Education Talk

leonard78sp@primus.ca · Guest

Yes, it's all about the speculators...pay no attention to the
decades of special interest, over-the-top, environmentalist
lobbying to which the the Democrats have pandered.
Eco-Zealots are much less damaging to our country than
the evil speculators...uh-huh.
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Reid: No drilling votes in debate over oil speculation
By Manu Raju
Posted: 07/14/08 04:07 PM [ET]

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said Monday
that he would not allow a vote on an amendment giving
states new authority to seek oil off their coasts when he
brings a Democratic energy bill to the floor later this
month.

In a sign of escalating tensions, one senior GOP senator
called Reid a ³chicken² for deciding not to allow
amendments on energy production, prompting a Reid
spokesman to say that ³name calling won't lower the
price of oil and gasoline.² [Note: Reid did not answer
the Senator, rather left the dirty work to a staff hack <G>

Reid criticized President Bush¹s announcement earlier
in the day to rescind a longstanding executive order
banning offshore oil drilling, saying it was a gift to the
oil companies that are not exploring for oil in 68 millions
of acres available to them.

Republicans are now pressuring Democrats to rescind a
congressional moratorium prohibiting the practices and
give states the option to decide whether to allow drilling
off their
coasts.

However, Senate Democrats rejected those calls on
Monday.

³We want oil and gas companies to drill on the leases
they¹ve been given,² Reid said.

He added that oil companies should report to Congress
their activities on their leased land and said Congress
will invest in renewable energy by pushing through a
stalled package of expiring tax incentives.

Democrats blame market speculators on oil industry
futures for playing a role in propping up energy prices,
and are drafting a bill targeting the practice, which will
be unveiled Wednesday. When the Senate votes on that
bill, as soon as this month, Reid said he would not allow
amendments dealing with oil drilling, which the
Republicans will almost certainly seek.

"I said and was very clear that we need to focus on issues
of specific matters," Reid said.

The reaction puts Democrats in line with their
presidential candidate, Sen. Barak Obama (Ill.), who
opposes lifting the offshore-drilling ban. Sen. John
McCain (R-Ariz.) reversed his longstanding support for
the ban, and has said that boosting supplies will help
bring down soaring gas prices.

"It would merely prolong the failed energy policies we
have seen from Washington for 30 years," Obama
spokesman Bill Burton said Monday of Bush's decision.

Republicans support targeting speculators as well, but
have called for a broader energy package that would
also boost domestic production.

"The key to bringing down record-high gas prices is to
find more American energy, as well as use less," Sen.
Lamar Alexander (Tenn.), GOP conference chairman,
said.

"After today¹s announcement by the president, the only
hurdle left to beginning offshore exploration is
congressional action, and it¹s time for the Democratic
leadership to listen to the millions of Americans who
are demanding we begin today."

Sen. Pete Domenici (R-N.M.) called Reid a "chicken"
for not allowing votes on oil drilling.

"Does it seem to you like it does to me like Harry Reid is
either scared chicken to have a vote, or has decided that
he's going to dictate to the United States Senate?" the
ranking Republican on the Energy and Natural Resources
Committee said, turning to Alexander at a GOP press
conference. "I don't know if you'll use the word 'chicken,'
but I will because that's what he's saying: He's saying, 'I'm
frightened by the idea that we're going to actually have a
vote on a new plan for this huge, huge, reserve of gas and
oil that belongs to none other than the people of the
United States.' "

Rodell Mollineau, a Reid spokesman, shot back at
Domenici.

³Sticks and stones may break our bones, but name calling
won't lower the price of oil and gasoline,² Mollineau said.
³This is the U.S. Senate, not a schoolyard. If Republicans
are serious about solving our energy crisis they will work
with us this month to rein in greedy speculators, pass
renewable tax credits and pressure oil companies to drill
on the 68 million acres they already have.²

Domenici said Congress would be forced to revisit the
issue during debate over the interior appropriations bill,
which usually includes the congressional moratorium on
offshore drilling.

Republicans stopped short of saying they would filibuster
the oil-speculation bill, but suggested they would protest
any efforts to limit amendments. They plan to discuss
strategy at their weekly Tuesday policy lunch.

"Any serious proposal to deal with $4 gasoline prices has
to include finding more American energy, as well as using
less," Alexander said. "Sen. Reid is not willing to do that."

© 2008 Capitol Hill Publishing Corp.,

Larry Hewitt · Guest

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