Gas prices rise, Democrats demagogue
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Though they (as the article below notes) seem to understand that there is virtually nothing that they can do about the problem, Democrats have taken to trying to make political hay out of the recent rise in gas prices. One has to ask one self though, if the Democrats hadn't stonewalled drilling in ANWR, would the situation be better, the same, or worse?
Meanwhile, prices for gasoline do continue to rise, but thankfully most people are smart enough to realize the rise isn't because of anything that the President and the Republicans in Congress are or are not doing. (Notice I said most people, not all. I'm sure there are plenty of Democrat Underground types that are more than willing to blame Bush for everything).
Anyway, I hope most people are smart enough to see that any hearings that are held will do nothing but perhaps bring a little attention to the refiners and the oil companies. Perhaps the Refiners should turn the tables back on the Congress critters and ask them what they are willing to do to help limit liabilities, lower costs, and make the thought of opening more refineries a reality. Much like the larger issues of energy policy in the U.S.A., where we have not opened a new Nuclear Power Plant since the Three Mile Island incident, we have restricted ourselves thanks to environmental regulations, safety regulations, liability issues, and many other negative inducements to anyone that would consider getting into business to help provide more energy in the U.S.A.
Article follows. Headline is linked. Enjoy.
Democrats turn up heat on US pump prices
By Chris Baltimore
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Senate Democrats turned up the heat on the White House on Friday to act in the face of record-high U.S gasoline pump prices.
The same day, the Senate Energy Committee set a September 8 hearing on what's behind the prices, which hit a record $2.55 a gallon this week.
That's about 68 cents higher than just a year ago and the biggest weekly increase on record, which has triggered fears that high energy costs could hurt U.S. economic growth.
Lawmakers admit there is no short-term fix to pain at the pump, but are nervous about political fall-out. Gasoline prices are sure to be a hot topic when Congress returns from its recess next month.
Wal-Mart, the world's biggest retailer, warned this week that high gasoline prices have stunted U.S. consumer spending.
"Today's gasoline prices are taking a severe toll on Americans' pocketbooks," said Republican Sen. Pete Domenici of New Mexico, energy panel chairman. "Consumers are anxious."
The hearing will focus on global oil demand, refinery capacity constraints and the impact of futures market speculation on energy prices, Domenici said.
The panel said it has not set its witnesses.
Meanwhile, Democrats urged the White House to act.
Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid on Friday said the Bush administration should require U.S. oil companies to disclose their fuel pricing policies and production costs.
In a letter to the White House, Reid also said the Federal Trade Commission should investigate instances where a state's retail prices rise 20 percent in any given week "to determine if the price of gasoline is being artificially manipulated."
Past FTC probes into U.S. oil company pricing policies have found no sign of abuse.
"This one has already being done," White House spokesman Trent Duffy said. "The FTC and the Justice Department have been keenly watching for this type of activity for the past two years."
Duffy also said that Democrats' attempts to prevent oil drilling in the Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, or ANWR, have kept supplies tight.
"Commonsense steps we've tried to take, like increasing domestic oil production by allowing drilling in a small portion of ANWR, have been blocked by Democrats for years," Duffy said.
Separately, Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson of Florida said the White House should ask oil companies for a voluntary, temporarily freeze on prices that they charge gasoline distributors.
Duffy said that price controls in any form are "terribly toxic to the economy" but added he had not seen the specific proposal.
... more at linked article
Meanwhile, prices for gasoline do continue to rise, but thankfully most people are smart enough to realize the rise isn't because of anything that the President and the Republicans in Congress are or are not doing. (Notice I said most people, not all. I'm sure there are plenty of Democrat Underground types that are more than willing to blame Bush for everything).
Anyway, I hope most people are smart enough to see that any hearings that are held will do nothing but perhaps bring a little attention to the refiners and the oil companies. Perhaps the Refiners should turn the tables back on the Congress critters and ask them what they are willing to do to help limit liabilities, lower costs, and make the thought of opening more refineries a reality. Much like the larger issues of energy policy in the U.S.A., where we have not opened a new Nuclear Power Plant since the Three Mile Island incident, we have restricted ourselves thanks to environmental regulations, safety regulations, liability issues, and many other negative inducements to anyone that would consider getting into business to help provide more energy in the U.S.A.
Article follows. Headline is linked. Enjoy.
Democrats turn up heat on US pump prices
By Chris Baltimore
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Senate Democrats turned up the heat on the White House on Friday to act in the face of record-high U.S gasoline pump prices.
The same day, the Senate Energy Committee set a September 8 hearing on what's behind the prices, which hit a record $2.55 a gallon this week.
That's about 68 cents higher than just a year ago and the biggest weekly increase on record, which has triggered fears that high energy costs could hurt U.S. economic growth.
Lawmakers admit there is no short-term fix to pain at the pump, but are nervous about political fall-out. Gasoline prices are sure to be a hot topic when Congress returns from its recess next month.
Wal-Mart, the world's biggest retailer, warned this week that high gasoline prices have stunted U.S. consumer spending.
"Today's gasoline prices are taking a severe toll on Americans' pocketbooks," said Republican Sen. Pete Domenici of New Mexico, energy panel chairman. "Consumers are anxious."
The hearing will focus on global oil demand, refinery capacity constraints and the impact of futures market speculation on energy prices, Domenici said.
The panel said it has not set its witnesses.
Meanwhile, Democrats urged the White House to act.
Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid on Friday said the Bush administration should require U.S. oil companies to disclose their fuel pricing policies and production costs.
In a letter to the White House, Reid also said the Federal Trade Commission should investigate instances where a state's retail prices rise 20 percent in any given week "to determine if the price of gasoline is being artificially manipulated."
Past FTC probes into U.S. oil company pricing policies have found no sign of abuse.
"This one has already being done," White House spokesman Trent Duffy said. "The FTC and the Justice Department have been keenly watching for this type of activity for the past two years."
Duffy also said that Democrats' attempts to prevent oil drilling in the Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, or ANWR, have kept supplies tight.
"Commonsense steps we've tried to take, like increasing domestic oil production by allowing drilling in a small portion of ANWR, have been blocked by Democrats for years," Duffy said.
Separately, Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson of Florida said the White House should ask oil companies for a voluntary, temporarily freeze on prices that they charge gasoline distributors.
Duffy said that price controls in any form are "terribly toxic to the economy" but added he had not seen the specific proposal.
... more at linked article
