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Crude Mistake
IBD ^ | May 16, 2008

Posted on 05/16/2008 7:12:16 PM PDT by Kaslin

Energy: With the price of oil spiking above $127 a barrel, the search for scapegoats has begun. Some point to the Saudis, OPEC's No. 1 producer. Others blame the oil companies. We have a better candidate: Congress.


As President Bush traveled to Saudi Arabia to ask the House of Saud to open the oil spigots a bit wider, Congress showed once again how clueless it is when it comes to energy policy.

Underscoring its failure to grasp the nature of our current problems, the Senate Appropriations Committee on Friday refused to end its moratorium on oil shale development in Colorado.

"If we are really serious about reducing pain at the pump," Colorado's senior senator, Republican Wayne Allard, said, "this is a vote that would make a difference in people's lives." He's right.

But the shale proposal went down to defeat with Allard and 13 other Republican members in favor and 15 Democrats opposed. Once again, Democrats were on the wrong side, opting to keep oil in the ground and punish you with higher prices as a result.

This was no minor thing. Estimates put the amount of oil locked in shale in both Canada and the U.S. at more than 1 trillion barrels. Pulling out even a tenth of that would quadruple our current reserves.

This is the same Congress that refuses to allow drilling in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, which holds up to 20 billion barrels of crude, or offshore, where another 30 billion await.

Meanwhile, Brazil — which recently made a major oil discovery almost in sight of Rio's beaches — announced that it has leased 80% of the world's deep-sea offshore oil rigs. In other words, Brazil unlike the U.S., isn't dithering as prices soar. It's drilling.

(Excerpt) Read more at ibdeditorials.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Extended News; Government
KEYWORDS: 110th; congress; democrats; energy; oil; scumbags
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To: Kaslin

Never.

I find it somewhat belittling to our country and his office that my President goes begging. He is the most powerful man in the Universe, and yet he goes begging. Never.

I’m extremely ashamed, I would rather pay 5 dollars a gallon then have the President of the US kowtowing to a raghead.


41 posted on 05/16/2008 8:29:16 PM PDT by doc1019 (I was taught to respect my elders, but it's getting harder to find one.)
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To: Kaslin

If you like $4/gal, Thank Congress!

Pray for W and Our Troops


42 posted on 05/16/2008 8:31:05 PM PDT by bray (If everyone hates you, you must be doin something right?)
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To: Sgt_Schultze
This cartoon says it all


43 posted on 05/16/2008 8:31:14 PM PDT by Kaslin (Peace is the aftermath of victory)
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To: Capt. Tom
over the last 50 years or so, how oftet have the repubs had the house/senate. The dems??

Also, the dems have the media in theirt pocket.

So, to lay it on the feet of the republicans and the fact that they had both houses a few years ago and that is why we are not drilling in anwr is stretching it a bit.

44 posted on 05/16/2008 8:32:32 PM PDT by going hot (Happiness is a momma deuce)
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To: Capt. Tom

When you paint with a wide brush, remember that the Rats only need 2-3 RHINOs to stop the drilling.

Pray for W and Our Troops


45 posted on 05/16/2008 8:34:29 PM PDT by bray (If everyone hates you, you must be doin something right?)
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To: Kaslin

Supposition is the bailiwick of the ignorant … you don’t know me, why the supposition about my possible intent?


46 posted on 05/16/2008 8:37:52 PM PDT by doc1019 (I was taught to respect my elders, but it's getting harder to find one.)
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To: Capt. Tom

“WE had a republican president and a republican senate and republican house a few years ago and this problem didn’t get solved either. - Tom “

And your point is?

Do you think a higher percentage of Democrts or Republicans has consistently voted for more American energy production.

A large majority of republicans, joined by a few Democrats, has been trying for 20 years to increase 1) American hydrocarbon development. 2) Increased licensure of Nuclear plants. 3) Increased use of Clean coal. 4) Licensing of new refineries.

Senate ahd house voting records are public information. Google These votes.

Even here, 14 for drilling; 15 against. Even distribution within each party or did one party obstruct.

14 Dems against drilling and 14 Pubs for it. Pretty consistent over the years.

Some Republicans will be RINOs.


47 posted on 05/16/2008 8:51:16 PM PDT by TFMcGuire (Either you are an American, or you are a liberal)
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To: Kaslin
I don’t think it OPEC alone that is pushing the prices up.. It’s those darned speculators who do

I'm eagerly awaiting the day when the oil bubble bursts and the speculators go the way of the sub-prime lenders.

48 posted on 05/16/2008 9:08:08 PM PDT by lightman (Waiting for Godot and searching for Avignon)
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To: Kaslin

Ping for later reading.


49 posted on 05/16/2008 9:20:45 PM PDT by SuziQ
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To: stockpirate
During bad economic times tje party in the WH looses.

Looses what? Something seriesly hugh?
50 posted on 05/16/2008 9:26:22 PM PDT by aruanan
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To: Kaslin

“I hope you realize that the President can only do what Congress allows him to do “

Not really responsive to what I said. Bush has been unable to use the bully pulpit of the presidency when he had a strong case to make, time and again. Few argue that point. He’s just not an articulate and convincing speaker, no matter how much strong evidence he has at his disposal. That has cost his goals and those who support him dearly.

Has nothing to do with what Congress will or will not agree with.


51 posted on 05/16/2008 9:54:24 PM PDT by Will88
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To: doc1019

“I find it somewhat belittling to our country and his office that my President goes begging. He is the most powerful man in the Universe, and yet he goes begging. Never.”

And this is the second time he’s gone begging within a few months: same place, same cause, same result.

I commented yesterday that I couldn’t believe he’d go on this same mission again so soon after the first one unless some successful outcome had been pre-negotiated. Guess I should have believed it.

Though maybe there were some agreements on other items.


52 posted on 05/16/2008 9:58:03 PM PDT by Will88
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To: Will88

Obviously the title “worlds most powerful man” is a misnomer


53 posted on 05/16/2008 10:04:05 PM PDT by doc1019 (I was taught to respect my elders, but it's getting harder to find one.)
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To: Kaslin; All
Forget Congress. Congress has had since the 1973 oil embargo to address our dependence on foreign oil. And now history is repeating itself. So let's vote with our dollars on the options.

First, although I don't use this product, since people are starting to use bicycles more, people might be interested in this autoshifting bicycle.

Autoshifting bicycle
Also, I'm keeping an eye on developments in biofuel production.

First, the bad news about ethanol. Ethanol fires are evidently harder to control than gasoline fires.

Ethanol fires hard to control 1
Ethanol fires hard to control 2
Hopefully, ways will be developed to make controlling ethanol fires easier.

On the brighter side concerning ethanol, there's now evidence that people might get as much, or more, bang per buck for their gas dollars with gas / ethanol mixtures.

Gas-competitive gas / ethanol mixtures
Also, I was surprised by the introduction of a machine (popularly known as a still) for making home-made ethanol.
EFuel100
In stark contrast to the 1700 gallons of water required to make one gallon of corn-based ethanol as indicated by the OP, the EFuel100 uses only 170 gallons of water to produce 35 gallons of ethanol In other words, the EFuel100 uses less than 1% ( about 0.2%) as much water as corn ethanol, under five gallons, to produce one gallon of ethanol (corrections welcome).

But watch out for fines for violating biofuel regulations.

Fines for violating biofuel regulations
Also, progress is being made in the development of other non-corn ethanol production technologies as well.
Non-corn ethanol
Finally, I've also been hearing good things about biodiesel production but need to find some links.
54 posted on 05/16/2008 10:10:11 PM PDT by Amendment10
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To: elkfersupper; VRWC For Truth

And the issue on building refineries is less a need for tax credits and such, and more an issue of impossible regulatory hurdles.


55 posted on 05/16/2008 11:50:55 PM PDT by FreedomPoster (<===Non-bitter, Gun-totin', Typical White American)
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To: Kaslin

I can’t imagine ANYTHING more humiliating for our nation than begging the Saudis for more oil when we refuse to tap our own reserves for fear of discomfiting some critter or ruining the ocean view of some wealthy Hollywood star or lib politician. I never thought I’d think that our once-great country is washed up, but I’m sadly coming to this conclusion.


56 posted on 05/16/2008 11:57:19 PM PDT by ProtectOurFreedom
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To: ALPAPilot

Petroleo Brasileiro (PBR)


57 posted on 05/17/2008 5:41:22 AM PDT by shrinkermd
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To: going hot

The problem is, that while Republicans controlled congress, small gangs of House Republicans would join Democrats to defeat oil exploration bills.


58 posted on 05/17/2008 7:29:20 PM PDT by Tolerance Sucks Rocks (To the liberal, there's no sacrifice too big for somebody else to make. --FReeper popdonnelly)
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To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks

thems the ones that need to be horse whipped


59 posted on 05/17/2008 9:13:24 PM PDT by going hot (Happiness is a momma deuce)
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To: going hot

It would be funny, turning Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) over on my knee to spank the crap out of her for stating on TV that we shouldn’t be drilling offshore even though Cuba is.


60 posted on 05/19/2008 5:40:53 AM PDT by Tolerance Sucks Rocks (To the liberal, there's no sacrifice too big for somebody else to make. --FReeper popdonnelly)
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