Blame High Gas Prices on Democrats

For the last two decades at least, conservatives have been calling for less dependency on foreign oil for our growing energy needs. The best possible way to do that is to tap the billions of barrels of oil accessible under our oceans, within our borders, and ANWR. Central and South American countries, namely the Hugo Chavez-led Venezuela are already drilling in the Gulf of Mexico. We wouldn’t be causing any further damage to the environment there…we’d only be joining the party.

Most recently, energy independence became a looming issue after 9/11. The common excuse offered for the last two decades was the same in 2001: It would take five to seven years to see any benefit from tapping our own resources. If we had done it then, we would already be reaping those benefits now. Instead, we are facing $5 per gallon gasoline in our near future. We have to work now in order to avoid $10 per gallon in five years from now.

CNN’s coverage of the dilemma blames both parties as well the President Bush:

But while gas prices keep soaring, the chances of Washington finding a solution keep dropping because Democrats and Republicans are deadlocked over how to fix the problem.

Bush talks mostly about increasing supply through more oil drilling in places like Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

“I’ve proposed to the Congress that they open up ANWR, open up the Continental Shelf, and give this country a chance to help us through this difficult period by finding more supplies of crude oil, which will take the pressure off the price of gasoline,” Bush said Monday. Video Watch how Congress could affect gas prices »

But Democrats like House Speaker Nancy Pelosi are vehemently opposed to increasing production on environmental grounds, so the president’s plan has virtually no chance of passage in the current Congress.

In turn, Democrats talk mostly about lowering demand for gasoline through research into alternative fuels — something the president talks about too — and more funds for mass transit.

These types of plans will take a long time to implement, so no quick fix there either.

President Bush has called on Congress to drill here and drill now. But Democrats promised to lower gas prices in 2006 and all we’ve seen is a steady increase instead.

“Democrats have a commonsense plan to help bring down skyrocketing gas prices by cracking down on price gouging, rolling back the billions of dollars in taxpayer subsidies, tax breaks and royalty relief given to big oil and gas companies, and increasing production of alternative fuels.”

We’ve seen that price gouging and tax breaks are not the guilty ones. Alternative fuels and energy sources are ok, but don’t help now. Democrats need to realize that bowing to environmentalist wackos is not winning them much support.

Erick Erickson breaks down support percentages from each party for the most alternatives to foreign independence:

In a breakdown of top energy issues, you’ll find the GOP is in favor of more options for energy than the Democrats.

ANWR Exploration
House Republicans: 91% Supported
House Democrats: 86% Opposed

Coal-to-Liquid
House Republicans: 97% Supported
House Democrats: 78% Opposed

Oil Shale Exploration
House Republicans: 90% Supported
House Democrats: 86% Opposed

Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Exploration
House Republicans: 81% Supported
House Democrats: 83% Opposed

Refinery Increased Capacity
House Republicans: 97% Supported
House Democrats: 96% Opposed

That’s startling information. Look at that again. Put another way, the Republicans are opposed to grinding our economy to a halt due to soaring energy costs and the Democrats are in favor of shutting down our economy and way of life.

Why are the Democrats so in favor of shutting down the American economy? Because they’ve become wedded to an entrenched group of radical environmentalists who see the United States as the greatest threat to the earth

No wonder so many radicals and terrorists like Obama. The whole party is eaten up with anti-American sentiments.

Ed Morrissey is right on:

Congress has put a tight hold on drilling and refining in the US for decades, and this is the inevitable result. The US sits on billions of barrels of oil within the continental shelves, billions more on the interior, and billions in ANWR. Yet we insist on going cap in hand to the Saudis for higher production rather than take some responsibility for our own energy needs, preferring to keep our landscapes while we demand that others exploit their own resources for our benefit.

Last week, Barbara Boxer tried to push through the Lieberman-Warner bill, claiming that it would address gas prices. It certainly would — by driving them much higher through over-regulation of the energy industry. The energy industry does not need further regulation. They need Congress to get the federal government out of its way so that it can add more supply to the market, which is the only way prices will fall.

Even CNN’s two energy experts, Jim Cramer and Erin Burnett, both conservationists, agree: enough is enough, we must drill here and drill now.

Speaking of drilling here and drilling now…sign the petition, if you haven’t already.