Democrats: "party of the people" my rear (regarding energy, especially)

I came across this article, courtesy of SignonSanDiego.com which essentially epitomizes how out-of-touch Liberals and Democrats really are with the American people. The article offers two different takes, conveniently from each side of the political spectrum, on the energy crisis.

First, "The 'No More Excuses Energy Act' would have encouraged new refinery construction, extended the wind-production tax credit, sparked investment in new nuclear power plants, lifted a congressional moratorium on drilling along the Outer Continental Shelf and opened the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to 'environmentally responsible' drilling. Shelf drilling, the GOP claimed, could provide the nation with 17 billion barrels of oil, while refuge drilling could produce a million barrels a day for several decades."

"Democrats argue that the nation can't drill its way out of the problem. They note that 80 percent of the oil available on the shelf already is open for leasing, but that oil companies have concluded it's not yet worth their money to drill. And they contend that no oil would come from drilling in the refuge for at least a decade."

Naturally, the Democrats INFORM us that oil companies pretty much can do whatever they want; they're not being prohibited from drilling. Do they think we're that stupid? Sadly, the Democrats do, thus their endless insistence that they control every facet of our lives.

The Democrats love to pin the blame for high gas prices on the oil companies: "look at the profits," they cry...if it was only that simple. Rather, the oil profits are driven by supply and demand: Economics 101; as China and India continue to develop, as more people there start driving, as more manufacturing consumes more energy, they will GLADLY subsidize oil, thus providing cheap energy to their citizens.

No amount of price controls will ever control oil profits. "Big Oil" does not have to sell their supply to us. China and India will gladly buy whatever "Big Oil" is selling at whatever prices, hence the subsidies.

Furthermore, the oil companies cannot just drill at will offshore or in Alaska, thanks to obscene amounts of government regulations, taxes, and environmental obstacles, the notion of drilling is a pipe-dream. It won't happen, not while environmental groups have their way.

The second point that requires analysis comes from the mouth of Democratic Senator Barbara Boxer; note the following:

"Saying oil companies have quadrupled their profits in the past six years, Boxer portrayed them and the GOP as conniving co-conspirators in the robbery of typical Americans, and Democrats as champions of 'the average family.'

“'If anyone ever says to you there is no difference between Democrats and Republicans, there is an enormous difference,' she said. 'And it has to do with whose side you are on. In the case today, it was: Are you on the side of big oil and foreign oil, or are you on the side of the American people?'"

Are you kidding ME, Barbara Boxer? I found these statements absolutely ridiculous. We can think the elitist, pie-in-the-sky liberals who represent a sizeable portion of the Democratic party. For a group (the Democrats) that supposedly represent the working class, it would appear they would rather entertain the wishes of the "money-portion" of the party. As mentioned above, we can thank environmental hurdles for the high prices.

Message to goofy liberals; your day is coming...there will come a point where we WILL develop our domestic energy supply, whether it's oil or coal, despite your inane ramblings about global warming. Enjoy your time-imposed existence. It won't last much longer. The good people of this country who you do not represent will see to it.

Here's the complete article:

LETTER FROM WASHINGTON | DANA WILKIE

Hot air on gas

UNION-TRIBUNE

June 16, 2008

Now that gas prices threaten to wipe out more than a few summer road trips, we really need someone to blame.

But there's no need to go to such trouble, because the folks out here in Congress are doing that for us. As with just about any issue that makes Americans grumpy – the rising cost of food, salmonella poisoning, hot August days – lawmakers here are bound to turn the topic into an opportunity to brand their political foes as bottom-dwelling, self-serving scoundrels who don't deserve the public's trust.

That's especially the case less than five months from a presidential election.

Two lawmakers' offices last week demonstrated the point nicely.

The first was the office of Rep. Darrell Issa, which blasted House Democratic leaders for refusing to allow a vote on legislation designed to address the sad fact that filling the tank of my minivan now costs 40 percent more than my monthly water bill.

The “No More Excuses Energy Act” would have encouraged new refinery construction, extended the wind-production tax credit, sparked investment in new nuclear power plants, lifted a congressional moratorium on drilling along the Outer Continental Shelf and opened the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to “environmentally responsible” drilling. Shelf drilling, the GOP claimed, could provide the nation with 17 billion barrels of oil, while refuge drilling could produce a million barrels a day for several decades.

“It is outrageous that with gas approaching $5 a gallon, Speaker (Nancy) Pelosi has not acted to unlock America's domestic energy reserves,” said Issa, a Vista Republican. “We are paying a high price at the pump today for decades of bad policy decisions that have placed our own oil and gas resources off-limits.”

Democrats argue that the nation can't drill its way out of the problem. They note that 80 percent of the oil available on the shelf already is open for leasing, but that oil companies have concluded it's not yet worth their money to drill. And they contend that no oil would come from drilling in the refuge for at least a decade.

Issa was among those who signed a “discharge petition” designed to force the bill to the House floor, where Democratic leaders had prevented it from coming to a vote. The GOP needn't have bothered. It was clear that Republicans lacked the clout to strong-arm a vote, but the exercise did give them a chance to remind voters just what bottom-dwelling, self-serving scoundrels those Democrats really are.

BOTTOM-DWELLERS, TAKE 2

Then there was Sen. Barbara Boxer, who went to the floor last week to blast the GOP for blocking a vote on legislation that would have imposed a windfall-profits tax of 25 percent on oil companies that don't invest in renewable-energy sources and would have ended $17 billion in tax breaks that oil companies now enjoy.

“Today at gas stations across the nation, the American people are suffering,” the California Democrat said. “They are facing sticker shock. They are having to choose – choose between something they might buy at the store for dinner and filling up the tank.”

The GOP, Boxer suggested, needs to get with the 21st century and stop blocking incentives that might boost investment in renewable-energy sources such as solar, wind, biofuels, biomass and geothermal heat.

Saying oil companies have quadrupled their profits in the past six years, Boxer portrayed them and the GOP as conniving co-conspirators in the robbery of typical Americans, and Democrats as champions of “the average family.”

“If anyone ever says to you there is no difference between Democrats and Republicans, there is an enormous difference,” she said. “And it has to do with whose side you are on. In the case today, it was: Are you on the side of big oil and foreign oil, or are you on the side of the American people?”

For its part, the GOP said the nation can't tax its way out of the problem.

The Democrats' “Consumer-First Energy Bill” never had a chance of passing the Senate, but it did give them a chance to remind voters just what a passel of bottom-dwelling, self-serving scoundrels those Republicans really are.