Posted on 03/08/2011 10:01:41 PM PST by Josh Painter
Timing is everything, as the old saying goes, and no political issue depends on timing as much as that of energy. When prices for gasoline at the pump are high, energy climbs to the top of the electorate's list of concerns, but when prices are low, people tend not to think about it. If the price at the pump continues to climb and stays high through the summer, it will be very much on the minds of voters. And that will play to the strength of Sarah Palin's hand, as Scott Conroy recently observed at RealClearPolitics:
It would be difficult for Palin's GOP rivals, and even her Democratic critics, to deny that energy issues fall directly into the wheelhouse of the former Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commissioner who went on to lead a state where almost 90 percent of the budget is funded by oil revenue. As Tina Fey might say, Palin can see oil pipelines from her house.It has not escaped Gov. Palin's attention. She tweeted Tuesday:During an appearance on Fox News last weekend, Palin nodded in anticipation and smiled confidently as host Jeanine Pirro lined up a question about what the government should do about rising gas prices.
Speaking with unbridled relish, Palin replied that opening the strategic oil reserves was not the solution to the problem and reverted to her old mantra that the government should "drill here and drill now" before going into a more in-depth criticism of the Obama administration's energy policies.
"Back in '08, our U.S. crude also was trading at about $100 a barrel as it is today for about six months, and that was right before our world economy imploded," Palin said. "And now here we are back again, so [Obama's] timing - his destructive timing - of locking up 97 percent of our off-shore and not allowing ANWR to be touched, not allowing domestic drilling to take place to the degree that it should, it is terrifying where he is leading us in terms of being at the mercy of foreign regimes that would seek our demise to produce energy for us."
[...]
As Palin continues to generate criticism from those who frequently suggest that she has not demonstrated a thorough understanding of the issues facing the country, the energy topic could offer a prime opportunity for her to prove them wrong.
As she continues to mull a presidential run, Palin figures to take particular note that energy issues figure to loom especially large in the nation's first voting state of Iowa.
[More]
Obama's so wrong on energy/scary wrong on oil;AK alone w/billions bbls & trillions cu ft of nat gas.(Other states, too) http://bit.ly/hX5AzTHer link points to this Investors.com article showing the results of its latest poll, which clearly demonstrates that Americans' attitudes about domestic drilling are very much in sync with what she has been saying for years:
With the price of gas up 39 cents at the pump in a month and heading higher amid turmoil in much of the Middle East, Americans wonder why the U.S. isn't doing more to exploit its own oil resources.Though most Americans relate to the energy issue as an economic one, Gov. Palin has often pointed out that energy trancends the economy. It is a national security issue. Our military depends on a stable source of petroleum products to fuel jets, tanks, trucks and many of its ships. When that supply is interrupted, the military can't move. That's why our national strategic petroleum reserve exists. It's there for the military to draw from if its supply is suddenly cut off or significantly reduced. It's not there to tap every time prices get near or above the four dollar level, something Sarah Palin understands, but President Obama does not.They favor drilling in territorial waters, 67%-29%, according to a new IBD/TIPP poll. That is up from 61%-30% from last May and 64%-25% when Republicans touted drilling in the 2008 election as oil topped $147 a barrel.
There's also been a solid shift toward drilling in Alaska's Arc tic National Wildlife Refuge, with support at 54%-40%. That's up from 49%-43% last year.
A solid 65%-21% favor tapping federal shale reserves in states like Colorado, Wyoming and Utah, off just slightly from May.
"Americans understand we rely heavily on oil imported from the Middle East and the recent events cause concern and uncertainties in their minds," said Raghavan Mayur, president of Technometrica Market Intelligence, which conducted the poll.
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Energy security is one more reason why our nation sorely needs a national energy plan which draws on "all of the above" sources, but includes a serious commitment to explore and produce much more oil and natural gas domestically. Besides, we could use the jobs which would be created, addressing another key concern on the minds of the electorate.
Sarah Palin's signature issue may have just arrived, which has to weigh heavily on her decision to run or not to run. No other candidate for 2012 knows this issue as well as she, and it's a club she can use to beat up on an incumbent president who nothing to reduce energy prices or increase domestic production, so beholden is he to the green lobby. High oil prices are knocking on that door of opportunity she has spoken of, and her time to make history may be waiting on the other side.
- JP
I think Palin running for POTUS is not going to pan out. She just doesn’t seem like she is interested.
The ONLY GOP nominee that will lower the price of fuels in America will be Sarah Palin.
Sarah Palin’s signature issue may have just arrived?
Sarah will not run.
She is great and really helping the conservative movement from where she is right now.
Remember, Obama may have something up his sleeve to lower oil prices temporarily just before the elections. he could go to Saudi Arabia and made a deal with them to help him in the election by pumping more oil... imagine if gas went down to $1.50 a gallon in October... How will that 1 signature issue be working for us then?
Michelle Bachmann might have a better chance than Sarah Palin.
I agree. She's like Rush Limbaugh. I know he would make a great President with his ideas, but he's much more needed for the cause doing what he does now. It's a sacrifice.
I do believe Sarah will run though. (unless she sees something in the polls that says not to)
I seriously doubt that. She appears to be more like the person the dems and the media try to accuse Palin of being, a little dim witted.
................................. FRegards
................................. FRegards
(Damn)
“She just doesn’t seem like she is interested.”
______________
Then you haven’t been paying attention.
- JP
That’s a pantload.
I have. When did she set up her exploratory? I can’t find it. If she didn’t what is she waiting for?
She doesn’t need an exploratory. She won’t have campaign controllers making decisions for her. She won’t hire pollsters to tell her what to say. An unconventional campaign is what she has talked about. She won’t hire political advisers either, but will be briefed by experts she trusts.
When she is ready, she will just declare her candidacy. All eyes will be watching as she redefines politics in the internet age.
The only eyes watching will be the internet folks. Everyone else who read papers or get their info from the lamestream will not even know she is alive. The old media is dying but they are far from dead. Just drive around and look at how many people still receive a local paper in the morning. I was rooting for her but you need a ground game ready or be building one to be competitive. Obummer will crush her if she does not.
She doesn’t need an exploratory. She won’t have campaign controllers making decisions for her. She won’t hire pollsters to tell her what to say. An unconventional campaign is what she has talked about. She won’t hire political advisers either, but will be briefed by experts she trusts.
I would also like for you to show me were she showed any interest in the endeavor? You can come up with all the wishful dreams like in the above statement, but there is not one place were she said she had any plans to do any of these odd things. I'm not saying I won't support her if it looks like she will run, but right now she is not. Did Reagan sit on his ass as the primaries ramped up in '76 and '80?
It’s nine months before the first primary election. I’m pretty sure Reagan wasn’t forming gay little committees this far out.
Can someone with better photo shopping expertise then myself please change the gas sign from “LOL,OMG and WTF” to
“LOL,OMG and FUBO”?
Thank you
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