24° SUNNY, Blame Dems for $10 gas
Last Modified: Friday, October 3, 2008 at 11:47 a.m.
A week ago, exactly 10 days after he voted to effectively ban offshore drilling in areas that actually have oil, Congressman Heath Shuler was on local TV describing his valiant efforts to bring more gas to Western NC.
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Congratulations are in order for all of you who didn’t throw a brick through your TV screen. Democrats have spent the last 30 years vigorously opposing new refineries and new oil wells. So the most effective thing Shuler could do to help with the shortages of refineries and of oil would be to resign, and convince 100 of his left-wing buddies to resign as well.
My September 2006 column included the following “If, heaven forbid, Shuler were elected, the most important vote that he would cast is for the leadership of congress, voting for Pelosi for Speaker…”
While it’s not fun to think about the damage that Speaker Pelosi has done to this country over the last two years, it must be done. We appear to be heading for the same mistake again.
Shuler refers to himself as a Blue Dog Democrat, i.e., a somewhat conservative Democrat, but he votes with Pelosi over 80% of the time. I’m not sure about the Blue part of Blue Dog, but it’s obvious that he knows what to do when Pelosi says “heel” or “stay”. There’s no word on whether she pats him on the head and says “good dog” after each vote.
Inadequate refineries and dwindling domestic oil production have resulted in high prices and long lines at gas pumps. And, the recent lines and $4 a gallon gas are just precursors to what we’re about to experience.
If Democrats control Congress and the White House, we can expect $10 gas in addition to long lines. If you are stuck in a gas line behind someone with a Shuler bumper sticker, be sure to hop out and thank him or her. Politely, of course.
A few days ago, Pelosi spit into the faces of those of us who oppose $10 gas by pushing through a bill (HR6899) that allows drilling where there is very little oil, 100 miles offshore. The bill blocked drilling closer to the coast, where almost all of the oil is located.
True to form, Heath Shuler voted in favor of the bogus bill. No wonder he is avoiding a debate with his opponent. He can’t let 11th District voters know he voted for $10 gas.
Does anyone really think that, in light of current gas prices, the majority of the 11th district agrees with Shuler’s vote to effectively ban offshore drilling?
Shuler has $3 million to spend on his campaign, almost all of which came from special interests outside the 11th district, but you can bet he won’t use the money to highlight his vote to increase the cost and scarcity of gasoline.
Nor will he draw attention to his vote, early in 2007, to strip employees of the sacred right of a secret ballot when deciding whether to be represented by a union. Likewise, don’t expect him to brag about helping to give the Speaker’s gavel to the extremist Pelosi.
In a conversation with Carl Mumpower, he assured me that he supports the Republican “all of the above” approach to our energy problems, which includes drilling offshore in places that actually contain oil and in the barren wasteland known as ANWR. And nuclear, and conservation, and coal, and shale oil, and solar, and wind… all of the above. And, it’s a certainty that he won’t vote for Pelosi as Speaker. While Dr. Mumpower can’t single-handedly change the tide in Washington, a vote for him is definitely a move in the right direction.
If the Democrats maintain control of both houses of Congress while taking control of the White House, we can be guaranteed one or more attacks of 9/11 severity in the next four years because of Democrats’ aversion to either questioning or eavesdropping on known terrorists, both of which have stopped attacks. And, in an already shaky economy, another major attack combined with promised increases in business taxes will cause our economy to tank.
Nevertheless, in a desperate quest for a silver lining, let me say that if Democrats are successful in fooling voters in November, the next few years will be extremely painful, but I’m optimistic enough to believe that the nation will finally hold Democrats responsible and throw the bums out for good.
John Fogle can be contacted at fogle222@bellsouth.net
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Comments
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October 3, 2008 2:55:45 pm
RE: Link
Sure, John Fogle, it's all the Dems fault despite GOP control of the Whitehouse for the last 8 years and Congress for 12 of the last 14 years.
We do agree on one thing, the GOP has shown itself to be horribly incompetent and ineffective at governance.
"... If the Democrats maintain control of both houses of Congress while taking control of the White House, we can be guaranteed one or more attacks of 9/11 severity... "
He says, hoping that he's right. At long last, John Fogle, have you no decency at all?
October 3, 2008 3:02:03 pm
For some reason my mental picture just became a secret group of republicans in superman costumes flying up in the air to stop the hijackers.
October 3, 2008 3:48:36 pm
If we're doing things (aggressive questioning and eavesdropping) that have stopped attacks, and we stop doing those things, it's reasonable to assume that we will no longer be stopping those attacks. An attack will get through our reduced defenses. The counter argument is that people in Europe will love us for being so civil, and for some people, that's worth the dead civilians.
October 3, 2008 4:20:42 pm
I love the logic. The 'first' (not really the first just the largest) terrorist attack came on the GOP's watch. So the GOP says please don't elect Democrats because they're soft on terrorism.
What?
BTW, here's your odds of being killed in a terrorist attack.
Terrorist attack: With the recent London bombings and September 11th not too far behind, death by terrorist attack is fresh in many people's minds. A poll in Conde Nast Traveler in February 2003 found that one-third of respondents feared a terrorist attack. What are your real odds of dying this way? Historically speaking, it's a one in 9.3 million chance--which is a slightly greater risk than you have of dying in an avalanche. Boy that's money well spent in Iraq!
October 3, 2008 4:25:10 pm
Indeed he has no shame. How many dead civilians did we end up with on the republicans watch? 4000 in New York.
I continue to be dismayed that the Times News is willing to print this kind of drivel.
I do think he has a minor role to play though. This deplorable columnist allows us to hold up a mirror to the inner thinking of many of those on the right, and we need to pay close attention. Moral authority? Country first? Please.
October 3, 2008 5:18:01 pm
I suspected Foolgle didn't get around much beyond the narrow mental
cells of his wingnut prison house, but surely even he is aware of a
recent weather event called Hurricane Ike. Before it hit, regular
gas prices around here were about $3.69. Shortly after the hurricane
hit they went up to $3.99 and above. Think there might just be a little
cause and effect here. Just maybe. And further that the price hike has
little or nothing to do with Shuler,Pelosi, oil drilling or the price of
tissues?
Plus, crude is down about a third from its high over the last few months,
and gas prices elsewhere in the country are going down not up. So the chance
of $10 gas under the Dems looks like just another of Foolgle's nonsensical
"ideas." Fill 'er up. The dogs may bark, but the caravan moves on.
October 3, 2008 5:21:51 pm
Amen. Iraqi civilians don't count.As for the gas situation, the blame game sounds like a a bunch of kids playing, "Did too." "Did not." No one has mentioned the consumer's share of the blame. We freaked over dollar gas, but we got used to it, and we were complacent. The auto industry shrieked about the expense of gas saving technology.
Two dollar gas - we got used to it and went for safe vehicles.
It's not only energy sources, it's conservation of that energy. American gas consumption has been decreasing all year, so we know we can get by with less. Maybe we should do like European countries, pay a lot more for gas, and use that money for sidewalks, bike lanes, and public transportation - even in rural areas.
October 3, 2008 7:15:59 pm
If we're doing things (aggressive militarism, support for dictators and belligerent foreign policy) that have led to attacks, and we stop doing those things, it's reasonable to assume that we will no longer be seeing as many attacks.
Fewer attacks will test our defenses. The counter argument is that neo-facists and bullies at home will hate us for being so civil, and for some people, that's worth the principles of human rights and liberty.
October 3, 2008 8:30:40 pm
In the Article John wrote:
Congratulations are in order for all of you who didnâ??t throw a brick through your TV screen. Democrats have spent the last 30 years vigorously opposing new refineries and new oil wells. So the most effective thing Shuler could do to help with the shortages of refineries and of oil would be to resign, and convince 100 of his left-wing buddies to resign as well.
Inadequate refineries and dwindling domestic oil production have resulted in high prices and long lines at gas pumps. And, the recent lines and $4 a gallon gas are just precursors to what weâ??re about to experience.
If Democrats control Congress and the White House, we can expect $10 gas in addition to long lines. If you are stuck in a gas line behind someone with a Shuler bumper sticker, be sure to hop out and thank him or her. Politely, of course.
Now this politely thanking; is that with a soft pine board instead of a tire iron? Seriously when I could not get gas I spoke to my parents and found out they had plenty of gas but then again my home town has a refinery just north of town. So they do not have gas shortages and like my brother in law a lot of local people have good paying jobs at the refinery! Compared to such great minds as MF on this board what would I know about then benefits of local oil production and refining capability!
October 4, 2008 12:03:22 am
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