Republicans Archives - Page 63 of 67 - Common Sense Evaluation

America’s Oil Held Hostage by the Democrats

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Jul 152008

Voting for Democrats in November guarantees we will never be free from foreign oil because they will never let the American people develop our own independent fuel resources. You can’t build enough wind mills, solar panels or electric cars, to replace our present energy needs…not in 10 years, not in 20…and what are we supposed to do in the mean time?

What possible reason could the Democrats have for not drilling other than somebody is lining their pockets not to!

Drill Now, Drill Everywhere and Drill Often!

Free Our Oil

That was House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s catchphrase last week as she continued to grope for an energy policy. One of her ideas was to request “a small drawdown” in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, no irony intended. At least President Bush has finally called the Speaker’s bluff by rescinding the 1990 executive ban on offshore energy exploration.

With Mr. Bush’s belated decision yesterday, Congress’s moratorium on offshore drilling is now the last major political barrier to increasing domestic oil-and-gas production. Yet Democratic leaders have refused to schedule even a single hearing on the topic. House Appropriations Chairman David Obey recently shut down the annual budget process rather than allow Republicans to offer drilling amendments. He and the Speaker know that if they allow a vote, moderate Democrats are sure to defect and the offshore moratorium could end.

Ms. Pelosi called Mr. Bush’s announcement “a hoax” and made a few cracks about “the oilman in the White House,” continuing the Democratic strategy of blaming everyone from industry executives to “speculators” for the energy crunch. But none of those compare to world-wide demand, tight spare production capacity and inflation – the real causes of today’s record high oil prices. Easing access to the Outer Continental Shelf, with its likely low-end estimates of 86 billion barrels of oil and 420 trillion cubic feet of natural gas, is one of the few responsible long-term remedies.

Congress’s 27-year ban typically comes in the form of a rider to annual spending bills. This year the ban expires on September 30. To borrow Speaker Pelosi’s slogan . . .

Analysts Say Gas Prices Could Fall to $2 if Congress Acts

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Jul 122008

Let’s see. Last week it was caused by Big Oil, this week by speculators, who will it be next week? Facts are facts; it is the Environmentalists and their corrupt Democrat shills that are to blame for the price of gas.

This is just more of the same blame game that the Democrats use to focus on someone else because they are in desperate need of a villain in this picture since they are not free to move or adjust their positions on the issue. They’re basically locked into an ideological position.

Drill Now, Drill Everywhere and Drill Often! I don’t care if we have to drill through a Caribou’s head to get oil. Just do it!

Gas Prices Could Fall To $2 If Congress Acts, Analysts Say

The price of retail gasoline would fall by half, to around $2 a gallon, within 30 days of passage of a law to limit speculation in energy markets, four energy analysts told Congress on Monday. Testifying to a House Energy and Commerce Committee subcommittee, Michael Masters of Masters Capital Management said the price of crude oil would drop closer to its marginal cost of around $65 to $75 a barrel, about half the current $135. Fadel Gheit of Oppenheimer & Co., Edward Krapels of Energy Security Analysis and Roger Diwan of PFC Energy agreed with Masters’ assessment at the hearing. Other witnesses say speculators aren’t a major factor in oil prices, however.

Congress Approval Rating Is a Sign of Complete Disapproval by the American People

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Jul 092008

Now that Congress has lost the confidence of the people, can a Revolution be far behind? All signs are pointing to history repeating itself again. Tammy Bruce explores the possibility in No Shame on the Hill.

Everyone in Washington, Republican and Democrat alike, should be extremely concerned with the fact that the American people have never been as repulsed by our own government as we are now.

Yet, there seems to be no shame at all on the Hill, no embarrassment or worry about the fact that the American people consider them complete and utter failures. There is no talk of resignation and slinking away. Instead, these same self-obsessed, do-nothing politicians go about their business, bemused by the disgust the great, unwashed, Not-Of-Their-Class masses feel for them.

According to the latest Rasmussen Reports survey, Congress has actually finally accomplished something–they’ve achieved the lowest approval rating in the history of the poll. Just 9 percent of the American people approve of the job Congress is doing. — That same 9 percent are also still waiting for the nurse to bring them their medication in their lovely padded rooms.

Once Congress hits the single-digits, they really must accept the fact that just as 5.5 percent unemployment is considered “full-employment,” a 9 percent approval rating is complete disapproval. With a number so shockingly low, one might think Pelosi and Reid would resign in disgrace, ashamed at the fact that the one thing they can claim to have done is lose the confidence of virtually everyone in the country.

But there’s a reason why this Congress is such a failure–it’s because they don’t care, are obsessed with irrelevant petty squabbling, and apparently have contempt for the American people. If they didn’t, out of simple respect for the people, all Democrat and Republican leadership in the House and the Senate would apologize and resign en masse.

A look at issues ranging from the doubling of gas prices since the Democrats took control, to the fact that Congress seems perfectly willing to sacrifice the health and safety of the American people to trade relationships with corrupt, incompetent, and malevolent nations like China and Mexico, explains why if there was a Bastille in this country it would have been raided by now.

Once, when a nation’s leadership was so unliked by the people, those in power suggested the unquiet mob be allowed to eat cake. That’s a history lesson worth reflecting on–no government wants to see what happens if they allow their approval rating to reach zero.

Congress Well Deserved 9% Approval Rating

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Jul 092008

Gee I wonder why Congress has its worst approval ratings ever. Let’s see… a Congress that invests in defeat, embraces terrorists, hates the United States and refuses to become energy independent…yep that will do it.

Suppose you were an idiot and suppose you were a member of Congress. But I repeat myself. – Mark Twain

Congressional Approval Falls to Single Digits for First Time Ever

The percentage of voters who give Congress good or excellent ratings has fallen to single digits for the first time in Rasmussen Reports tracking history. This month, just 9% say Congress is doing a good or excellent job. Most voters (52%) say Congress is doing a poor job, which ties the record high in that dubious category.

Last month, 11% of voters gave the legislature good or excellent ratings. Congress has not received higher than a 15% approval rating since the beginning of 2008.

The percentage of Democrats who give Congress positive ratings fell from 17% last month to 13% this month. The number of Democrats who give Congress a poor rating remained unchanged. Among Republicans, 8% give Congress good or excellent ratings, up just a point from last month. Sixty-five percent (65%) of GOP voters say Congress is doing a poor job, down a single point from last month.

Voters not affiliated with either party are the most critical of Congressional performance. Just 3% of those voters give Congress positive ratings, down from 6% last month. Sixty-three percent (63%) believe Congress is doing a poor job, up from 57% last month.

Just 12% of voters think Congress has passed any legislation to improve life in this country over the past six months. That number has ranged from 11% to 13% throughout 2008. The majority of voters (62%) say Congress has not passed any legislation to improve life in America.

Voters hold little positive sentiment about the future. Just 41% find it at least somewhat likely that Congress will address important problems facing our nation in the near future, while 55% find this unlikely.

Despite these negative attitudes towards Congress, Democrats continue to enjoy a double digit lead on the Generic Congressional Ballot.

Most voters (72%) think most members of Congress are more interested in furthering their own political careers. Just 14% believe members are genuinely interested in helping people.

A separate Rasmussen survey found that half of all voters believe America’s best days are in the past. However, another survey found that 64% of voters also believe that the world would be a better place if more countries were similar to the United States.

Congressional Stupidity Is Destroying America

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Jun 162008

This article hits the nail square on the head. By the way… isn’t “Congressional Stupidity” redundant?

To blame anyone other than environmentalists and corruption in Congress for this energy crisis and alternative fuel fiasco is dishonorable and totally off base. We have untapped energy resources which could easily make the U.S. independent.

The solution to our energy crises is simple. Utilize our own energy-producing fossil resources.

Energy Crisis, Congressional Stupidity, And Election 2008

People are angry. Global oil prices have doubled over the past year, sending fuel prices skyrocketing. Diesel fuel, in particular, is outrageously high, putting the squeeze on the farming and trucking industries, and driving the price of nearly everything upward, especially the cost of food. Truckers have even taken to “demonstrating” in the streets of the capitol city.

The elected head of the nation’s government seems unable to do much of anything to alleviate the problem. But appearing as though he’s doing something is better than appearing as though he’s doing nothing, so he schedules a trip to Saudi Arabia for several “high level talks” with oil producers.

Does this sound like a description of the series of events that led up to President Bush’s trip to the Middle East a month ago? You remember that trip, don’t you? It gave us those hideous photos of our current U.S. President holding hands with Saudi King Abdullah, along with the headline “Saudi‘s Rebuff Bush.”

Well, the passage above could very well be used

to describe what was going on here at home back in February, March and April of this year. But it is actually a description of what’s been going on in London the past few weeks, as British Prime Minister Gordon Brown announced plans last Friday to pay his own special visit to “the King” later this month, on June 22nd.

Same problem, essentially the same description, but a different country. And here’s another difference between the two stories: in the United States, we have the resources to get ourselves out of our dilemma – – at least partially – – in the short-run.

It’s no mystery that the United States is home to its own substantial oil and gas resources. It is also true that oil corporations, themselves, are NOT the villains behind the skyrocketing fuel prices. The problem is, without a doubt, the United States Congress.

Currently, it is a violation of federal law to search for oil in the Pacific Ocean, in the Gulf of Mexico, in the Atlantic Ocean, and in Alaska. Similarly, it is against the law to search for oil shale in the continental United States. Congress has the power to change federal laws that restrict such energy exploration and development, but has chosen not to do this.

And if “Congress” is to blame for these harmful laws, that means that there is plenty of blame to go around among Republicans and Democrats alike. Republicans controlled the Congress for nearly twelve of the last thirteen and a half years, and during that time the stupidity on energy policy remained intact.

Yet for the past seventeen months, Democrats have been in control of Congress. And what has been the response from our nation’s legislative body regarding our most recent energy crisis? For one, the Democrats introduced legislation that would raise taxes on oil companies. Acting as if “companies” actually pay taxes (rather than passing along the additional costs to their customers), the Democrats chose to play – – to borrow a term from my friend and mentor Hugh Hewitt – – a game of “Sesame Street economics.”

Were the Democrats’ corporate tax increase to actually become law, it would do nothing to help expand our nation’s energy resources, and would, indeed, drive our energy costs further upward. But never mind the need for real solutions – – if you’re in Congress and you’re a Democrat, its good to look like you’re being “tough” on oil companies.

And on the point of “looking tough,” Congressional Democrats have also conducted several “investigations” and “hearings” as of late, to determine if oil companies have been doing anything illegal or unscrupulous so as to drive-up the prices of their products. One of my favorite moments from the “big oil hearings” was when Congressman Ed Markey of Massachusetts demanded to know why the Exxon Mobil Corporation was not investing at least 10% of its profits into the development of alternative, “renewable” energy sources. That’s like demanding to know why the cattle ranching industry is not investing in the development of a soy-based meat substitute product – – it was silly and illogical, yet it was an opportunity for Mr. Markey to look and sound tough in the face of big oil.

So while Congressional Democrats continue to try and appear like they‘re “getting tough” on the oil industry, how about if Congressional Republicans really “get tough” on congressional stupidity? Attitudes and tempers at the pump are already starting to get testy, and gasoline is expected to approach five dollars a gallon by the Fourth of July holiday weekend.

There is a huge opportunity to be seized for the Republicans, if they can figure out how to point-out the foolishness and destructiveness of the Democrats’ proposals, and then propose a real solution to the problem, and then make it happen.

But can the Republican Party, at such a time as this, actually rise to the occasion? And what precisely is the message to voters? And who are the spokespersons for this message? Thoughtful answers to these questions could change the outcome of election 2008.

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