What the Country Can Do- Act!

If you're still standing at the gas pump saying to yourself, "I'm tired of all talk and no action, I want lower prices," you'll still be saying that next time you have to fill up.

While Democrats and Republicans understand your pain (hopefully), they don't quite see the same solution. On Friday, just before Congress was to begin a five-week recess, they failed to pass energy legislation and other measures aimed at lowering the price of gasoline. Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi had the microphones turned off, the TV feeds to C-Span were stopped and the lights were dimmed after the pre-noon vote to adjourn for the August recess- but Republicans stayed behind. "Madame Speaker, where art thou?" shouted out Rep. Ted Poe, R-Texas, "Where oh where has Congress gone?" Rep. Ander Crenshaw, R-Fla. said, "Congress shouldn't leave its business unfinished while American wallets are drained at the pump." During the five hour protest, the GOP leaders demanded that the president call a special session of the Congress on energy.

On the subject of oil President Bush said, "To reduce pressure on prices, we need to increase the supply of oil, especially oil produced here at home." Unfortunately for the president, the Democratic Congress refuses to allow a vote. The president has acknowledged it would be years before any of the oil beneath the offshore waters could be pumped, but he said "lifting the ban would create new opportunities for American workers and businessmen."

Barack Obama said that he would consider accepting some new offshore oil drilling in the Gulf of Mexico in exchange for stripping oil companies of tax breaks and extending several tax credits to spur the search for alternative fuels. Stated by Michael Powell of the New York Times, " Mr. Obama has until now opposed any expansion of lands for offshore drilling. But in a news conference here, he noted that there had been “very constructive” talks between Senate Republicans and Democrats on this issue in recent days, applauding a plan unveiled by a group of Republican and Democratic senators to permit drilling while supporting an effort to convert most vehicles to using alternative fuels in 20 years."

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi calls it a hoax, saying it won't solve the crisis at the pump. How do the Democrat know this when no offshore drilling has taken place? Or right, their "experts". The Democrats want the oil companies to drill on the available land, but that leaves the question as to why they won't. They say offshore drilling won't solve anything, well maybe that's a chance that'll just have to be taken, but if nothing is done now, then our problems will just be extended. President Kennedy said he wanted to get a man to the moon in ten years, if they hadn't started it wouldn't have happened. He also said, "Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country." Hmmm, for right now I'll stick with what the country (Congress) can do- act!