Showing posts with label Democrats Block Progress. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Democrats Block Progress. Show all posts

02 July 2008

Obey (D-Wis) Shields Democrats From Embarrassment

On June 26th. 2008, with Oil prices approaching $140.00 a Barrel, the lead Congressional Appropriations Committee Chairman, Congressman David Obey, D-Wis, shut down the Appropriations process in a move designed to shield Democrats from the embarrassment of voting against expanded Oil & Gas Drilling.

Jerry Lewis, the panels ranking Republican tried to add an energy amendment to the Interior-Environment appropriations bill designed to ease prices at the pump. Apparently, the move infuriated Obey, commenting: "We can spend time on real things, or in a playpen with Jerry Lewis. The latter doesn't interest me" Lewis later responded by saying, “I believe that it would be unconscionable for Congress to leave for the Fourth of July recess without doing anything substantive to address the difficulties facing all of our constituents due to the skyrocketing rise in gas prices”.

Earlier in the week, Obey ridiculed the idea that holding a markup of the Interior bill before recess would lead to lower prices at the pump, but regardless of when it's done, the Democrats seem to have an obsession with saying things like, "Well that's not going to help prices right now" While true that prices won't go down immediately, many of these provisions will help to lower prices in the future, and since most commodities are traded on "Futures Contracts", even things that will help in a year, would have shorter term benefits. The point is, the faster we get these provisions passed, the faster we will start to see some relief.


I've written previously on how Republicans face an uphill battle when it comes to trying to get congress to vote on expanded Oil drilling, Coal Gasification and Shale to Oil development, which most Democrats have been opposed to. You would think with new polls out, showing many more Americans are giving higher priority to more energy exploration, rather than more conservation, this would have changed the Democrats minds, but no they are still blocking all efforts to expand our nations energy supply.

Democrats insist that Oil companies already have leases on Millions of Acres, that they're not currently exploiting, but that doesn't really make any sense. Exxon, the largest energy company in the U.S. for example only pumps 2.5 Million of the 5.6 Million a day (as of 2007) that it refines. That means that Exxon must pay full market price for the 3.1 Million Barrels a day that it refines, but doesn't pump itself, or $434,000,000.00 a day. The most expensive oil out there, on Federal Public Lands, would only cost Mobile a third of that or less, so I seriously doubt that Exxon would be willing to leave over $100 Billion a year on the table. If they could drill it themselves, a 100 Billion Dollar a year incentive is all that they would need. My suspicion is that the Oil that Congress is talking about either doesn't exist, or is not economically recoverable, since these guys usually obtain the leases first, then drill to see if there's anything there afterwards.

The truth is that despite the Publics outrage over Gas prices, Democrats feel that the high prices at the pump will be good for them in November, because they feel that the public will blame this on the Administration, and by proxy on John McCain. They're counting on the fact that most Americans are informed via the Liberal Media, that doesn't report things like why there have been 31 Republican introduces bills from Jan, 2005 through then end of 2007 that have been killed by the Democrats, each one seeking to expand energy development. They also don't report things like how during that same time period, Democrats have introduces 18 pieces of legislation, with most passing that have effectively increased the regulations on the Oil and Gas industry, along with Moratoriums on Shale and Coal Gasification.

Another problem is that many Democrats read Articles like Time's "10 Things You Can Like About $4 Gas" and think that most Americans agree with them on keeping fossil fuel prices high. So they're thinking we actually like high gas prices! We want Starbucks closing 600 stores, we want the Airlines eliminating flights, we want truckers losing their jobs. Is it just me, or are the Democrats sorely out of touch?

2008 has been no different with the Democrats in congress blocking all attempts at expanding production, Shale to Oil has been stopped, and so has Coal Gasification, all while Americans are suffering more than ever.

Some of my readers have accused me of writing "Partisan Tripe", giving preference to Republicans over Democrats, but the truth is, that Democrats are Opposed to drilling, they are opposed to Shale to Oil, they are opposed to Coal Gasification. They instead want us to rely on some future, yet undiscovered energy source that we can't yet afford to power our future, and I'm afraid that we're going to end up like California did a few years ago with Rolling Blackouts, and like the 70's with long lines at the gas stations.

I, like most Americans just don't have the $50,000.00 that it would take to convert HALF my home to Solar, I just don't have the $60,000.00 that it would take to get an all electric Sedan to replace my VW W8, or hell, even just the $25,000.00 it would take to trade it in for a Hybrid Camry. I also don't have the $50,000.00 that it would take to replace my Sequoia with a Hybrid Tahoe. So I, like most Americans have to reduce what I'm spending on everything else, costing jobs all across the economy.

If you want lower gas prices and plenty of energy available for you and your children, then I encourage you to contact Congressman David Obey and ask him why is he blocking votes on lifting moratoriums on Oil and Gas explorations, and why he's opposed to Coal to Oil Gasification, and why he's opposed to Shale to Oil development. You can also call him at (715) 842-5606, or send him a nice little fax at (715) 842-4488. If you want to write him a letter, you can contact him at:
Congressman Dave Obey
First Star Plaza
401 5th Street,
Suite 406A

Wausau, Wisconsin 54403-5468


You can also help out by signing Newt's Drill Here, Drill Now, Pay Less initiative, and participate in Operation Drill Bit, to Flood Washington with Drill Bits. These initiatives will help remind Congress that they are in Washington to represent "We The People" and should follow our directives.

15 June 2008

Republicans Face an Uphill Battle

It looks like I was wrong, when I said that Congress was responsible for the latest increases in Gas and Oil, it's the Democrats in Congress that have given Congress a bad name. Republicans are facing an uphill battle to save the U.S. Economy and the U.S. Consumer's wallets and Bank accounts, but the Democrats are fighting them tooth and nail.
Let the Democrats in Congress know how you feel by participating in Operation Drill Bit. Let then know we're watching.

  • On January 4, 2005, Rep. Don Young (R-AK) introduced a bill (H.R. 39) to repeal the prohibition against the production of oil and gas from ANWR and any leasing or development leading to such production.

  • On April 21, 2005, the House passed a bill (H.R. 6) by Rep. Joe Barton (R-TX) to allow oil and gas leasing in ANWR. 90% of Republicans voted for the bill, while 80% of the Democrats voted against it. The provision was removed before the bill was signed into law.

  • On October 6, 2005, Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX) introduced a bill (H.R. 4004) to repeal the prohibition against the production, leasing, and development of oil and gas from ANWR. Rep. Paul has reintroduced the legislation in the 110th Congress (H.R. 2415).

  • On May 23, 2006, Rep, Marilyn Musgrave (R-CO) introduced a bill (H.R. 5462) to direct the Bureau of Land Management to establish an oil and gas leasing program in ANWR and conduct two lease sales there before October 1, 2010.

  • On May 25, 2006, the House passed a bill (H.R. 5429) by Rep. Richard Pombo (R-CA) to repeal the proscription against the production or leasing of oil and gas resources from the ANWR and to provide extensive environmental safeguards for such production. 87% of Republicans voted for the bill, while 86% of the Democrats voted against it.

  • On July 26, 2006, Rep. Devin Nunes (R-CA) introduced a bill (H.R. 5890) to repeal the prohibition against production of oil and gas from ANWR and any leasing or development leading to such production.

  • On July 18, 2007, Rep. Mac Thornberry (R-TX) introduced a bill (H.R. 3089) to repeal the prohibition against producing oil and gas from ANWR.

    OCS. Republicans have also consistently proposed expanding energy exploration and extraction on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS), the lands under the waters surrounding the United States, most of which are statutorily off limits to energy development. Reports indicate that such expansion could yield 86 billion barrels of oil.

  • On February 17, 2005, Rep. Barbara Cubin (R-WY) introduced a bill (H.R. 907) to allow easements or rights-of-way for energy and related purposes on the OCS for otherwise prohibited activities when such activities support exploration, development, production, transportation, or storage of oil, natural gas, or other minerals.

  • On April 13, 2005, Rep. Rodney Alexander (R-LA) introduced a bill (H.R. 1596) to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to grant a lease, easement, right-of-way, license, or permit on the OCS for activities not otherwise authorized under existing law, if those activities support or promote exploration, development, production, transportation, or storage of oil, natural gas, or other minerals.

  • On April 21, 2005, the House passed a bill (H.R. 6) by Rep. Joe Barton (R-TX) to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to grant, on either a competitive or noncompetitive basis, a lease, easement, or right-of-way on the OCS for activities not otherwise authorized under current laws, if those activities support exploration, development, production, transportation, or storage of oil, natural gas, or other minerals. 90% of Republicans voted for the bill, while 80% of the Democrats voted against it. These provisions were retained in the final version of the bill signed into law, and a provision was added to direct the Secretary of the Interior to inventory, analyze, and report to Congress on oil and natural gas resources beneath all of the waters of the OCS.

  • On September 15, 2005, Rep. Ted Poe (R-TX) introduced a bill (H.R. 3811) to terminate any prohibition on the expenditure of federal funds to conduct oil and natural gas leasing and preleasing activities anywhere on the OCS and to terminate all withdrawals of federal OCS land from leasing activities.

  • On September 27, 2005, Rep. John Peterson (R-PA) introduced a bill (H.R. 3918) to terminate any prohibition on the expenditure of federal funds to conduct natural gas leasing and preleasing activities anywhere on the OCS and to terminate all withdrawals of federal OCS land from leasing for exploration for, and development and production of, natural gas. Rep. Peterson introduced a similar bill (H.R. 4318) on November 15, 2005.

  • On October 6, 2005, Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX) introduced a bill (H.R. 4004) to terminate any prohibition on the expenditure of federal funds to conduct oil and natural gas leasing and preleasing activities anywhere on the OCS and to terminate all withdrawals of federal OCS land from leasing activities. Rep. Paul reintroduced the bill (H.R. 2415) in the 110th Congress.

  • On November 7, 2005, Rep. Jim Nussle (R-IA) introduced a bill (H.R. 4241) that contained a provision terminating the effect of all existing federal laws prohibiting the spending of appropriated funds to conduct oil and natural gas leasing and preleasing activities for OCS areas. The provision was omitted from the version of the bill that passed the House.

  • On May 18, 2006, Rep. Ted Poe (R-TX) offered an amendment (H.Amdt. 842) to strike sections of the Interior Appropriations bill that prohibit the expenditure of funds for OCS oil leasing activities in certain areas. A majority of Republicans voted for the amendment, while Democrats overwhelmingly voted against it.

  • On June 29, 2006, the House passed a bill (H.R. 4761) by Rep. Bobby Jindal (R-LA) to greatly increase energy development on the OCS, including a prohibition on more than 25% of the acreage of any OCS Planning Area being withdrawn from leasing more than 100 miles from any coastline. 86% of Republicans voted for the bill, while 79% of Democrats voted against it.

  • On July 18, 2007, Rep. Mac Thornberry (R-TX) introduced a bill (H.R. 3089) to terminate all existing federal laws prohibiting expenditures to conduct oil and natural gas leasing and preleasing activities on the OCS.

  • On August 3, 2007, Rep. Chip Pickering (R-MS) introduced a bill (H.R. 3435) to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to inventory oil and natural gas resources beneath the waters of the OCS, other than those in the Gulf of Mexico or off the coast of Florida. The Secretary would have to make available for oil and natural gas leasing all such inventoried areas.
Republicans continue to try to get Petroleum that's available in the form of Tar Sands, Oil Shale and Coal to Liquids to increase the U.S. supply of oil from alternative sources, I'll give you two guesses on who's blocking these bills, but you're only going to need one.
  • On February 9, 2005, Rep. Chris Cannon (R-UT) introduced a bill (H.R. 681) to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to issue separately, for the same area, a lease for tar sands and a lease for oil and gas.

  • On July 28, 2005, the House passed a conference report (H.R. 6) led by Rep. Joe Barton (R-TX) to instruct the Secretary of the Interior to make available for leasing public lands in Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming in order to conduct research and development of technologies for the recovery of liquid fuels from oil shale and tar sands. The legislation also contained various other provisions encouraging the increased development of oil shale and tar sands, including evaluating and mapping U.S. oil shale and tar sands deposits and instructing the Defense Department to procure fuel derived from U.S. coal ("coal-to-liquids"), oil shale, and tar sands 90% of Republicans voted for the conference report, while 80% of the Democrats voted against it.

  • On November 18, 2005, the House passed a bill (H.R. 4241) by Rep. Jim Nussle (R-IA) that contained a provision facilitating the commencement of oil shale and tar sands leases.

  • On June 27, 2007, Rep. Chris Cannon (R-UT) offered an amendment (H.Amdt. 452) to the Interior Appropriations bill to carve out Utah and Wyoming from certain restrictions on oil shale development. 91% of Republicans voted for the amendment, while 89% of Democrats voted against it.

  • On March 31, 2008, Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-TX) introduced a bill (H.R. 5656) to repeal Section 526 of the major energy bill of 2007 that prohibited federal agencies from procuring fuels made from unconventional petroleum sources.
Republicans also realize that one of the best ways to lower gas prices is for NEW players to get involved in Oil and Gas Refineries, so they're trying to make it easier for that to happen, but of course, the Democrats keep blocking for the Big Oil companies, I mean they don't want to upset those Record Profits to they?:
  • On April 21, 2005, the House passed a bill (H.R. 6) by Rep. Joe Barton (R-TX), which included, among other things, provisions to prescribe guidelines for the designation of refinery revitalization zones and the coordination and expeditious review of permitting process for such zones. 90% of Republicans voted for the bill, while 80% of the Democrats voted against it. Subsequent iterations of the legislation included tax incentives for refinery investment.

  • On September 20, 2005, Rep. John Shadegg (R-AZ) introduced a bill (H.R. 3836) containing a variety of provisions to expedite federal permitting procedures for construction or expansion of domestic petroleum refining facilities.

  • On September 22, 2005, Rep. Joe Pitts (R-PA) introduced a bill (H.R. 3887) to direct the Secretary of Energy and the Secretary of Defense, to jointly designate three closed military installations as suitable for constructing oil refineries and to prohibit the federal government, for two years, from selling or disposing of any such designated site except for purposes of oil refinery construction.

  • On September 27, 2005, Rep. Todd Tiahrt (R-KS) introduced a bill (H.R. 3924) to revise the tax deduction for certain liquid fuels refinery property to allow expensing of the entire cost of such property if the property allows for a production capacity increase of five percent or more on an average daily basis; and to allow, in lieu of such expensing deduction, a five-year recovery period for the depreciation of such refinery property.

  • On October 6, 2005, Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX) introduced a bill (H.R. 4004) to provide additional tax incentives for investment in oil refineries. Rep. Paul reintroduced the legislation in the 110th Congress (H.R. 2415).

  • On October 7, 2005, the House passed a bill (H.R. 3893) by Rep. Joe Barton (R-TX) that included a variety of provisions aimed at facilitating the siting, construction, expansion, and operation of refineries. 94% of Republicans voted for the bill, while 100% of Democrats voted against the bill.

  • On June 20, 2006, Rep. Ron Lewis (R-KY) introduced a bill (H.R. 5653) to extend the election to expense the construction of oil and unconventional fuel (including oil shale and coal-to-liquids) refineries until 2016. Rep. Lewis reintroduced the bill (H.R. 683) in the 110th Congress.

  • On July 18, 2007, Rep. Mac Thornberry (R-TX) introduced a bill (H.R. 3089) to provide for increased expensing of refinery property and direct the President to designate at least ten sites for oil or natural gas refineries on federal lands and make such sites available to the private sector for refinery construction.
If you take a look at the first picture on this page, it shows a yellow and orange area in the North East corner of Alaska, this is a closeup of that area. The two spots, marked .08 is the proposed drilling areas. That area is about 100 miles from any trees, it's nothing but a frigid swamp. That Tiny spot in ANWR that we'd like to develop, I mean it's like a little pea in the middle of a football field, but again the Democrats put up EVEN MORE Barriers:
  • On February 2, 2005, Rep. Ed Markey (D-MA) introduced a bill (H.R. 567) to designate oil-rich lands within ANWR as wilderness and components of the National Wilderness Preservation System, thus erecting another barrier to energy extraction there. Rep. Markey has reintroduced the legislation in the 110th Congress (H.R. 39).

  • On April 20, 2005, Rep. Ed Markey (D-MA) offered an amendment (H.Amdt. 72) to H.R. 6 to strike the provisions of the underlying bill allowing oil and gas exploration in ANWR. 85% of Democrats voted for the amendment, while 87% of the Republicans voted against it.
China is building Oil Drilling platforms just 50 or 60 Miles off the coast of Florida on the OCS (Outer Continental Shelf), in a partnership with Cuba. Using horizontal Drilling, they'll probably even be able to get to OUR RESERVES!!! Do Democrats care?
  • On April 21, 2005, Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ) introduced a bill (H.R. 1798) to prohibit leasing for the exploration, development, or production of oil, natural gas, or any other mineral in either the Mid-Atlantic or the North Atlantic planning areas of the OCS. Rep. Pallone reintroduced the bill (H.R. 777) in the 110th Congress.

  • On February 16, 2006, Rep. Lois Capps (D-CA) introduced a bill (H.R. 4782) to prohibit oil and gas preleasing, leasing, and related activities in areas of the OCS located off the coast of California and to exclude such areas from the OCS inventory required under current law. Rep. Capps reintroduced the bill (H.R. 2918) in the 110th Congress.

  • On May 4, 2006, Rep. Maurice Hinchey (D-NY) introduced a bill (H.R. 5300) to repeal the existing law requirement for a comprehensive inventory of OCS oil and natural gas resources. Rep. Hinchey reintroduced the bill (H.R. 586) in the 110th Congress.

  • On April 19, 2007, Rep. Jay Inslee (D-WA) introduced a bill (H.R. 1957) to prohibit the conduct of oil and gas preleasing, leasing, and related activities in OCS areas located in the North Aleutian Basin Planning Area and to exclude such planning area from a mandated inventory of OCS oil and natural gas resources.

  • On June 15, 2007, Rep. Mike Thompson (D-CA) introduced a bill (H.R. 2758) to prohibit oil and gas preleasing, leasing, and related activities in areas of the OCS located off the coast of Mendocino, Humboldt, and Del Norte Counties in the state of California and to exclude such areas from the mandatory inventory of OCS energy reserves.

  • On April 24, 2008, Rep. Kathy Castor (D-FL) introduced a bill (H.R. 5861) to prohibit oil and gas preleasing, leasing, and related activities in certain areas of the OCS off the coast of Florida.
When Nancy Pelosi rode into power 2 years ago, she promised to do something about Gas prices which had gone up around 50% to just over $2.00 a gallon. Instead, prices have doubled since the Democrats took over congress. Of course, Nancy Pelosi in True political fashion, blamed the whole thing on Bush, but let's take a look at what the Democrats have done when it comes to alternative energy like Oil Shale, Tar Sands, Heavy Oil and Coal Gasification.
  • On December 7, 2006, Rep. Marty Meehan (D-MA) introduced a bill (H.R. 6417) to repeal the tax credit for producing fuel from a nonconventional source.

  • On June 27, 2007, Rep. Mark Udall (D-CO) offered an amendment (H.Amdt. 448) to the Interior Appropriations bill to prohibit funds in the bill from being used to prepare or publish final regulations regarding a commercial leasing program for oil shale resources on public lands or to conduct an oil shale lease sale. 88% of Democrats voted for the amendment, while 93% of Republicans voted against it.

  • On June 27, 2007, the House passed the Interior Appropriations bill (H.R. 2643) introduced by Rep. Norman Dicks (D-WA), which included a provision to prohibit the use of funds to prepare or publish final regulations regarding a commercial leasing program for oil shale and tar sands resources on public lands or to conduct an oil shale lease sale pursuant to the Energy Policy Act of 2005. 98% of Democrats voted for the bill, while 76% of Republicans voted against it.

  • On August 4, 2007, the House passed a bill (H.R. 3221) that includes a prohibition on surface occupancy for oil or gas exploration or development purposes in each lease for certain federal lands on the Roan Plateau in Colorado. 96% of Democrats voted for the bill, while 86% of Republicans voted against it.

  • On December 18, 2007, the House passed a bill (H.R. 6), now current law, that prohibits federal agencies from procuring fuels made from unconventional petroleum sources, aimed at stopping the Defense Department's plan to procure fuels derived from Canadian oil sands.
And of course, the Democrats just HAD to make smaller Oil refineries EVEN MORE expensive:
  • On November 18, 2005, Rep. Bernard Sanders (I-VT, who caucused with the Democrats) introduced a bill (H.R. 4420) to repeal, among other things, the tax incentive from the Energy Policy Act of 2005 allowing a taxpayer to expense 50% of the cost of certain crude oil refinery property placed in service before January 1, 2008.

  • On April 27, 2006, Rep. John Larson (D-CT) introduced a bill (H.R. 5234) to repeal tax incentives from the Energy Policy Act of 2005 relating to expensing of crude oil refinery property and exemptions from limitations on oil depletion deductions for certain small crude oil refiners.
All of this leads you to wonder why are the Democrats doing this? Don't they realize how hard this is hitting the poor and middle class, the very people they claim to represent? Don't they realize what all of this has been doing to the World food supply and how many of the world's poor are going hungry over this? Probably because of their belief in Global Warming, but despite their claims, the science isn't quite settled on this yet. Even Europe, while paying lip service to Global Warming is still moving ahead with their plans of building more Coal Fired Plants, Shale to Oil, Coal to Oil, Oil drilling and everything else they need to secure their energy future. Does it seem prudent to destroy the U.S. economy over something that's not quite known. Let's remember that man made Global warming is STILL a theory, and even if the models turn out to be true, if the record breaking cold weather keeps up that we've been having over the past couple of years, we're going to need that energy to keep warm.

The only thing we can do, is let congress know we're watching their every move, and one of the best ways to do this is by participating in Operation Drill Bit. Let's FLOOD Washington with Drill bits so they get the message, if you've already participate, then a heartfelt THANK YOU. If not, please get to the Hardware Store now, or even send in some old ones you have lying around. They will only act if they think we're watching.











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