Bush renews call for Congress to pass his energy policy

WASHINGTON - (KRT) - President Bush stepped up pressure Wednesday on Congress to pass his energy plan, saying Americans no longer will tolerate high gasoline prices and inactivity from lawmakers.

The president conceded that his energy plan would do nothing to reduce gasoline prices immediately; any benefits would come later. But he said Congress must act now or face public wrath.

Bush's plan calls for subsidies and tax breaks to increase America's oil-production and refining capabilities, to increase reliance on alternative energy sources such as renewable ethanol and biodiesel and to expand the nation's nuclear power-plant capacity.

The article spends on a lot of time on hybrids, but in his comments at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center this morning, the president also emphasized his desire for Congress to pass tax credits for clean diesel cars:

President Discusses Energy Policy

We are also encouraging automakers to produce a new generation of modern, clean-diesel cars and trucks. My administration has issued new rules that will remove more than 90 percent of the sulfur in diesel fuel by 2010. Clean diesel technology will allow consumers to travel much farther on each gallon of fuel -- without the smoke and pollution of past diesel engines. To encourage this promising technology, Congress should extend the tax incentives for the purchase of hybrid vehicles to clean diesel cars and trucks. You see, America leads the world in technology -- and we need to use that technology to lead the world in fuel efficiency.

...

By the way, we can get the same type of alternative fuel from soybeans. It's called biodiesel. And that's a promising source of energy. I went to a biodiesel refinery in Virginia that is making fuel from soybean oil. Other producers are making biodiesel, by the way, from waste products like recycled cooking grease. Biodiesel can be used in any vehicle that runs on regular diesel. So as you get more clean diesel engines in America, biodiesel becomes an alternative fuel for them. It burns more completely and produces less air pollution than gasoline or regular diesel.

I'm an average person like most people, but I'm getting tired of the same old recycled presidential speeches on energy.

If I were Bush's speech writer I would have made news today.

"Four years ago I proposed a comprehensive energy plan for the start of the 21st century.

I knew the pressures on energy supplies would increase as my fiscal policies and tax cuts stimulated our economic engine.

I knew we needed more oil and gas.

I knew we needed more refineries.

And I knew nuclear power must be added to our plans for the future.

After all, France and Iran are spearheading nuclear energy in their own countries.

Surely we are as progressive as France.

Well, I tried, but my opponents in the other party tried to deny me any success.

And so far they have been winning.

That's why the price of gas at the pump is so high today.

You can blame those Democrat bums in the Senate.

They don't care a dribble for you, the American people.

They are blinded by their resentment of me.

My plan would easily add several million high-paying new jobs in the construction, heavy equipment, roadbuilding and engineering sectors of our economy.

Jobs that could not be outsourced.

But if you prefer $3 a gallon gasoline, you will get it if we do nothing.

If you think we can do better, get on the phone to your Democrat Senators and Representatives, and let them know that we can do better.

And if they still do nothing...if they prefer to pay for foreign oil and be held hostage to foreign suppliers of energy, tell them you've had enough and plan to vote them out of office.

Now I don't have to worry about running again, so I can speak the truth, no matter how difficult it is to hear.

Senators like Leahy., Kennedy and the like are anti-American drags on our nation's prosperity.

You bet I'm mad.

We are Americans!

We can do better!

Now let's roll up our sleeves and get to work.

The American genius for invention and ingenuity cannot be waylayed even by a bunch of partisan hacks who mostly bought their seats in the Senate.

And another thing......

you environmental wackos out there...you know who you are.......constantly talk about conservation and alternative energy.

Well. that's just fine.

Unless there's a plan to build a wind farm within view of your ocean-front mansions.

And how about your private jets and fancy limosines?

I was elected to represent all the American people.

Many of you don't like me much.

I accept that.

But I am right on this energy thing...you know I am."

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