Posted on 05/31/2007 1:19:11 PM PDT by Red in Blue PA
SAN FRANCISCO - Democratic presidential hopeful John Edwards says a wave of mergers in the oil industry should be investigated by the Justice Department to see what impact they have had on soaring gasoline prices.
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During a campaign stop in Silicon Valley Thursday, Edwards planned to berate the oil industry for "anticompetitive actions" and outline an energy plan he says would reduce oil imports "and get us on a path to be virtually petroleum-free within a generation."
"Vertically integrated companies like Exxon Mobil own every step of the production process — from extraction to refining to sale at the pump, enabling them to foreclose competition," says an outline of Edward's energy plan.
Edwards' call for a major shift away from oil use would include, according to the document:
• An increase of federal auto fuel economy requirements to 40 miles per gallon from the current 27.5 mpg by 2016.
• Expansion of the use of biofuels such as ethanol, including a requirement for oil companies to make available E-85 fuel (which has 85 percent ethanol) at a quarter of their stations. Edwards wants all new cars to be able to use E-85 by 2010.
• Mandatory restrictions on emissions of carbon dioxide with an aim to cut CO2 and other greenhouse gases by 80 percent by mid-century.
• Creation of a $13 billion energy fund from the sale of greenhouse gas permits and ending some tax breaks for the oil industry. The money would be used to support biofuels and conservation technologies.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
Hope he looks into high haircut prices too.
LOL, Edwards wants probe!!!
Mr. Pink Sapphire wants a new probe.
...
OK, I couldn’t resist my juvenile snark.
There have already been several hearings on the issue. Perhaps he should watch one of those. They are still online and free even.
If he really was concerned about high gas prices, he would support more drilling and more refineries.
Everything else is smoke.
And hedge fund profits & speaker’s fees.
Beat you by a nano second.
"Democratic presidential hopeful John Edwards..."I don't see a damn thing for him to be hopeful about.
Probe how much the gubmint attaches to my price of a gallon.
Not news anymore. it is impossible for Congress to respond to daily market change and RBOB gasoline has dropped ten cents already.
I suggest his probe be rectal.
*Snort*, but funny!
Demand that cars get 300 MPG by 2009.
Demand that all forms of life and machinery emit zero CO2 by the end of the summer.
Demand that solar cells increase in efficiency by 700% before I get off work today.
Demand that weeds stop growing in my garden.
Demand that bullets stop punching holes in things.
I mean, really, if you're going to live in a dream world, why not go all the way?
And I want a probe of Edwards “The Silky Pony” high haircut prices.
More of Edwards’ babbling. Fox showed a picture of his enormous...28,000 sq. foot house the other night. Not quite as big as Buckingham Palace. The man’s nuts.
I wonder if Edwards understands that mandating both a 40mpg fuel economy standard & E85 (which kills your fuel mileage) is a self-defeating strategy.
But hey, it sounds good to the uneducated!
Now I'm no socialist so I guess I'm not too smart but what am I missing here?
Oops. Too late for him. Gas prices have dropped 20 cents in the last week here.
I would suggest a probe of Edwards, but I think he would like it too much.
Half of San Fransisco wants to probe John Edwards.
A guy who charges 25-30% contingency fees for suing doctors into bankruptcy and hospitals into closure wants to investigate a 10% profit margin for “big oil”?
WTF?
Why is this douchebag even getting any press?
A guy who charges 25-30% contingency fees for suing doctors into bankruptcy and hospitals into closure wants to investigate a 10% profit margin for “big oil”?
WTF?
Why is this douchebag even getting any press?
When are the loonies going to “Look Into” high taxes? That’s right, when something freezes over.
Nope, crazy like a freaking fox. He knows that he will ALWAYS have his McMansion and his MiniMinion, but he wants us all to “share”” in the cost.
I’ll still be driving my 1990 Toyota truck in 3 years, it does NOT run on E85..
The Breck girl better buy me a new truck...
Edwards! Take your probe and stick up your ***!
I want a probe as to why Edwards is running around the country campaigning instead of caring for his gravely ill wife.
I hope John and his cronies aren’t getting ready to levy windfall profits tax ... I’m more interested in profits from tax windfalls.*
*That would be the governments’ take, John, if you’re not familiar with it.
He’s right. Being totally independent of Mid East oil, there is be no way that the British should be paying $8 a gallon.
Does this include water vapor?
Edwards is either a world class idiot or thinks the majority of voters are.
Possibly both.
And thereby starve H. Sapiens worldwide, if successful.
There is no term in my vocabulary that is sufficient to describe the depth of either this alleged human's stupidity or his hypocrisy.
he is having a luncheon today at a very prominent law firm in Menlo Park. $1k per plate. Max contribution $2,300.00
I think that puts him in the First America of his Two Americas.
Still cheaper to fill my truck than it is to style his hair [no HAIRCUT in the world costs $400].
Yo, Breck boy, do you have any idea of what other uses there are for petroleum products?
Get rid of all the petroleum product based items in your house and get back to me.
The Rush line of the day...
Edwards will be bald before that happens.
Actually ExxonMobil purchases more crude oil to refine than they produce themselves.
"trial lawyer".
Exactly. And that goes for all the Dummycrats who love to come out of the woodwork and get their names in the paper or faces on the TV whenever gas prices go up. Then they'll crawl back in their hole when the prices recede.
But why no new refineries in over thirty years?
Still working on it. In the vastness of the English language, there simply must be an accurate term.
I guess he doesn’t use Vaseline, then(ok, I’m going to hell for that)
A few notes:
1. Alternative fuels is the right answer, but Edwards is wedded to oil. Real alternatives are coal & nuke. If he really wanted to make islamofascism a dying philosophy, then he’d push those alternatives that truly make the US independent.
2. It’s ok to have better technology as long as we don’t lie about the realities. Don’t promise 200 mpg carburators....fantasy land.
3. Monopolies and cartels injure free markets, but you can’t hold folks accountable for such things, if they don’t exist. First you should have to prove your charges, then you should make public accusations and have public trials.
(I’ll still be driving my 1990 Toyota truck in 3 years, it does NOT run on E85..)
My 8.1l 350HP Motorhome will not live on that bug juice. Only $18000 or so to replace. Cough up ‘Baby Face’.
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