Drilling for an Energy Plan

The Potomac News ^ | May 15, 2008 | Charles Reichley

[CharlesWayneCT]

... So, how is the Democrat’s “common sense plan” working? In the six years before they took control, oil increased an average of about $5 a year. But in the 16 months the Democrats have been responsible for the nation’s energy policy, the price of oil has risen to $126 — an increase of almost $70 a barrel or $5 each month.

If I had a choice, I’d take $5 a year over $5 a month. Meanwhile, gas prices on the Democrat’s watch went from $2.20 a gallon to $3.67, an increase of almost 10 cents a month. The Democrat’s plan isn’t working, unless their plan was to decrease our dependence on oil by making it so expensive we can’t afford to buy it.

...

So the Democrats want to cut gas use, but are pushing lower prices. They say Bush let prices get too high, but since they took over the price has gone up ten times as fast. They say a million barrels a day won’t make a difference, but 70 thousand a day will. They won’t drill ANWR because it will take too long, but passed fuel efficiency standards that will take longer.

The energy bill is one of the few real “accomplishments” the Democrats have had since they took office. If $3.70 a gallon gas is an “accomplishment,” I hope they fail more. We can’t afford too many more “success stories.”

[CharlesWayneCT]

My column for this week, about the contradictions in the Democrat's energy policy.

Examples:

Think the million barrels a day from drilling in ANWR won't help, but getting 70 thousand barrels a day from the SPR will lower gas prices 24 cents.

Think we should be free from foreign oil, but refuse to drill domestically and fault Bush for not getting more oil from Saudi Arabia.

Want people to consume less oil, but want the administration to force companies to sell cheaper gas, which will increase consumption.

Think gas costs too much, so they want to tax oil companies to force them to spend money on alternative fuels instead of getting more supply of cheaper gas.

Say opening ANWR is senseless because it will take 10 years before we have full access to the oil. But they passed a bill to increase fuel efficiency that takes 13 years before it is fully implemented.

I have to excerpt my own columns. I'm working on getting approval from my editor to post them in full, especially since the paper changed their web site and wiped out all my on-line column links before march of this year.

[Enterprise]

Deserves a bump!

[VeniVidiVici]

You’re dead-on.

Unfortunately, the Democrat constituents are rocks. They have no idea how markets work let alone something as simple as supply and demand.

Also the MSM will *never* pick-up on this and nail anybody of substance in the Democrat Party on their “plan” to increase production by not drilling in ANWR or anywhere else in the US.

[spokeshave]

Logic is too complected for dims

[bugseye]

Excellent piece.
Did you happen to catch this gem from the May 7th Pelosi news conference(?):

‘Drilling is the failed energy policy of yesterday that has brought us
record gas prices today.’

And that from remarks ‘as prepared!’

http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/05-07-2008/0004808866&EDATE=

[SunkenCiv]

So, how is the Democrat's "common sense plan" working? In the six years before they took control, oil increased an average of about $5 a year. But in the 16 months the Democrats have been responsible for the nation's energy policy, the price of oil has risen to $126 -- an increase of almost $70 a barrel or $5 each month. If I had a choice, I'd take $5 a year over $5 a month. Meanwhile, gas prices on the Democrat's watch went from $2.20 a gallon to $3.67, an increase of almost 10 cents a month