Kerry's Rhetoric on Gas Prices Offers Dangerous Solutions, Says Natl Center for Policy Analysis

releases.usnewswire.com ^

[chance33_98]

Kerry's Rhetoric on Gas Prices Offers Dangerous Solutions, Says the National Center for Policy Analysis

To: National Desk

Contact: Sean Tuffnell of the National Center for Policy Analysis, 800-859-1154 or stuffnell@ncpa.org

WASHINGTON, March 30 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Senator John Kerry, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, today used the specter of rising prices at the gas pump to attack President Bush for America's dependence on foreign oil and calling on him to, among other things, stop filling the strategic petroleum reserve. Experts with the National Center for Policy Analysis (NCPA) said "Kerry's rhetoric would be laughable if the consequences of its implementation weren't so serious."

"Senator Kerry needs a reality check," said NCPA Senior Fellow H. Sterling Burnett. "The strategic petroleum reserve is supposed to be set aside for use in case of war or other national emergency, not to stave off temporary gas hikes. I guess he forgot about the war on terror."

Senator Kerry also suggested the U.S. could eliminate its dependence on foreign oil in 10 years by investing in new renewable technologies and increasing automobile CAFE standards.

"Every credible study shows that proposed technologies and the necessary infrastructure to replace the internal combustion engine are decades away at best," said Burnett. "Increasing CAFE standards simply makes it cheaper to drive, thus it will not reduce our reliance on OPEC. It would instead result in thousands of otherwise avoidable deaths and tens of thousands of needless injuries."

Burnett also noted Kerry's criticism of American dependence on foreign oil was curious, as he has repeatedly opposed efforts to increase domestic production.

"We will only become more dependent upon foreign supplies of oil in the future under the Kerry plan," concluded Burnett.

For more information or to speak with Dr. Burnett, contact the NCPA's E-Team at 800-859-1154.

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The NCPA is an internationally known nonprofit, nonpartisan research institute with offices in Dallas and Washington, D. C. that advocates private solutions to public policy problems. We depend on the contributions of individuals, corporations and foundations that share our mission. The NCPA accepts no government grants.

[grobdriver]

used the specter of rising prices at the gas pump to attack President Bush for America's dependence on foreign oil

What an SOB!
His buddies the envirowackos keep us from pumping our own oil from Alaska and off the California coast, and building new refineries, and he blames President Bush?

[The G Man]

Hey wait a minute! Isn't his party's position that Bush and Cheney are in bed with Big Oil and that was the reason we invaded Iraq? If so, why would Bush-Cheney's "allies" over at Big Oil allow such high gas prices which in effect hurt "their guy"? (/rhetorical mode off)

[CROSSHIGHWAYMAN]

What an SOB! His buddies the envirowackos keep us from pumping our own oil from Alaska and off the California coast, and building new refineries, and he blames President Bush?

Somebody must ignite a grass-roots prairie fire of outrage to pry the envirowackos from their high perches.

The time to act was three years ago.

If we wait until the price of gas hits $5, we're sunk!

Common sense forsees China, India and more of the third world demanding automobiles as their economies create wealth.

It's a no-brainer.

Where is the national spokesman for domestic exploration?

[CROSSHIGHWAYMAN]

This issue, more than any other, is about the little guy.

The rich can pay more but the Dems withhold stable gas supplies from the average Joe.

[CedarDave]

Burnett also noted Kerry's criticism of American dependence on foreign oil was curious, as he has repeatedly opposed efforts to increase domestic production.

He and his cronies in the wacko-environmental movement are doing everything they can to stop increases in domestic production, from drilling in new areas (southern NM, Alaska) to prevention of new refinery construction and expansion (endless environmental reviews, formation of opposition "truth and environmental justice" groups) to ever-increasing air quality requirements (forcing refiners to produce specialty blends for specific areas which precludes movement of refined product from one area to another when needed). Their goal is to drastically reduce travel by automobile in this country because they see it as an environmental threat via increased use of resources, urban sprawl, loss of wildlands, etc. They are doing whatever they can to change American lifestyles to their ideal which is lockup resources so only the privledged elite have access to them and only with their permission.

< /rant>

[CedarDave]

Excellent point, and one which could stand repeating. By their actions, the Democrats show they are the party of the rich. The Republicans miss the boat, IMO, by not pointy out how Rat policies, as pushed by their cronies in the US Senate, have exacerbated the problem by limiting domestic production and refining.

[Thermalseeker]

Common sense forsees China, India and more of the third world demanding automobiles as their economies create wealth.

I've also read a lot of speculation recently that seems to indicate that China is stockpiling oil.

[The Great RJ]

Boosting CAFE standards would simply mean that American families would be forced to buy two seat mini-cars with a $50,000+ price tag..hardly a practical alternative for families with children who will be taxed to death under a Kerry administration. Can the Senator also show an available truck that can haul economically meaningful amounts of cattle or grain to market and get 30+ MPG? How about a tractor or combine that meets proposed new pollution standards and gets high milage? Obviously he hasn't spent much time out here in fly-over country.

[Let's Roll]

Re your tagline:

"... then change it back in 7 months" just in time for the election!

[irish guard]

Bush should counter with this ad......"Kerry wants us to stand up against OPEC?

Fine

Allow drilling in the ANWR and we can increase domestic jobs and end our reliance on foregn oil....

All of which will work as long as people like Kerry don't impose FURTHER gasoline taxes!!!

Fade to some arabian desert oil rig......

[irish guard]

One additional item to this ad...which is optional, would be to include a carcastic reference to "I thought the war with Iraq was all about oil"?

and John Kerry thinks arm twisting will bring down the price of oil if we can't do it with 150,000 troops???

[fight_truth_decay]

In 1970, a few years before the Arab oil embargo and subsequent energy shortage (and about five years before Zevon's song appeared), the price of gasoline was 36 cents a gallon. On a scale where 1982-1984 = 100, the Consumer Price Index was 38.8. In other words, gasoline prices in pennies were about identical to the Consumer Price Index. In April of 2001, the Consumer Price Index stood at 176.8, which once again means that the price of gasoline in pennies is about the same as the Consumer Price Index. Adjusting for overall inflation, gasoline does not cost much more today than it did in 1970.

Gasoline is a smaller share of the consumer budget today than it was in 1970. Moreover, real incomes are higher today than they were in 1970.

If you drive 10,000 miles per year in a car that gets 20 miles per gallon, you buy 500 gallons of gasoline per year. In 1970, this would have cost $180, and today this would cost $900.

However, in 1970, per capita income in the United States was $3600. Today, per capita income is over $25,000. 500 gallons of gasoline would have used up 5 percent of the average person's income in 1970, but it uses up only 3.6 percent of an average person's income today.

Moreover, you can get a lot farther on 500 gallons of gasoline now than you could in 1970. Today, you have the option of driving a car with much higher fuel efficiency than the cars that were available in 1970.

CUT from Arithmetic in a Whine

[SpinyNorman]

But Kerry IS for drilling in ANWR!!! Just ask Jimmy Hoffa!!

From the trancript of Hardball and others......


MATTHEWS: How about ANWR? You guys want to see ANWR because you want to see guys working in your business. I guess there‘s a lot of Teamsters jobs up there lined up and organized, if you could put a pipeline up to the Alaska wilderness. He is against that.

HOFFA: Well, we talked about that.

He says, look, I am against ANWR, but I am going to put that pipeline in and we‘re going to drill like never before.

(CROSSTALK)

MATTHEWS: What, are they going to run water through it?

(CROSSTALK)

HOFFA: ... more jobs than the ANWR would have ever created.

MATTHEWS: What are they going to run through the pipeline?

HOFFA: And that‘s the position he‘s taking.

(CROSSTALK)

MATTHEWS: But he is against drilling up there. What are they going to run through the pipeline?

HOFFA: Well, they are going to drill all over, according to him. And he says, we‘re going to be drilling all over the United States. And he says that is going to create more jobs.

(CROSSTALK)

(LAUGHTER)

MATTHEWS: You got that guy rolling.

(CROSSTALK)

MATTHEWS: What position was he in when he made all these promises?

(CROSSTALK)

(LAUGHTER)

MATTHEWS: It just seems amazing that he has turned around on NAFTA, turned around on WTO, turned around on ANWR, anything to get the Teamsters.

HOFFA: Oh.

MATTHEWS: Who is going to be boss if he gets in there, you or him?

HOFFA: Well, I think that

(CROSSTALK)

MATTHEWS: It sounds like you are the boss.

---

snip

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and a great comment by Scarborough

SCARBOROUGH: And people aren‘t going to give that up. You can sit and say they are. They are not. They‘re going to want the most choices at the cheapest prices.

I‘ve just got to say very briefly, though, I thought the Hoffa interview was hilarious, when John Kerry said, oh, yes, I voted for NAFTA, but I‘m against it. I‘m going to set up a panel and you‘re going to be on it, buddy.

(CROSSTALK)

SCARBOROUGH: And then saying, I‘m going to drill all over. We‘re going to drill oil, drill not only in Alaska. We‘re going to drill them all across the 50 states It‘s proving—again, I think it‘s going to be a recurring theme, that John Kerry is not going to be able to run away from his record fast enough.