Stop The Presses!!!! Hold The Phone!!!!

A Washington Post-ABC Poll has found that George W Bush was actually a BETTER President than Dear Leader. I know this will come as quite a shock to some of our readers; it certainly rocked my world.

But as you can clearly see in the graph, more people thought W had contol over gas prices than Dear Leader does.

Oh, and I just now learned that Democrats are hypocrites. I know I know, almost makes you swoon doesn't it?

In 2006, 73 percent of Democrats believed the Bush administration could reduce gas prices. Today, just 33 percent of Democrats believe there is anything President Obama can do about them. That’s a 40 point swing. (To be sure some Republicans have also flip-flopped on this, but only by an 18 point swing.)

Yes Its Gambling Yes The President Can Effect Price Changes

Gas Prices and the President's Ability To Effect Change Explained

It should be apparent to anyone who has the ability to dress themselves without assistance.

Zero Cares More About China Than America

China has no environmental concerns, no EPA, no controls.

China buys into U.S. off-shore oil leases.
Mark Tapscott, Beltway Confidential
"If the administration approves the deal, it will be more vulnerable to charges that the White House is being careless with U.S. national security issues in the energy sector, and that it is putting the interests of a foreign power before those of U.S. energy consumers."

UPDATE: Bishop says Obama policy aids foreign nations, not U.S.

Rep. Rob Bishop, R-UT, says the Statoil/CNOOC deal is indicative of the Obama administration's failure to protect U.S. consumers from foreign nations seeking to tap into this country's abundant energy resources:

“Unemployment will continue to exceed acceptable levels and the economy will continue to suffer until this administration reverses its anti-energy policy. China and other foreign countries are gaining access to the abundant natural resources located in the American OCS, meanwhile an energy starved U.S. continues to experience the detrimental effects of Secretary Salazar’s decisions to place special-interests before the American people.

Since taking office this administration has made great strides in helping countries gain access to American energy resources, it’s just too bad the U.S. isn’t one of them.”

Bishop is chairman of the Congressional Western Caucus, which includes a number of representatives from Western states with significant energy and other natural resources.

A Gusher of Hypocrisy

From the NRCC Newsletter:

PELOSI AND THE DEMOCRATS PROMOTE SHAM ENERGY PROPOSAL

"While Nancy Pelosi is off on her cross-country tour trying to get her book moved off the New York Times' worst-seller list, voters are wondering why she and her fellow Democrats can't be bothered to address the issue of out of control fuel costs," said Ken Spain, a spokesman for the NRCC. (www.PolitickerCA.com)

Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the Democrat Majority are well into the third week of their paid five week vacation right now. And no, they aren't showing any signs of getting back to work before September to vote on an energy package that would increase the supply of American oil.

Meanwhile, the Associated Press reports that kids are about to head back to school where they'll be paying more for lunch, studying from old textbooks and walking further to the bus stop - assuming their bus schedule hasn't been cancelled altogether - thanks to higher fuel prices.

This past Sunday, Pelosi proposed a sham of an energy proposal during her weekly radio address. And it was nothing short of an insult to the American people. Madam Speaker, who hails from California, refuses to allow Congress to vote on - or even debate - legislation that would open the Golden State to offshore drilling.But listen to this - even George Skelton, a left-of-center columnist for the Los Angeles Times, advocates opening up California to more drilling.

He writes:"California is the nation's biggest consumer of gasoline - 45 million gallons a day, plus 10 million gallons of diesel. That makes us the third-biggest petroleum-consuming entity in the world, behind on the United States and China. ... So there's a gusher of hypocrisy here: The state that is the biggest consumer of gasoline in the nation - but produces less than 40% of what it uses - is opposed to drilling for more oil off its shores. We're slackers not pulling our weight."

The long and short of it is that our nation is being held hostage by one woman from San Francisco, Nancy Pelosi, who opposes drilling for American oil off the shores of California.

REPUBLICANS WINNING THE DEBATE ON ENERGY

The good news is that Republicans are winning the debate on energy. A recent Rasmussen Poll finds that 61% of Americans want Congress to get back to work immediately and lift the ban on offshore drilling. In terms of how they'll vote for Congress this year, 77% say offshore oil drilling is important.
And 67% of Americans recognize Republicans - not Democrats - are pushing the drilling issue.

OUR CANDIDATES' ADS

Our candidates across the country are doing a great job of getting out the message that we must increase the supply of American energy. This week, we're highlighting a fantastic new television ad by John Gard, who's running against Democrat incumbent Steve Kagen in Wisconsin-08.Republicans are on the right side of the energy debate. Meanwhile, a lot of vulnerable Democrats risk getting swept away by Speaker Pelosi's gusher of hypocrisy.

It's The Supply, Stupid

Congress Can Lower Gasoline Prices By:

• Cutting gas taxes and banning earmarks that drive up costs
• Supporting Congressman Ryan's "Roadmap for America's Future" HR 6110 is a good first step.
• Increase American oil production by allowing drilling in ANWR and increasing exploration in the OCS.
• Authorizing the construction of new refineries and expansion of existing ones.
• Ending the moratorium on oil shale production in he US

America Deserves a Sound and Responsible Energy Policy

• The best way to reduce our dependence on foreign oil and keep our money here, is to utilize the resources we currently have at our disposal while we wait on a viable market source of alternative energy.
• The free market, if allowed to work, will encourage the necessary innovation that will yield clean and cheap sources of energy.
• The United States is the most environmentally responsible and successful nation in the known universe, but current climate regulations proposed by the enviro-nazi wacko lobby would put a stop to this prosperity and ultimately do more harm than than good to the cause of energy independence and financial (and national) security.

First and foremost, the United States must increase it's domestic supply of oil and natural gas. Nearly 85% of the OCS is off-limits for drilling and exploration because of a dhimmicrat imposed Congressional mandate. Similarly, the vast supplies of oil contained in the northernmost portion of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) are impounded. These are two areas that are proven to contain vast reserves of oil and natural gas, that the government, (i.e. dhimmicrat and environmental lobbyists), has chosen to allow to sit idle. By opening these reserves for exploration and drilling, Congress could decrease the cost of fuel. According to recent pols, nearly three-fourths of Americans support drilling in these areas.

Seond, Congress must authorize the construction and expansion of oil refineries in the United States. There has not been a new refinery built in this nation for over 30 years. In 2007, the U.S. consumed nearly 21 million barrels of oil PER DAY, but produced only 5 million. By lifting burdensome regulations, we can dramatically increase the amount of oil produced in this country.

Finally, Congress should simply allow the free-market to work to meet the energy needs of the nation. Three things that Congress can do right now that would spur on the free market are cutting taxes, banning earmarks, and eliminating the wasteful spending that is rampant in Washington DC. If the free market is allowed to work with minimal intervention, then not only will we see a decrease in fuel prices because of increased domestic production, but we will also witness the emergence of viable alternative sources of energy.

The Congressional ban on offshore drilling expires on 30 September 2008. The best thing Congress can do is what has continually done, NOTHING. Let the ban expire. Free the market to run on it's own.

Let the American people do what they have always done, overcome adversity and show the world we are the greatest country in the known universe.

Cross posted at The Talon and DCProtestWarrior

McCain Wakes Up From Coma

Another post on the same topic is at The Talon

from Family Security Matters

On Domestic Oil Drilling, Republican Leadership Is Finally Emerging
A recent Gallup poll revealed that 57% of Americans want to open previously untouched territories to oil drilling. A Wall Street Journal-NBC News poll had the number of Americans in favor at 59%. I would suspect that as gasoline prices rise, the percentage of Americans in favor of new drilling will too.
There is an estimated 17.8 billion barrels of oil located off American shores that is currently off limits to oil companies. According to federal data, that's about the same as 10 years worth of current U.S. oil production, and approximately 76 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. And, these figures don't take into account the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge or the 800 billion barrels of oil that could be had from shale in the Midwest.
Finally, Sen. John McCain apparently has come out of his coma and realizes that the best way for America to become energy independent is to increase domestic drilling.
Florida Gov. Charlie Crist, a potential vice-presidential selectee, has also gotten religion and now wants to lift a federal ban on offshore drilling for oil and natural gas. President Bush has long called for increased domestic drilling, but until recently, that clarion song has fallen on deaf ears. Now the public has stood up and paid attention. It seems that $4-a-gallon gasoline will do that. Americans are beginning to understand that importing foreign oil and not increasing domestic drilling just doesn't make sense.
So what do Sen. Barack Obama and his liberal friends propose to reduce America's dependency on foreign oil? A "windfall profits tax" on oil companies, of course. This is the same failed strategy used by Jimmy Carter. If their most recent tax proposal had taken root, a gallon of gasoline would have increased as much as 50 cents after the oil companies passed the tax on to consumers.
The do-nothing Democrats maintain that increased drilling will only lower gasoline prices a few cents. So, is that a bad thing?
Democrats say that drilling will blemish beaches with oil spills. Oh? Because of new technologies, Hurricanes Katrina and Rita only caused off-shore oil rigs to spill 13,000 barrels of oil in the water; a mere drop in the bucket.
Democrats think nuclear power plants are unsafe, but not one death can be contributed to them in this country. Newer technologies have made them even safer than before, and plutonium rods can now be recycled. Sen. Obama generally supports nuclear power, but has offered no specifics, incentives or leadership in this regard.
Sen. Obama uttered a Freudian slip when he said that gasoline prices are rising too fast. That means he's for higher prices, just not too fast. He and other liberal senators want to reduce gasoline consumption by way of rising prices, thus forcing conservation. The fact that this strategy will cripple the economy and lower American's standard of living is never discussed.
Sen. McCain summed up the consequences of America's dependence on foreign oil when he said, "...our petrodollars are underwriting tyranny, anti-Semitism, the brutal repression of women in the Middle East, and dictators and criminal syndicates in our own hemisphere." He also warned that a successful terrorist attack on a Middle East oil installation could plunge the country into an "economic crisis of monumental proportions." Is this what the Democrats are waiting for?
Sen. McCain forgot to mention the huge trade deficit that the importation of oil creates, and that the profits enjoyed by Middle Eastern countries are being used to buy American banks and landmarks like the Chrysler Building.
I believe that there would be an immediate drop in worldwide oil prices once speculators realized that America was finally serious about increasing domestic drilling and becoming energy dependent. The theory of supply and demand would reverberate throughout the world oil markets. Good paying American jobs would be created, more income taxes would be collected, and there would be many more billions of dollars that could be earned and invested in this country instead of the homelands of our enemies.
Gasoline prices could emerge as the campaign issue for this upcoming election. Over the next four months it will be clear to the electorate that the Democratic energy policy, if you can call it that, is to do nothing. If Republican leadership prevails, voters may sweep away those Democrats who stand in the way of increased domestic drilling and energy independence. Only time will tell.
If nothing else, increased domestic drilling buys time for, not postpones, the development of alternative forms of energy. The sooner America is weaned off oil completely, the better we will all be.

Oil at 132.00 and climbing

This has got to stop. If the price of gas is not busting your budget, then you are independently wealthy, or you're part of the problem.

As the defacto Freedom Works contact for this region of our Commonwealth, I would be remiss if I did not post this link.

GAS PRICE PROTEST

Sign this petition please.

Drill Here, Drill Now, shoot the speculators, stop the ChiComs drilling off our coast.

ChiComs Drilling Off the Coast of Fla

Anyone who thinks the dhimmicrats have a plan to solve high gas prices has a house next door to Cleopatra; they're living in denial. All the dhimmis want to do is tax the oil companies. Maxine Waters threatens to nationalize the petroleum industry. Durbin the Turbin claims there is no way we can drill our way out of this problem.


Meanwhile, China and India are 50 miles off the coast of Florida, drilling in Castro's fields, using technology which could allow them to drill laterally and tap OUR reserves, and there ain't a freaking thing we're doing about it. What is wrong with these people? Have they lost their minds? Did they have a mind to begin with?


The dhimmis tout environmental concerns when they restrict drilling and prohibit new refineries. Does anyone here really think the ChiComs are concerned about the environment? Do you really think they give a furry rats ass about some pelicans or fish?



If the dhimmis really want to solve this energy crisis, they need to get their collective (yes, pun intended) asses in gear and pass Rep Sue Myrick's (R-NC) bill to allow drilling off our coast. Its HR 6108, the Deep Ocean Energy Resources Act of 2008 and will suspend the moratorium on offshore drilling. We can do this safely, cleanly, with minimal environmental impact, and it will go a long way towards solving the problem.



Rep Myrick is a frequent guest on the syndicated morning radio show John Boy and Billy out of Charlotte, NC and was on this morning talking about her bill. She supports drilling in ANWR and she also called for the State Department to revoke Jimmah Carter's passport.


It's time to put the economic interests of the American people at the front of the line. The enviro-nazis and the tree-hugging whack-job special interests that are controlling the dhimmicrat politicians have managed to once again step on my last nerve. It's time to tell these twits to STFD and STFU while the grown-ups deal with the problem.


Call your representatives and tell them to pass this bill, and tell them if they really want to help, move some battle cruisers down to the Straits of Florida and monitor the ChiCom operations 50 miles off our coast.
One drop of oil spilled and the operation is toast. I have it on good authority that some of those vessels carry big toasters.
Cross posted at The Talon and DCPW.

The truth about oil refineries....

"There hasn't been a new oil refinery built for 30 years!" True.....sort of.

A more accurate phrase would be, "There hasn't been a new oil refinery built for 30 years, but we've been expanding the old ones...."

Motiva Port Arthur Refinery to Become Largest Refinery in United States
21 Sep 2007

Final investment decision made on plans to expand refinery to 600,000 barrels per day

Motiva Enterprises LLC announced today that its owners authorized the company to proceed with a 325,000 barrel-per-day (b/d) capacity expansion at its Port Arthur, Texas refinery. The expansion will increase the refinery’s crude oil throughput capacity to 600,000 b/d, making it the largest refinery in the U.S. and one of the largest in the world.

"The expansion is designed to strengthen our nation’s supply of gasoline, diesel, aviation fuels and high quality base oils," said William B. Welte, Motiva President and Chief Executive Officer. "As the demand for a variety of fuels continues to grow, Motiva is committed to being the supplier of choice in the eastern and southern U.S. for conventional fuels as well as biofuels."

The 325,000 b/d expansion at Port Arthur is equivalent to building the first new refinery in the U.S. in more than 30 years. The new production capacity is expected to be online in 2010 and will increase Motiva’s supply of Shell-branded fuels to the company’s wholesale and direct supply markets.

Motiva’s expansion will lower most types of emissions from refinery operations on a per barrel basis by utilizing advanced technology in all new system installations and replacing existing systems. The expansion of the refinery will decrease emissions from present day levels for ozone precursors, specifically nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds.

Did you see that key phrase, "decrease emissions...?" Why won't the environmentalists let us build modern clean facilities? They must secretly hate the earth!

My fellow Louisianan at Mostly Cajun, All American and Opinionated (that could be me....) has this interesting observation:
"To anyone outside the petrochemical world that old “There hasn’t been a new oil refinery built in the US for thirty years” statement is almost laughable, because EVERY refinery I know of (and I know some major players here on the central Gulf Coast) has INCREASED capacity in the past thirty years. YOUR Federal and state governments have made it very difficult to start from scratch. They’re doing a great job of making it difficult to expand existing plants. But people who process oil are in the business to make money and they want to make it processing oil. So when you pay four bucks a gallon at the pumps, think of the refiner’s bills to pay legal and environmental staffs seven figures to fill out paperwork and jump through hoops to build, expand, or just keep on running."

Now, how much expansion do you think will happen when Hillary takes an extra $10 Billion away from those "eeeeevviiil" oil companies.

The best part:

The expansion is projected to generate more than 4,500 construction jobs and about 300 new full-time jobs upon completion. Motiva is working with the Texas Work Force Commission, Southeast Texas Workforce Development Board, Lamar State College – Port Arthur, represented work groups, vocational institutions and local school systems to recruit and train qualified members of the workforce to take full advantage of the job opportunities. Many local sub-contractors have already been hired for the project.

"And those are NOT minimum wage jobs, folks. Thousands of people have lived good lives and raised families, built lives and communities around these facilities. I know. I’m one."

Aren't the Democrats the party of the "working man?" How many jobs will be lost to government taxation under the Democrats energy plan?

Why the price of gasoline is so high

And you wonder why the price of oil is so high?

By the way, still drinking bottled water? And you think gas is high?

And don't forget the gas taxes! Combined state and federal taxes in Virginia equals 37.7 cents on the gallon.

Just think, ten years ago, the Dems in Congress said that it would "take 10 years to make drilling in ANWR worthwhile."

Cartoon by Michael Ramirez via Powerline

$100 Oil = Liquid Coal = ?

Hey Carl! Spark this up! Wise County = Virginia's Saudi Arabia? Coal to Gasoline!


David Adam of The Guardian reported over the weekend on the first international conference on “coal to liquids,” in Paris, at which a host of officials from around the world excitedly described a host of new coal-to-liquids initiatives aimed at securing flows of transportation fuel in a world facing high oil prices for a long time to come.

US in OPEC? Why not? Just askin....

Brazil is set to open up newly discovered oil fields in the Atlantic:

State-run Petroleo Brasileiro SA, or Petrobras, said reserves at Tupi field could be up to 8 billion barrels of oil equivalent, and initial production should exceed 100,000 barrels daily, though experts believe that will grow.

Brazil would consider joining OPEC based on the size of the newly discovered Tupi oil field off its eastern shores, the country's ambassador to Saudi Arabia said Friday.

Isnard Penha Brasil said he was attending the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries summit to talk with OPEC officials and that "a membership decision will come after we know what our export capacity will be and we think this will be good."

ANWR is reputed to be sitting on up to 12 Billion barrels of oil. If not more. And we have TRILLIONS of barrels in oil locked up in oil sands. So, just askin.... why don't we apply for membership in OPEC when we open up ANWR and open up our offshore fields like the ones being developed by Mexico with Chinese help.......but, that's another article.

Why the price of oil is high

OPEC and the Big Oil are the reasons that oil prices are high, right? Russia has a vested interest in the stability of the Middle East, right? Putin is a man that Bush can trust, right?

Well, the thing things to remember is that oil produced in Russia are of a lower grade and more expensive to produce in Russia. Oil prices below $60/barrel keep Russian oil from being profitable. Oil revenues are the main source of money into the government. And Putin wants to rebuild the military, which also makes the surrounding countries nervous..... Sooooo...here's Garry Kasparov explaining why we need a new government in Russia via Transatlanic Politics:

Gary Kasparov, the man who was a world chess champion for 15 years in a row is trying now to checkmate Vladimir Putin in politics. Wishful thinking? A mirage of the West projected onto Russia? Maybe. Leader of the opposition movement "The Other Russia", Mr. Kasparov admits quite sincerely: "We are not trying to win the elections, we are trying to have elections!" In Kasparov's view, the main goal of Russian foreign policy is to raise the oil price, no matter what - that's why the tensions in the Middle East are so important to Putin:

"Putin doesn't run a country, he runs a corporation. He is the ugliest mixture of Karl Marx and Adam Smith. He is not interested in restoring the Russian influence, he's just interested in Gazprom's and Rosneft's influence. Actually, Putin is destroying the Russian state. "

"Selling nuclear technology to Iran is good - you get money and create tensions - selling missiles to Hezbollah through Syria serves the same purpose. "
"Everything that will raise the oil price is good, in Putin's view."

"If the price of oil falls under 50 dollars a barrel, you don't have to be a rocket scientist to predict that the regime will fall. But even if the price of oil stays high, the regime will collapse. The problem with this regime is that the oil money disappears, you can't find it in Russian banks or investments. You can find it anywhere from Riga til London, but not in Russia."

Someone should do something.....about the high price of water!

Conservatives believe in small government. Bill O'Reilly says that he is a conservative. Why is he advocating that the government/someone "do something" about "high oil/gas prices"? Kim du Toit has an interesting rant against said pundit, but, this is not an entry about ol' Bill. Kim puts out some interesting info about the oil industry as it really is, not how we want it to be. Besides, anybody that pays $1+ for 20 oz. of bottled tap water at the convenience store has no business complaining about high gas prices......

From Kim du Toit:

1.) Oil prices are high because of surging demand.
2.) Said surging demand is coming not from the jillions of new SUV owners in Suburbia, U.S.A., but from emerging industrial giant nations like China and India, who have no oil themselves, and who must therefore import ever-increasing amounts of oil in order to keep their industrialization growing.
3.) China and India’s industrialization is possible because of their cheap and abundant labor, and low quality control. In other words, they’re making products cheaply, and not altogether concerning themselves with the quality thereof.
4.) Said cheap ‘n nasty products are coming over to the United States, where people are buying them in huge quantities—eg. $2 screwdrivers at the hardware store, $3 T-shirts at Wal-Mart, $1 scissors at Dollar General and 25c plastic glasses at Big Lots!.
5.) So, to complete the economic Circle of Life (for the benefit of morons like O’Reilly), the same people who are being “gouged” by higher gasoline prices are also saving money on cheaper tools, clothing, housewares and so on.

It really is that simple. The only people who can’t understand this are also people who can’t understand simple concepts like “there’s no such thing as a free lunch”.

In other words, when your pet dies from eating tainted crap pet food which came from China and only cost 19c a can, it’s because the Chinese could only produce pet food that cheaply by ignoring quality controls in its manufacture and by using animal by-products which would cause a vulture to gag. So if more rigorous quality controls are going to be instituted on imported Chinese foodstuffs, then the prices thereof will rise, as surely as night follows day.

Adam Smith will not be denied.

If you think that Eeevil Oil is making obscene profits, why not buy stock in an oil company, and share in the wealth it’s creating? Here’s a quick study.

Exxon-Mobil [XOM]’s average weekly share price:

Last year: $67.00 per share
This year: $88.00. That’s a 31% increase.

Just so we’re clear on the concept, let’s compare that 31% increase to the all-grade average third-week price of gasoline:

Last year: $3.033/gal
This year: $3.092/gal : a 2% increase.

Taking inflation into account, that means that the price of gasoline hasn’t gone up at over last year. Someone explain to me how a zero price increase equates to “gouging”—yet in that same period, Exxon-Mobil’s share price grew by over 30%.

et’s also look at another reason why gas prices are “high”: refining capacity.

We could double oil imports into our storage bins, but it would just sit there, because (thanks to our “friends” in the Green industry), our refining capabilities have stayed essentially flat over the past couple of decades. (By the way, you may want to look more closely at the refining industry’s profits, if you want to talk about “profiting from scarcity”, but that’s a story for another time.)

And if we add to that bottleneck the insistence of Moonbat states like California that refining companies produce all the “boutique” formulations to satisfy their local Greens, which further exacerbates the bottleneck, it’s not hard to see why gasoline prices would remain stubbornly high—even without the needs of the emerging industrialized nations.

And I didn’t even mention the fact that the dollar fell against other major currencies over the same period—thus making all imports, including oil, yet more expensive.

I'll add to that. Now, on top of all the abvoe, add the idiotic notion of adding ethanol to the fuel. Ethanol that lowers gas mileage, adds to pollution, is more expensive, and raises the price of food across the board, internationally. But don't say that its just a pork program for corn growers....