported
House Democrats: 78% OpposedOil Shale Exploration
House Republicans: 90% Supported
House Democrats: 86% OpposedOuter Continental Shelf (OCS) Exploration
House Republicans: 81% Supported
House Democrats: 83% OpposedRefinery Increased Capacity
House Republicans: 97% Supported
House Democrats: 96% OpposedSUMMARY
91% of House Republicans have historically voted to increase the production of American-made oil and gas.
86% of House Democrats have historically voted against increasing the production of American-made oil and gas.
Supply and demand make the world go ‘round. As nations like China and India increase their rates of industrialization – and their standards of living – domestic oil consumption increases. More people around the world are demanding access to petroleum-based products, and this increased demand is resulting in higher prices because the supply is not keeping up.
Unless and until we increase our domestic drilling and refining capacity, we’re going to be whipsawed by this international market.
The very proposals that the GOP backed – and that the Dems defeated – would have resulted in lower prices at the pump for Americans.
So, who deserves the blame for your pain?
It ain’t the GOP.
And the McCain campaign should be able to use these votes to beat this particular argument back.
Except for the uncomfortable fact that McCain probably voted with the Democrats on every one of these proposals.
Man, I really don't want to vote for this guy.
Feh.
Posted by Mike Lief at June 8, 2008 08:12 AM
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