Morning News - Politics and Energy Edition

by Brad Peck

The news today, oh boy.  My bolds.

Democrats and GOP Battle Over Oil Exploration

Republicans on Thursday blocked a House Democratic leadership proposal that would expand oil and gas drilling without lifting a federal ban on new offshore drilling,.

Quick aside from "The Never Drill Bill", "This smokescreen tactic [the proposal]...should be seen for what it is....An insult to everyone currently struggling with paying high prices at the pump.", now back to the article. 

Republicans are pressing Democrats, saying an energy bill without new access to exploration would be "half a solution."  Republicans want to give states the choice whether to allow access to drilling off their coasts on the Outer Continental Shelf in areas under a congressional moratorium.
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In the Senate, Majority Leader Harry Reid (D., Nev.) said he is open to a compromise that would encourage more domestic oil and gas production but wants to focus on strengthening oversight of energy-futures markets, arguing that speculation has driven up crude prices.

Right, let's take care of the politics and get to the solutions later.  So how is the overall agenda coming? Dems Have Dramatically Scaled Back Energy Agenda, oh.

Democrats seem to be tripping over themselves to find new adjectives to describe Wall Street's oil speculators, railing about "unbridled" profiteers driving up the price at the pump.

But while they may have zeroed in on speculation, the rest of the once-aggressive Democratic energy agenda has gone by the wayside.

Under pressure to have at least some modest accomplishment on energy, Democrats have backed off of proposals for a windfall profits tax, price gouging investigations and suing OPEC. They've completely avoided any votes on oil drilling, perhaps fearing that many Democrats would cross party lines and back more exploration.

A crackdown on speculators — being debated on the Senate floor right now — is the only piece left of a more dramatic agenda released in late April.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) seemed to realize the modesty of the agenda with just two weeks to go before Congress leaves for a month-long recess and the presidential nominating conventions. He said that "speculation is where we're starting." Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), also a member of the Senate leadership, added that "we know that speculation is not the silver bullet."

Given the nature of proposals which have been abandoned score a point for modesty.  And score a point for Sen. Murray, would give two but the fact is there are not any silver bullets, we need a comprehensive plan.  As Monkey in the Middle reminds us:

It is the duty and responsibility of our government to ensure that our economy works. With gas prices so high, it is irresponsible for them to languish over this and all energy bills.

While drilling today will not immediately bring down the cost of a gallon of gas, it will help in the future months.

Write to your representative today saying you want America to drill off-shore for the resources we need to keep our economy growing.