October 07, 2005
Democrats Give Me Gas - Just Not the Kind My Car Needs
This is smart....
Democrats Attack Bill to Boost Refineries
A new Republican-crafted energy bill, prompted by the hurricane devastation and high fuel prices, came under sharp attack Friday from Democrats who called it a sop to rich oil companies that would do little to curb gasoline or natural gas costs, while hurting the environment."The bill weakens state and federal environmental standards ... and gives a break to wealthy oil companies while doing little or nothing to affect oil prices," Rep. Sherwood Boehlert, R-N.Y., said in a letter Thursday to colleagues. With prices soaring, "oil companies now have all the profits and incentives they need to build new refineries" without government help, he maintained.
In 1981, the United States had 325 refineries capable of producing 18.6 million barrels a day. Today there are fewer than half that number, producing 16.9 million barrels daily. Still, refining capacity has been increasing, though not dramatically, for the last decade. Imports have made up the difference as demand has continued to increase.
Pardon me, but right now I'm more concerned about having gasoline to get to work than I am in minor environmental concerns that have more to do with politics of socialists than with improving life. Also, I'm ready to start drilling up all of Alaska if it takes that to get us independent of foreign sources of oil and to reduce conflicts in the mideast. Alaskans would appreciate the jobs and money, too.
If the Democrats continue to block realistic energy efforts and force two more years of no increases in our domestic oil and energy production, then expect long gas lines and even more expensive gas. The Democrats would love that, because they would blame Bush (they always do) hoping that would help them win back the White House--at a tremendous price to the public. So, if you find us running out of gasoline or having to pay up to $5 a gallon, then thank a Democrat; and, if you are a Democrat, rip those "Hillary for President" stickers off of your car bumper.
For once, the Democrats should put the nation ahead of their own misguided political interests.
Posted by GM Roper at October 7, 2005 09:00 PM | TrackBackI won't defend Democrats, but Republicans aren't squeeky clean, nor are you.
Drill Alaska? Why not subsidize a fleet of American made hybrid cars?
Diesel hybrids, even based on today's SUVs, could improve fuel economy enough to end foreign oil dependency, without drilling all of Alaska.
Too expensive you say? Not so! According to a recent study, ending foreign oil dependency could save America as much as a trillion dollars (
more).
Why not spend a couple 100 billion to make American automakers the world's leading automakers once again, end foreign oil dependency, and save a trillion.
Instead, we'll make the oil industry and a few oil men even richer with this band-aid solution. The only thing that cheap gas results in is increased oil consumption and increased foreign oil dependency.
Chad Snyder
Hybridcarblog.com
Posted by Chad Snyder at October 7, 2005 10:19 PM
Link to trillion dollar savings reference. (more)
Posted by Chad Snyder at October 7, 2005 10:22 PM
Chad, you would have more credibility if you didn't lace your comments with self-promoting ads pushing the very cars that you say will save us from energy dependence.
Hybrid cars can be very good, but so far they have failed to meet the size and power needs and the cost-benefit requirements of the American public. If they were the solution, then everyone would be buying them.
This reminds me of a lot of arguments from the left that solar power and wind power will save us. They can't. They attack nuclear power, which can help. If only people would do what the left says--act like inner-city dwellers and use public transportation and small cars. Maybe AMTRAK is the answer despite its billions of dollars in losses. That is a lot of fanciful talk with little reality to solve our nations energy problems.
The answers don't come from telling everyone what they should buy and how they should act. A lot of people like me resent it when someone else with no more knowledge decides that we aren't smart enough to see the solutions and should do what the elite left says.
Until the great ideas of the left come to fruition, which may be never, let's pursue every means to increase our domestic production of oil and the refinement of oil. That provides faster and proven results.
Thanks for your input. Hybrids can help, but are just a very, very, very small part of the solution.
Posted by Woody at October 8, 2005 12:25 PM
I really enjoy reading your articles. Keep up the great work.
TBoardenson
Posted by Tom at March 6, 2006 10:32 PM
