Posted on 05/27/2008 4:04:43 PM PDT by John Semmens
As the price of crude oil and its products—most notably gasoline—continue to rise, Democrats are split over whether fascism, communism or plain old tort abuse would provide the best remedy.
The fascist approach was championed by Representative Paul Kanjorski (D-Pa). Under his plan (House Bill 5800—Consumer Reasonable Energy Price Protection Act of 2008), ownership of energy producing assets would remain in private hands, but the government would control pricing and profits.
“For too long, American businesses have been free to pursue private greed,” Kanjorski complained. “It’s time they be compelled to meet public need.”
Kanjorski called the bill “a first step on the march toward a more just society.” “The oil barons aren’t the only ones profiteering at the people’s expense,” he went on. “Food, clothing and shelter shouldn’t be subject to the whims of the so-called free market when we have available the powers of the government to ensure a more equitable outcome.”
Drastic as Kanjorski’s plan may appear, it was labeled “too feeble” by Representative Maxine Waters (D-Calif.). “We need full government ownership of these assets if we hope to achieve full social justice,” Waters said. “Representative Kanjorski’s bill would only limit profits. We will get lower consumer prices if we eliminate them. The only sure way to guarantee a profitless energy industry is for it to be owned by the government.”
Waters acknowledged that Kanjorski was ahead in actually having a bill drafted, but vowed to quickly make up lost ground. “There are several models we can look to for guidance,” she said. “Russia, Mexico, and Venezuela all have government owned oil industries. We don’t have to invent a new structure. We can copy theirs.”
Meanwhile, the Democratic Party’s Trial Lawyers Caucus has its own plan for dealing with high fuel prices. Caucus chairman, Representative Steve Kagen (D-Wis.) was able to persuade the House of Representatives to pass a law authorizing a lawsuit against OPEC.
Kagen boasted “This bill will bring these ‘price gougers’ to account and also serve as a warning to America’s enemies around the globe. Lawyers have wreaked havoc upon many a corporate miscreant in the United States. We will turn this potent weapon on the likes of Iran and Venezuela.”
President Bush vowed to veto all of these proposed “remedies” on the grounds that “they are idiotic ideas.”
read more...
http://www.azconservative.org/Semmens1.htm
No spin necessary! Congress should try telling the truth for a change:
Liberal DemoRAT Socialist Energy Plan:
1. You can’t drill for oil anywhere.
2. You can’t build a refinery anywhere.
3. You can’t build a nuclear power plant anywhere.
4. You can’t burn coal for electricity.
5. You can’t allow the oil companies to reinvest their profits into exploration.
6. But you can drive up the price of food by subsidizing an ethanol industry that takes land out of food production while using more energy than it creates.
7.You must continue to tax every gallon of gas that we put in our tanks.
8.You must threaten all energy users with additional ‘carbon taxes’.
9. And just in case some entrepreneur out there somewhere may have an idea for an alternative energy concept that just might work, you must raise the capital gains tax so that investors have less capital and less incentive to invest in his/her project. count your blessings.
With the coming change in administration and Liberals in Congress, it will be guaranteed that the price of gasoline hits $10 per gallon as our economy dumps and our way of life goes to Hades. All this and more thanks to anti-American, anti-military Liberal DemoRATS whose platform is “enjoy living in America the new third-world toilet created by Liberal socialists.”
I am sure new taxes are in order!
Well sounds like the President got it right anyway.
That would make a wonderful commercial, can’t we put this on TV and the paper?
I fear it is too late to save the country. After decades of socialist-inspired dumbed-down education, too many people have no clue about energy or politics. The clueless then elect politicians who aren’t clueless, but rather, aspiring dictators. Congress has known since the 1970’s what must be done, and yet we import twice as much oil as before. That was deliberate.
OK, so it’s a price capping scheme.
Fine, so what are they going to do when there’s no energy to buy at the price that they set?
I’m sure they’ll see if they can use gov’t force in some way to make people provide the energy at below market prices.
I always pose the question to folks who support leftist policies in this manner.
“OK, so you’re not (fascist, communist, anti-American, anti-Military, anti-capitalist, pro-enemy, a traitor, etc) -
how would you act differently if you were?”
Steve Kagan is a complete idiot.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.