Posted on 07/25/2008 4:19:56 PM PDT by mdittmar
WASHINGTON — House Democrats failed Thursday in their efforts to force the Bush administration to tap the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to lower gasoline prices as Republicans stuck to their demands for a vote on an expansion of offshore drilling.
Despite winning majority support, the measure to draw 70 million barrels of light crude oil from the reserve for sale in the commercial market did not receive the two-thirds support needed under special rules. The vote was 268 to 157, 16 short of the margin needed.
Republicans held together to stall the measure, which Representative John A. Boehner of Ohio, the Republican leader, and others ridiculed as shortsighted because it would do nothing to increase the production of oil. The lighter crude, which can be more easily refined, would be replaced in the reserve with a heavier crude.
“We need to do something to increase supply other than take it out of our savings account,” said Representative Lynn A. Westmoreland, Republican of Georgia.
But Democrats said the approach had had a swift impact on gasoline prices in the past and would provide more immediate relief for drivers than long-range Republican proposals for drilling. They accused Republicans of doing the bidding of the oil industry by refusing to take action that could reduce profits.
“G.O.P, Gas and Oil Party,” said Representative Edward J. Markey, Democrat of Massachusetts. “That’s what this is all about.”
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
These are the same folks who whine and screech to release this same oil when the temps drop in wintertime, and “the poor” need it for fuel. So what’ll they have to draw upon when it’s all been used for gas? And why haven’t the ‘Pubs reminded them of this? (I know, because they’re idiots)
The Dims aren’t fooling anyone with this malarkey.
Sadly, the incompetent GOP PR machine will botch this in the end.
A majority of voters will go to the polls in November blaming Bush for the high price of gas.
Emptying the stratigic reserves in a time of war is one of the prime targets of our nations enemies, er, democrats.
When was the last OpEd you wrote to your local paper? We too, have a responsibility to be actively involved, instead of expecting cheese to go with our GOP wine.
Oh wait, grass roots effort are only for democrats...
Good. This is a stupid measure that has no long term value what so ever.
Doing it for poltical reasons in an election season is the Democrat game plan. For their own gain.
It's irresponsible to the extreme.
and did Nancy allow a vote to drill in ANWR...
Can you point to one of those posts? I’d love to know why there’s a limit of 7.
Democrats are using rules to prevent Republicans from offering proposals to lift a ban on drilling.
It was the third time in recent weeks that House Democrats had produced a majority for their energy-related bills but were unable to advance them. They are using rules that require a larger majority to prevent Republicans from offering proposals to lift a ban on drilling off much of the nation’s coastline.
Speaker Nancy Pelosi restated Thursday that she did not intend to clear the way for such a vote, saying environmental restrictions on offshore drilling are not the cause of high gasoline prices, which she attributes to the policies of President Bush.
The last short version I provided was here.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2020539/posts?page=11#11
It’s the design. SPR can’t create the caverns further apart and have as many caverns.
If you create them closer to each other, you get even fewer withdrawals.
I’ve been involved in SPR for years and have reams of files about it at the office. Nancy Pelosi probably envisions it as a big gasoline station somewhere.
1. The petroleum reserve is not meant for this. Democrats want to release 10%, or 70 million barrels. At 22.5 barels per day, this amounts to 3.5 days.
2. Democrats won’t allow a vote for expanded drilling. Contrary to what Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi and various Democrats claim, we CAN drill our way out of this situation. To claim otherwise is denying the obvious.
3. Yes, do everything. Drilling, wind, solar, nuclear, who cares? Many of us have complained for years, and I don’t mean a few. We’ve complained for over thirty yeas and this is still not resolved. Thank you Democrats, and a number of Republicans, who have been SO short sighted.
4. Stop this crap attacking oil and gas companies. The US Congress caused this and NOBODY ELSE. Leave the damned O&G companies alone and let them do what any company does: supply product. Congressional Democrats were chomping at the bit to attack Halliburton. The result? Halliburton moved out of the country and we have not heard one peep from these idiot Democrats since. Gee... maybe there’s a lesson to be learned there. IF Democrats keep this up, American will lose other companies in every industry who dares to make a profit.
(Aside: Complain about companies leaving the US and going to Mexico or any other country. Fine. What choice do they have with leftists ruining their company. The whole issue of “off-shore” companies is a result of Democrats killing industry in America.)
5. Remove virtually every Democrat from congress. Plus a number of dumb Republicans too. IF these people cannot understand what’s really going on, they need to get the hell out of the way and let us resolve the problem.
Not if it's up to us and Rush and the rest of the New Media. We are just getting started.
One of the concepts I have formulated recently is that the dems are not just against drilling but they are against everything.They want no part on any energy security theme and have blocked everything in every form.
They want no part of nukes, oil shale, gassification, Anwar, the Gulf they won't even let Boone Pickens put windmills up the middle of the country.
Some think this is symptomatic of control freaks or a power hungry party.I thought that at first now I think it's an attack no Capitalism and an attempt to install socialism at any cost.
Either way its easy to counter. What we need to do is parade a zillion families, small business types,anyone who has been devastated by high oil prices in front of camera after camera, mike after mike,and all over the net. Then we will win.
If I didn't know better, I might be under the impression that all of the RINO's took their gonads out of the lock box they have been in for so many years.
Only time will tell whether this is a temporary lapse in fortitude or mayhaps they are seeing the handwriting on the upcoming election wall.
“G.O.P, Gas and Oil Party,” said Representative Edward J. Markey, Democrat of Massachusetts. “That’s what this is all about.”
Sadly, Dems can get away with saying this because most Americans do not understand basic economics. If supply goes up, Big Oil could take a hit because they would have to sell their current supply at lower prices than what they bought it at. If Republicans were in with Big Oil, they would do everything to keep the prices up and help increase profit margins for Big Oil.
Markey Mark gets it right for once. It IS all about oil and gas you pinhead, not the politcal games you Democrats play on a daily basis.
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