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POPSDemocrats Consider New Energy Strategy “I think there’s far more support across the board for SPR than anything else,” a senior aide said. Pelosi and other Democratic leaders have not said what the final SPR bill would look like, nor have they said what energy measures — which could also include a speculation bill — will be brought to the floor this week or under what rules.
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POPSPelosi rants. Announcing the Democrats' bold new "plan" on energy last week, Pelosi said breaking into the Strategic Petroleum Reserve "is one alternative." That's not an energy plan. It's using what we already have -- much like "conservation," which is also part of the Democrats' plan. Conservation, efficiency and using oil we hold in reserve for emergencies does not get us more energy. It's as if we were running out of food and the Democrats were telling us: "Just eat a little less every day." Great! We'll die a little more slowly. That's not what we call a "plan." We need more energy, not a plan for a slower death.
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POPS3 Myths About Offshore Drilling "Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) claimed "not a drop of oil was spilled during Katrina or Rita." This myth has been told again and again by the likes ofGov. Bobby Jindal (R-LA), Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne, Mike Huckabee, George Will, and Bill O'Reilly. There were, in fact, major onshore and offshore spills due to the hurricanes."
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POPSFeckless To Reckless, Pelosi Should Resign But she's not fooling anyone. In playing politics with the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, the speaker has moved beyond the incompetence and irresponsibility that have characterized her leadership to date. President Bush, however, isn't about to be suckered into releasing the reserves just long enough for pump prices to fall by Election Day, thereby saving Democrats' skins so they can carry on their drill-nothingism for an additional two years. The president needs to do two things with Pelosi's proposal: First, tell her "no," unless she comes up with a plan to open up more drilling. Second, expose it for what it is — a bid to paint Bush as the problem to distract from her own sorry record. borders on recklessness, something we cannot tolerate in such dangerous times.
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POPSAre You Serious - I Actually AGREE with Bush??? I can't believe I'm saying this, but for once I actually agree with something Bush is doing. Filling up our oil reserves is a great idea. He's taking a very small amount from the market that wouldn't have much of an impact anyway, and ensuring we have oil supplies in case a conflict or other political event limits or eliminates our supply of oil. Think about it - if a government or coalition could eliminate our oil imports, we'd be completely screwed. Keeping a back-up supply would give us enough resources to take care of any conflicts while still keeping the country running. It's like if you don't make much money, but you still sock away $50 or $100 a month into a savings account. It's not a huge deal, and if something major happens, you now have some reserves to fall back on.
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POPSBill To Increase Domestic Oil Production Included in the legislation is a measure authored by Senator Jim Bunning which would establish a program to help support and promote clean, coal-to-liquid fuels. “I appreciate Senator Bunning’s leadership on the issue of promoting greater use of technology to convert coal into liquid fuel,” Senator McConnell said. “The more fuel derived from coal we can use, the less oil we will need, thus reducing prices at the pump.” Coal is a vital part of America’s energy production, and an important part of Kentucky’s economy and history. The coal industry creates over 60,000 jobs in Kentucky, including approximately 15,000 coal miners. Over half of the country’s electricity is generated by coal, and coal constitutes over 90 percent of America’s fossil-fuel resources.
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POPS Analyst Warns of $200/Barrel Oil* *One barrel of crude oil is 42 gallons (or $4.76 per gallon) In the Cato-at-Liberty blog post "Is There an Oil Price Bubble?" Cato senior fellow Jerry Taylor writes: "The most recent Fed actions to combat the deteriorating state of the macroeconomy added even more fuel to the oil price fire. With market actors increasingly convinced that the Fed is willing to entertain inflation in the course of injecting liquidity into the market, investors are looking for investments to hedge against inflation. And what do you know? Returns on commodities have historically been better during inflationary periods than during non-inflationary periods. Ben Bernanke thus sent another strong infusion of cash into commodity futures -- again, largely into oil and gas futures.
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POPSSenate Democrats Offer Energy Plan Amid Price Surge Now, why would they want to "...consolidate previous failed attempts"? :~( No real solutions here; just bandaids, blaming, and blustering. How long will it be before Congress gets the message that WE are serious about these energy problems? Just like everything else, our legislative branch of government talks forever and all the while accomplishing nothing until it's a Crisis? Then they look to their typical scapegoats instead of looking towards themselves.
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POPSSenate Democrats Eye Gas Price Relief Bill So NOW they decide that it's time to do something? Amazing. And their suggestions....those too are amazing. All the while we sit on top of our own resources and limit our own independent options. Politicians. A pox on all of them.
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POPS Obama Eyes Active Role In Oil Markets Grumet said Obama supported a global carbon market and would seek to link a U.S. emissions trading system with the established European one "as soon as possible," though he would make establishing a U.S. program to fight warming and agreeing an international climate change treaty his top priorities. Grumet said Obama would push the biofuel industry to move into second-generation fuels made from waste and advance beyond ethanol produced by corn to avoid the "food or fuel" debate. "For this to really be a significant contribution to increasing our energy security, we're going to have to move beyond corn," he said. Grumet, head of the Washington-based Bipartisan Policy Center in addition to advising the Obama campaign, said the oil industry had "concentrated incredible market power in a small number of companies" in a way that caused alarm.
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POPSStrategic Reserves That Go Undrilled This is so un-necessary. We have plenty of options. Solar, nuclear, wind, coal, off-shore drilling, more refineries; but there's a *cause* that will rise up and promote a reason to not proceed. When those in our northern states are freezing their buns, maybe the outcry will rise at those who are blocking every option...instead of supporting the ones we have and encouraging our potentials and possibilities. But heck! let's keep the political ball rolling about Bush/Cheney and the oil businesses and 'oh, woe is me' and continue to wallow in stagnation. That will spell progress and energy independence. s/off!
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POPSG-8 leaders work to hike oil supply The world leaders at a Group of Eight meeting yesterday issued a statement on energy policy that touched lightly on alternatives to fossil fuels, but focused mostly on how to bring more oil to the market.