Gas Crisis - The High Price of Driving

[American Patriot]

oll: Americans Angry About Gas Prices






Analysis by DALIA SUSSMAN
Aug. 22, 2005





Americans are not just dissatisfied with the cost of gasoline, a sizable number are downright angry about it. And they might get madder still: Many are cutting back elsewhere to keep paying at the pump, and if prices hit $3 per gallon long-term, more than six in 10 say they'll have to reduce their driving.



The public in some senses is being quite resilient in the face of $2.61 gas, a nominal high for the national average. Relatively few -- 22 percent -- are driving less now because of the cost of gas, and about as few say they'll cut back on driving because of gas prices in the next few months.



Instead three-quarters of Americans say that to afford gas they're either spending less on other things (45 percent), saving less (21 percent) or increasing debt (10 percent). And while just over half say gas prices are causing them financial hardship, that's down from 64 percent in the spring -- an indication that many people are accommodating themselves to the situation.



That said, both apprehension and annoyance are running high. Eight in 10 are worried that gas prices could seriously damage the economy, including 42 percent who are very worried about it. Ninety-four percent are dissatisfied with the price of gas, and 44 percent are more than just annoyed -- they're angry about it.



ANGER -- The level of anger varies among groups. It's higher among Democrats (50 percent) than it is among Republicans (37 percent) Women are more likely than men to be angry (48 percent vs. 39 percent of men). And anger about pump prices peaks in the East, at 52 percent; it's lowest in the West, at 40 percent, even though the West consistently has the highest average gas prices in the nation.



Naturally, those who say gas prices are causing them serious financial hardship -- about a quarter of the public -- are by far the most likely to be angry: Sixty-eight percent are, compared with fewer than three in 10 of those who aren't facing hardship.

Gas Prices
		Angry about price of gas
ALL		44 %
Men		39
Women		48
Age 18-29		50
Age 30+		42
Age 65+		41
Income under $100,000		46
Income $100,000+		32
Car drivers		45
SUV drivers		48
Democrats		50
Independents		41
Republicans		37

DEALING -- But for now, most Americans are finding a way to pay. As noted, 45 percent say they're spending less on other things to free up more cash for gas, and about one in five are saving less. Another one in 10 says they've had to borrow more money on a credit card or use other borrowing.



Younger Americans and the less well-off are the most likely to say they're shifting spending on other items to offset the rising cost. Fifty-five percent of those under age 30 are spending less elsewhere, as are 52 percent of those in households earning less than $50,000. In contrast, just three in 10 of those in six-figure earning households have had to cut back spending. Instead, they're more likely to be saving less.



DRIVING LESS? -- Moreover, as noted, relatively few are cutting back on their driving. Overall, about a third say they're driving less now than they did a year ago, and just about two in 10 say that's because of the price of gasoline. Similarly, 23 percent of drivers say they'll drive less over the next few months because of the cost of gas.



But if most people are not driving less now, that may change. Sixty-three percent say that if gas prices reach and remain at $3 a gallon, they'll find a way to cut back on their driving. Just a third says they'll continue to drive the same amount and just find a way to pay for it. Even in the highest-income households, half say they'd drive less at that price.



ECONOMY -- A large majority of Americans thinks that the high cost of gasoline has broader implications. Eight in 10 say they're worried that prices will seriously damage the country's economy, including about four in 10 who are very worried about it. The fact that 45 percent are spending less on other things could well have an impact on the economy, which is largely sustained by consumer spending.



Democrats are more concerned about the effects of gas prices on the economy -- 52 percent say they're very worried about it, compared with a third of Republicans. Broad concern is highest among Americans being hit the hardest: Two-thirds of those who say gas prices are causing them serious hardship say they're very worried about the economic impact.



HARDSHIP -- In terms of the effect of gas prices on their own financial well-being, Americans are divided. Fifty-three percent say the recent price increases in gasoline have caused them financial hardship, but that's down from nearly two-thirds in April. A quarter say gas prices are causing them serious hardship, which too is down, from a third. Then, gas averaged $2.24, close to a nominal high at the time. It's possible that spiking prices in the spring prepared, or at least conditioned, people for the higher prices they're facing now.



Women are 15 points more likely than men to be feeling the pinch, 60 percent to 45 percent. And people in the lowest-income households are twice as likely to feel hardship from gas prices as the highest-income Americans, 72 percent vs. 35 percent. Democrats are also feeling it more than Republicans -- 62 percent of Democrats say the higher pump prices are causing them financial hardship; fewer than four in 10 Republicans say the same.



CARS vs. SUVs -- Finally, despite their vehicles' lower fuel efficiency, SUV drivers are no more likely than car drivers to say gas prices are causing them hardship, to be driving less as a result of the high pump prices, or to be angry about them. The likely reason: SUV drivers are far more likely to be well-off financially than car drivers. The median income of an SUV owner is between $50,000 and $75,000, but between $35,000 and $50,000 for car owners -- meaning they may not dislike the high price of gas any more, but they are better able to afford it.



METHODOLOGY -- This ABC News poll was conducted by telephone Aug. 18-21 among a random national sample of 1,002 adults. The results have a three-point error margin. Sampling, data collection and tabulation was conducted by TNS Intersearch of Horsham, Pa.

Effects of Gas Prices on Driving
		Now compared to a year ago
Driving more		14 %
Driving less		32 *
Driving same amount		50

*9 percent of respondents said they were driving less for reasons other than high gas prices.
Click here for PDF version with full questionnaire and results.


Click here for more ABC News polls in our Poll Vault.

[American Patriot]

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High gas prices prompt more siphoning thefts, drivers running on empty

[IMG]http://media.kens5.com/images/470*261/gaspump0308.jpg[/IMG]
by KENS 5 staff
Posted on April 22, 2011 at 8:33 AM




Soaring gas prices have some drivers turning to drastic measure to fill up their tanks.
Authorities report an increase in criminals siphoning gas.
But that's not the only effect of high prices. AAA reports a five percent increase in the number of drivers who are running out of gas on the road and need to request assistance.
The average price of gas in San Antonio is $3.69 a gallon, and experts predict it will continue to go up.
You can track the latest prices to get the best deal by going to our Gas Tracker page.

[American Patriot]

AAA: High Gas Prices Spark More Calls For Help

Running Your Tank On Empty Can Damage Your Vehicle, AAA Warns


POSTED: 5:30 am CDT April 22, 2011
UPDATED: 5:52 am CDT April 22, 2011


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KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The Automobile Association of America reported that more people are calling for help after running out of gas, and AAA officials said high gas prices are to blame.AAA spokesman Bob Kline said they have seen double the calls for help in the Kansas City metro since gas prices started to spike."Nationwide, we're seeing an uptick in people who are calling because they have run out of fuel," Kline said. "We can only speculate…, but I can see people stretching it so that they time their fill-ups with lower prices."Kline said running your vehicle on empty can damage it in the long run."When you run your car out of fuel, you are depriving the fuel pump of lubrication and cooling," Kline said.The average price of a gallon of gas in Kansas City was $3.68 on Friday morning. The nationwide average was $3.82, according to KCGasPrices.com.To find the lowest gas prices in your area, click here: Kansas City Metro Gas Prices

[American Patriot]

Energy Resources

Cheap energy no more, IEA says


Published: April 22, 2011 at 9:38 AM

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Gas prices reach five dollars per gallon at a gas station in Washington, DC on April 19, 2011. Unrest in the Middle East and price speculation have steadily led to higher oil prices and consequently higher gas prices throughout the year so far. UPI/Roger L. Wollenberg


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LUXEMBOURG, April 22 (UPI) -- The global energy sector will have to kick into high gear to meet soaring demand, the IEA said as it warned of the end of cheap energy.
The International Energy Agency warned that it won't be easy to reverse the rise in energy prices because it's getting harder to access and exploit conventional resources.
"The age of cheap energy is over," said IEA Executive Director Nobuo Tanaka in a statement from Luxembourg.
Tanaka said that if one assumes high prices are here to stay, the energy sector needs to consider whether the "extra rent" goes into the pocketbooks of global energy companies is going toward increased environmental sustainability.
IEA analysts said the world needs another 50 million barrels of oil from new fields by 2035 in order to meet expected demand. Crude oil production from existing fields, meanwhile, is expected to decline from the 68-million-barrel-per-day mark in 2009 to just 16 million bpd by 2035.
"Despite the fact that crude oil production doesn't increase, the need for new capacity on a gross basis is still very large, because so much of the world's existing production capacity will have been lost by the end of the projection period (of 2035)," said Tanaka.



Read more: http://www.upi.com/Science_News/Reso...#ixzz1KGeWkErD

[American Patriot]

Pols push Martha Coakley to probe gas gouging

By Thomas Grillo
Friday, April 22, 2011 - Updated 2 minutes ago


As average gas prices approach $4 again, outraged city and town officials from southeastern Massachusetts want Attorney General Martha Coakley to probe any possible gouging at the pump — something her office said she has never done, even when the Bay State hit a record $4.11 per gallon on her watch in July 2008.


Cutting back on restaurants, travel? How are you being affected by the price of gas? Join in the Friday Throwdown today, 12-1.


“Gas prices are unconscionable,” said Raynham Selectman Joseph Pacheco, who introduced a motion asking Coakley to examine the spike in fuel costs. “I’m seeing instances of multiple price hikes in one day, and that’s outrageous.”



Pacheco, New Bedford City Councilor Steven Martins and Taunton City Councilor Ryan Colton are asking Coakley to ensure that gas stations are abiding by anti-price-gouging laws, which bar stations from colluding to raise prices or from taking advantage of market emergencies, such as hurricanes, to charge unconscionably high prices.


“People are hurting,” Colton said. “Unfortunately, this issue is beyond the scope of something that we can do at the local level.”


Coakley said in a statement, “The Attorney General’s Office is committed to fighting higher gasoline prices when those prices violate the law. Rising gas prices, however, are not necessarily an indication that gas station retailers are engaging in unlawful conduct.”


Boston City Council President Stephen Murphy said high gas prices are a national issue. He plans to ask councilors to consider a resolution that would ask U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner to implement new regulations that would limit the amount of speculation that can occur on the commodities markets. “This is an issue of national economic pilferage,” Murphy said.


AAA Southern New England reported this week that gas prices increased to $3.69 for self-serve, regular — up a whopping 63 cents from the start of the year. In Greater Boston, gas prices range from $3.56 at United in Holbrook to $4.49 at another United station in Lexington, according to BostonGasPrices.com.


“People are outraged,” Martins said. “Massachusetts needs to take stronger steps in protecting our pockets from gas stations that drive up gas prices each day to line their own pockets at the expense of others.”


Stephen Dodge of the Massachusetts Petroleum Council, which represents the major refiners, said it’s not gouging, rather that gas prices are rising globally due to demand, and it’s not uncommon for high-volume stations to get multiple deliveries in a day and raise prices multiple times. “No one likes the fact that prices are high, but motorists can shop around for the best price,” Dodge said.

Gas prices 04/22:

• + Pols push Martha Coakley to probe gas gouging
• + Obama says new task force will examine gas prices
• + Friday Throwdown: What a gas

thomas.grillo@bostonherald.com

[American Patriot]

Killer Combo of High Gas, Food Prices at Key Tipping Point


Published: Thursday, 21 Apr 2011 | 2:22 PM ET

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By: Christina Cheddar Berk
News Editor

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The combination of rising gasoline prices and the steepest increase in the cost of food in a generation is threatening to push the US economy into a recession, according to Craig Johnson, president of Customer Growth Partners.

Gas station in San Francisco.

Johnson looks at the percentage of income consumers are spending on gasoline and food as a way of gauging how consumers will fare when energy prices spike.
With gas prices now standing at about $3.90 a gallon, energy costs have now passed 6 percent of spending—a level that Johnson says is a "tipping point" for consumers.
"Energy is not quite as essential as food and water, but is a necessity in today's economy, and when gasoline costs more than bottled water—like now—then it takes a huge bite out of disposable spending," he said, in a research note.
Of the six US recessions since 1970, all but the "9-11 year 2001 recession" have been linked to—of not triggered by—energy prices that crossed the 6 percent of personal consumption expenditures, he said. (During the shallow 2001 recession, energy prices had risen to about 5 percent of spending, which is higher than the long-term 4 percent share.)
What may make matters worse this time around, is there has been a steep increase in food prices that occurred as well. In other recent recessions food costs were benign, at between 7.5 percent and 7.8 percent of spending.
This year food prices have climbed 6.5 percent since the beginning of early January, according to Consumer Growth Partners.
"The combined increase in the necessities of food and energy creates a harsh double whammy for already stressed consumers," Johnson said. The last time this happened was in the recession that lasted from 1973 to 1975.
Johnson estimates that food and energy eat up about 15 percent of consumer spending at today's prices, compared with about 12.7 percent two years ago.
Of course, at lower income levels, these percentages are much higher. One sign of the stress some consumers are already feeling is that some AAA offices have already seen an increase in out-of-gas service calls, as motorists try to put off filling their tanks or drive around trying to seek out the gas station with the least expensive price.
Also some regions are being hit harder than others. Gas prices in Hawaii continue to set new highs, according to AAA data. The average price on Wednesday was $4.51, topping the prior record of $4.50 for a gallon of regular unleaded set in July 2008.


RELATED LINKS

• $6 Gas? Could Happen if Dollar Keeps Getting Weaker
• Consumers Confident Enough to Say 'Charge It'
• Gas Prices Nearing Point Where Americans Cut Back

[Ryan Ruck]

Let's play a game... Which one is from a post-Apocalyptic movie?



or

[American Patriot]

Both!!!!!!!!!!

Lol

[American Patriot]

Ok, wait. The first one is for real and a real life Apocalypse. The second is from a fictional movie.

[American Patriot]

Plans to reduce gas prices.

First, the Liberals:

Simple Plan to Reduce Gasoline Prices

Bob Fertik's picture
Bob Fertik

April 25, 2006

Gasoline Prices
Global Warming

Everyone wants to lower gasoline prices. Since Bush stole the White House, Republicans have focused exclusively on increasing supply, including the invasion of Iraq. Bush's policies have raised gasoline prices from an 8-year average of $1.15 under President Clinton to $3 today - while making us more dependent on Middle East oil and accelerating global warming.

So why don't we try reducing demand instead? Here's a simple plan that would have an immediate effect.

Congress should cancel the $20 billion in giveaways to the oil companies included in the 2005 Energy Bill, and use that money instead to offer a tax credit to car owners of $100 for each MPG saved by trading in their current car for a more fuel-efficient car.

So if you're getting 10 MPG in your Bentley Arnage LWB and trade it in for a 60 MPG Toyota Prius Hybrid, you would get a tax credit of 60-10=50 * 100 = $5,000 - and cut your gasoline costs by 83%!

Car owners would love this idea because they would save money immediately. It would quickly reduce demand for gasoline so the price could come down for everyone. And we would all feel like we were doing something concrete to reduce our dependence on middle east oil - and global warming.

In addition, it would show voters that the Democratic Party is the real party of ideas.

Congressional Democrats, are you listening?

Update 1: For a more comprehensive energy plan, check out the Senate Democrats and the Apollo Alliance. These are all great 10-20 year plans - but Democrats need to show voters we can offer simple ideas that will have immediate impact that voters will see in their wallets.

Update 2: Senator Bob Menendez wants to reallocate $6 billion of oil industry tax credits to a 60-day "federal gas tax holiday" that would reduce the cost of gas by $0.18 per gallon. That will put money in voters' wallets - but won't reduce demand for gasoline by a single gallon. My plan is better!

Update 3: Carpetbagger Report says Sen. Chuck Schumer wants a "complete examination as to whether or not we should break up the big oil companies." That's great as part of a long-term strategy, but in the short-term it won't put a penny in any drivers' wallet or reduce demand for gasoline by a single gallon. My plan is better!

Next the Conservatives:

GOP: Reduce gas tax for 2 months
Highway revenue to fall $6.6 million
By Matthew Spolar / Monitor staff
April 22, 2011
Article tools



The top two members of the House rolled out a proposal yesterday to temporarily cut the state gasoline tax by 5 cents per gallon, a move intended to lower the price at the pump through the end of June while the state loses an estimated $6.6 million in highway fund revenue.

House Speaker William O'Brien and Majority Leader D.J. Bettencourt said yesterday that the plan shows the Republican-controlled Legislature understands the day-to-day struggles faced by New Hampshire residents as gas prices have leaped to nearly $4 per gallon in recent months.

"We know when we're up here talking about this bill or that bill . . . for most of our constituents, what they are concerned about on a daily basis is the cost of living," O'Brien said. "We thought about, 'How can we do something that would assist them in being able to go about their lives and transport themselves to their jobs and go to the grocery store?' "

Bettencourt, a Salem Republican, said the gas tax cut would be an economic boon to border communities by luring residents from neighboring states into New Hampshire just in time for the summer tourism season. The state tax on gasoline has been set at 18 cents per gallon since 1991; the proposal would lower it to 13 cents.

"They could conceivably see a cross-border advantage of the 5 cent decrease and end up coming up here and filling up here," Bettencourt said.

The money to cover the loss in revenue would come from a $30 car registration surcharge signed into law by Gov. John Lynch two years ago. Republicans are moving to eliminate the surcharge at the end of the fiscal year, June 30. Until the surcharge expires, the House proposal would redirect surcharge revenue to cover losses from the 5 cent reduction in the gas tax.

O'Brien said the decision to take money from the highway fund and use it to cut the gas tax presents the Democratic governor with a "straightforward decision."

"Does he see the same pain that we see in the economic life of New Hampshire?" he said.

Lynch's office wasn't impressed by the Republican leadership's proposal.

"This proposal is simply a political gimmick and would offer no relief at the pumps for the people of New Hampshire," said Colin Manning, Lynch's spokesman. "What it would do is provide less money for the people of New Hampshire to maintain our roads and bridges."

Rep. David Campbell, a Nashua Democrat who sits on the House Public Works and Highways Committee, said the tax cut "will just be gobbled up by the oil companies" in a volatile market. Rep. Candace Bouchard, a Concord Democrat on the committee, called it "political grandstanding" and said the loss of highway fund revenue would affect the state Department of Transportation's ability to complete important projects, such as the rebuilding of the Sewalls Falls Bridge in Concord.

But O'Brien said he expects the tax cut, if passed, to have an immediate impact on gas prices in the state because of competition between vendors.

"They know that their customers will be expecting the price of gasoline to, likewise, go down and those who choose not to do it would be at a competitive disadvantage," O'Brien said.

The tax cut would need to pass the House and then be agreed to by the Senate before reaching Lynch's desk. O'Brien said he has spoken with members of the Republican-controlled Senate about the cut.

"They want to fully understand it, and we think they'll move with us once they fully understand it," O'Brien said.

(Matthew Spolar can be reached at 369-3309 or mspolar@cmonitor.com.)

In 2006 and the Liberals wanted to TAX you. And to GIVE YOU MONEY... (the beginning of the Cash for Clunkers model, I'm certain.

In 2011, the Conservatives want to STOP Taxing you.

The two sides are completely and totally at odds with one another and this is the way it will remain. It's time to kick the Liberals out of office, out of the country and if possible off this world. They don't belong in the United States and they DO NOT HAVE A RIGHT TO TAX ME MORE. They have NO RIGHTS IN AMERICA ANY MORE as far as I am concerned. They don't believe in America, therefore they have NO RIGHTS.

Either start saying the damned Pledge of Alligence or SHUT THE HELL UP!

God

(and I posted that from 2006 to show you they still haven't CHANGED)

[American Patriot]

Mark Kirk Looks To Lower Gas Prices


With gas prices above $4 a gallon in Illinois, one of the highest prices per gallon in the nation, pump prices are becoming a political talking point. Sen. Mark Kirk proposed a few ideas Monday that quickly granting offshore drilling permits, permanent renewable energy credits and loosening federal regulation would lower prices. He also suggested the conflict in Libya played a role.
The Associated Press and WBEZ report Kirk argues that federal regulations created “small gasoline monopolies” and supports legislation to correct the issue. He also suggested exploring the possibility of using natural gas from shale deposits in the Illinois Basin, saying “we undervalue Illinois' energy resources.” Kirk was not able to give a timeline or any specifics as to how his proposed plans would effect gasoline prices.

[vector7]

Obama on High Gas Prices: Get Used to Them


by Stephan Tawney on April 6, 2011

Barack Obama has a message for Americans hurting from high gas prices: Get used to them.

“I’m just going to be honest with you. There’s not much we can do next week or two weeks from now,” the president told workers at a wind turbine plant. It’s a theme Obama’s struck before as he tries to show voters he’s attuned to a top economic concern with gas prices pushing toward $4 a gallon.

Obama said he wants to move toward “a future where America is less dependent on foreign oil, more reliant on clean energy produced by workers like you.” That will happen by reducing oil imports, tapping domestic energy sources and shifting the nation to renewable and less polluting sources of energy, such as wind, the president says. He has set a goal of reducing oil imports by one-third by 2025.

And I’ve set a goal of powering my house on unicorn farts and bubblegum. We have about the same likelihood of success. But at least my fantasy plans aren’t going to cost Americans countless money and hardship.

One questioner asked Obama about high gas prices and what could be done about them. Obama’s answer? To tell the guy to buy a new car that gets better gas mileage. I’m not joking. He said that.

If Obama really cared about high gas prices he’d permit expanded domestic resource exploration. America has vast yet untapped oil and natural gas resources. But instead of utilizing those God-given resources, Obama prefers to bow to his political allies in the extreme environmentalist community and insist on pursuing pie-in-the-sky solutions.

[vector7]

Companion Post:

• Obama: We will end 'manipulation' of gas prices

April 21, 2011 4:18 PM
With gas prices rising, Obama announces new gas task force
Posted by Stephanie Condon 103 comments



With gas prices nationwide averaging close to $4 per gallon, President Obama announced today that the U.S. attorney general is creating a task force to root out any cases of fraud or manipulation in the oil and gas markets that might affect gas prices.

"We are going to make sure that no one is taking advantage of the American consumers for their own short-term gain," Mr. Obama said at a town hall meeting at the renewal energy company ElectraTherm in Reno, Nevada.

At the current prices, the average American will pay about $750 more for gas this year, per car, CBS News' Bill Whitaker reports, and some 75 percent of Americans say they are now or soon will be pinching pennies.
Mr. Obama said he could relate.

"I remember before I was president the last time gas prices went up this high -- it's tough," he said. "Maybe you don't have the money to buy a new car that gets better gas mileage... I've been there. It hurts...This gas issue is serious."

The new gas task force, called the Oil and Gas Price Fraud Working Group, will include representatives from the Justice Department, the National Association of Attorneys General, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, the Federal Trade Commission, the Department of the Treasury, the Federal Reserve Board, the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Departments of Agriculture and Energy.

"If illegal conduct is responsible for increasing gas prices, state and federal authorities should take swift action," Attorney General Eric Holder said in a statement today.

In addition to monitoring the causes of rising gas prices, Mr. Obama said that it's time to put more investments in alternative energy sources. ElectraTherm, where the president spoke today, received $982,000 from the Energy Department last year for research and development in alternative energy production. The award was part of a $20 million Energy Department initiative to develop geothermal technologies.



Watch Bill Whitaker's report on gas prices in the video above.

The president, referring to Republican Rep. Paul Ryan's proposed 2012 budget, said he rejected the proposal to cut clean energy spending by 70 percent.

"We're not going to reduce our deficit by gutting our investment in clean energy and medical research and basic science," Mr. Obama said today. "I refuse to make that choice."

"I want new technologies invented here," he continued. "I want companies like ElectraTherm to set up shop here in America, and hire American workers, and build American products. That's the future we deserve."
Instead, Mr. Obama said, Washington should cut the $4 billion in subsidies that to oil companies "making record profits."

"These folks don't need more incentives," he said, adding that his administration has sought to encourage domestic oil production.
"Instead of subsidizing yesterday's energy sources, let's invest in tomorrow's," he added.

The president argued that it's not worth sacrificing investments in infrastructure in order to cut the budget deficit. As he did earlier this week, Mr. Obama invoked the 2007 collapse of the Interstate 35-W bridge in Minneapolis while criticizing Republicans' proposed cuts to infrastructure.

"Remember what happened in Minnesota? where that bridge just collapsed?" Mr. Obama asked. "There are bridges like that all across the country."

While experts say America's aging infrastructure is a significant problem, the bridge collapse in Minnesota, which killed 13 people, was found to have been caused primarily by a design flaw.

The president's town hall today was part of a three-day west-coast tour that included town hall events (the other was in the San Francisco Bay Area on Wednesday) and six fundraisers for his 2012 reelection campaign.

[vector7]

Companion Threads and Post:

• Obama Administration Imposes Seven-year Drilling Moratorium

GOP accuses Obama of pushing up gas prices

Posted on April 20, 2011 by Conservative Byte



Republicans say the Obama administration’s policies are contributing to skyrocketing gasoline prices – now at more than $4 per gallon throughout much of the country – and they have introduced legislation to reopen the nation’s coasts to drilling.

This year will be the first year since 1958 that the federal government will not have sold a lease for offshore drilling, and Republicans say this is fueling skyrocketing prices at the pump.

Congress opened the nation’s coasts to drilling when gas hit $4 per gallon in 2008, but the Obama administration effectively reinstated the ban last year by placing the Alaskan, Atlantic and Pacific coasts off-limits to drilling, as well as Florida’s west coast.

[American Patriot]

My wife, who is never ever political was up in arms this morning railing about Obama being a loud mouthed Jerk from another country, who stole the presidency and is a complete total ass ("Get used to them" was REALLY pissing her off).

He will be a one term president.

[American Patriot]

EPA Blocks Oil Drilling in Alaska

Posted April 25th, 2011 at 12:03pm in Energy and Environment 0 Print This Post


There are an estimated 27 million barrels of oil waiting to be tapped in the Arctic Ocean, off the coast of Alaska. But after spending five years and nearly $4 billion, Shell Oil Company has been forced to abandon its efforts to drill for oil in the region.
With gas at $4 per gallon and higher, one might think that more oil would be a good thing. So what’s the road block? The Environmental Protection Agency. Fox News reports that the EPA is withholding necessary air permits because of a one square mile village of 245 people, 70 miles from the off-shore drilling site. From Fox News’ Dan Springer:

The EPA’s appeals board ruled that Shell had not taken into consideration emissions from an ice-breaking vessel when calculating overall greenhouse gas emissions from the project. Environmental groups were thrilled by the ruling.
“What the modeling showed was in communities like Kaktovik, Shell’s drilling would increase air pollution levels close to air quality standards,” said Eric Grafe, Earthjustice’s lead attorney on the case.

Who at the EPA made the decision? Springer writes:

The Environmental Appeals Board has four members: Edward Reich, Charles Sheehan, Kathie Stein and Anna Wolgast. All are registered Democrats and Kathie Stein was an activist attorney for the Environmental Defense Fund. Members are appointed by the EPA administrator.

President Barack Obama said in his weekly address on Saturday that “there’s no silver bullet that can bring down gas prices right away,” but that one thing America can do is pursue “safe and responsible production of oil at home.” Too bad his words and his actions are not one and the same. Aside for the EPA’s decision on Shell, the Obama administration has imposed a months-long moratorium on deepwater offshore drilling that curtailed domestic production and sent some seven drilling rigs elsewhere.
The Heritage Foundation’s Nicolas Loris recommends the following actions for Congress and President Obama if they truly want to expand access to America’s domestic energy supply:

• Allow access to domestic reserves. Permitting exploration of reserves in Alaska, Colorado, Wyoming, and federal waters offshore would inject confidence into the market, create jobs, and stimulate the economy.
• Roll back regulatory burdens on companies. Strapping companies with onerous regulatory processes only hinders access. Litigation opportunities should be limited and the permitting process made more rational.
• Issue offshore drilling permits. Lifting the de facto moratorium on offshore drilling permits would gain companies access to domestic resources and increase our domestic energy supply.

Now it’s your turn. What do you think about the EPA’s decision? Join in the conversation by leaving a comment below.

[American Patriot]

This was ABSOLUTELY UNCONSCIONABLE!

Assholes. These people, the democrats and the current administration have NO INTEREST in this country.

The EPA needs to be shut down RIGHT NOW

[American Patriot]

The White House
Office of the Press Secretary
For Immediate Release
April 23, 2011


Weekly Address: "Instead of Subsidizing Yesterday's Energy Sources, We Need to Invest in Tomorrow's"

WASHINGTON – In his weekly address, President Obama laid out his plans to address rising gas prices over the short and the long term. While there is no silver bullet to bring down prices right away, there are a few things we can do. This week, the Attorney General launched a task force dedicated to rooting out fraud or manipulations in the oil markets. The President called for finally ending the $4 billion in taxpayer money that the oil and gas companies receive annually. And, we need to continue safe, responsible production of oil at home. But in the long term, we need to invest in clean, renewable energy. That is why the President strongly disagrees with a proposal in Congress that cuts our investments in clean energy by 70 percent.

The audio of the address is and video of the address will be available online at www.whitehouse.gov at 6:00 a.m. ET, Saturday, April 23, 2011.
Remarks of President Barack Obama
Weekly Address on Gas Prices
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Washington, DC
This is a time of year when people get together with family and friends to observe Passover and to celebrate Easter. It’s a chance to give thanks for our blessings and reaffirm our faith, while spending time with the people we love. We all know how important that is – especially in hard times. And that’s what a lot of people are facing these days.

Even though the economy is growing again and we’ve seen businesses adding jobs over the past year, many are still looking for work. And even if you haven’t faced a job loss, it’s still not easy out there. Your paycheck isn’t getting bigger, while the cost of everything from college for your kids to gas for your car keeps rising. That’s something on a lot of people’s minds right now, with gas prices at $4 a gallon. It’s just another burden when things were already pretty tough.

Now, whenever gas prices shoot up, like clockwork, you see politicians racing to the cameras, waving three-point plans for two dollar gas. You see people trying to grab headlines or score a few points. The truth is, there’s no silver bullet that can bring down gas prices right away.

But there are a few things we can do. This includes safe and responsible production of oil at home, which we are pursuing. In fact, last year, American oil production reached its highest level since 2003. On Thursday, my Attorney General also launched a task force with just one job: rooting out cases of fraud or manipulation in the oil markets that might affect gas prices, including any illegal activity by traders and speculators. We’re going to make sure that no one is taking advantage of the American people for their own short-term gain. And another step we need to take is to finally end the $4 billion in taxpayer subsidies we give to the oil and gas companies each year. That’s $4 billion of your money going to these companies when they’re making record profits and you’re paying near record prices at the pump. It has to stop.

Instead of subsidizing yesterday’s energy sources, we need to invest in tomorrow’s. We need to invest in clean, renewable energy. In the long term, that’s the answer. That’s the key to helping families at the pump and reducing our dependence on foreign oil. We can see that promise already. Thanks to an historic agreement we secured with all the major auto companies, we’re raising the fuel economy of cars and trucks in America, using hybrid technology and other advances. As a result, if you buy a new car in the next few years, the better gas mileage is going to save you about $3,000 at the pump.

But we need to do more. We need to harness the potential I’ve seen at promising start-ups and innovative clean energy companies across America. And that’s at the heart of a debate we’re having right now in Washington about the budget.

Both Democrats and Republicans believe we need to reduce the deficit. That’s where we agree. The question we’re debating is how we do it. I’ve proposed a balanced approach that cuts spending while still investing in things like education and clean energy that are so critical to creating jobs and opportunities for the middle class. It’s a simple idea: we need to live within our means while at the same time investing in our future.

That’s why I disagree so strongly with a proposal in Congress that cuts our investments in clean energy by 70 percent. Yes, we have to get rid of wasteful spending – and make no mistake, we’re going through every line of the budget scouring for savings. But we can do that without sacrificing our future. We can do that while still investing in the technologies that will create jobs and allow the United States to lead the world in new industries. That’s how we’ll not only reduce the deficit, but also lower our dependence on foreign oil, grow the economy, and leave for our children a safer planet. And that’s what our mission has to be.

Thanks for listening, and have a great weekend.

[American Patriot]

Gas Prices Going Up, But President Obama Is Standing Still

Posted April 20th, 2011 at 2:38pm in Energy and Environment 11 Print This Post


The gas price headlines aren’t looking so good for Americans. Honolulu is a penny away from record gas prices. Chicago gas nears $5 a gallon. Nationally, $4 a gallon average gas may be only be a month away. There’s something that President Obama could do to help solve the problem but, instead, he’s spending his time laying blame.
In a speech today in suburban Virginia, he said there’s plenty of supply to meet the world’s demand for oil, placing the blame for the high prices on speculators:

The problem is … speculators and people make various bets, and they say, you know what, we think that maybe there’s a 20 percent chance that something might happen in the Middle East that might disrupt oil supply, so we’re going to bet that oil is going to go up real high. And that spikes up prices significantly.

Blaming speculators, though, is a costly diversion to real solutions. Speculators, at best, marginally increase the price of gasoline if it leads to oil inventories increasing—but only in the short run, because businesses have to unload these inventories. Allowing access to onshore and offshore drilling production can help lower prices because futures markets and speculators will lower the future cost of oil, which will translate into lower fuel prices at the pump.
And what the president didn’t say is that he’s deliberately choosing not to allow access to that domestic oil supply by continuing his moratorium on drilling in the Gulf of Mexico, following the oil spill disaster that occurred one year ago today. The Wall Street Journal reports:

One year after the BP PLC oil spill, Gulf of Mexico energy output is beginning to show the impact of the Obama administration’s 10-month freeze on deep-water drilling.
Offshore oil production, most of which comes from the Gulf, is expected to average 1.55 million barrels a day this year, down 13% from 2010, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration . . .
The drilling suspension, along with a new, slower permitting process, will result in the loss this year of about 375,000 barrels of oil a day, according to energy consultancy Wood Mackenzie. That is roughly equivalent to one-third of the production in Libya that remains shut down because of political turmoil there.

So what’s the solution? The president needs to change course, lift the moratorium on drilling in the Gulf, and open up our domestic resources for exploration. Heritage’s John Ligon and Nicolos Loris write:

Increasing access to oil reserves in the U.S., both onshore and offshore, would help offset rising demand, increase jobs, and stimulate the economy. Moreover, this will help improve our strategic position, as much of the world’s supply of oil is delivered in a restrictive market dominated by unstable or hostile nations.

Loris and Ligon also note that there are oil sources onshore, too, that are currently off-limits, as well as the potential for 800 billion barrels of recoverable oil from shale throughout Colorado, Utah and Wyoming. It’s time for Congress and the Obama Administration to open the door to increasing the domestic energy supply, not leaving us dependent on foreign sources of oil.

[American Patriot]

10 Things You Need to Know About High Gas Prices and Obama’s Oil Policy

Posted February 23rd, 2011 at 6:00pm in Energy and Environment 84 Print This Post


This week the media’s attention is finally focused on oil prices. After two years of continually rising consumer gas prices in America, the oil futures market has captivated the Mideast storyline. And attention is much needed. December 2010 saw the highest gas prices for the month of December in our nation’s history. This month, we’re setting similar records with the national average of $3.14/gallon–fifty cents higher than it was a year ago. If this trend continues, the summer of 2011 will hit consumers much harder than in the summer of 2008 when prices soared above $4/gallon.
But if you only read, hear or see this week’s news reports, you would think that oil and gas prices were doing just fine until the historic events in Egypt, Libya and across the Middle East unfolded this past month and caused spikes in the futures market. Unfortunately, that is not the case. President Obama has been unilaterally taking steps to increase the cost of gasoline for two years. Here are ten things you need to know about gas prices that you may not hear reported elsewhere:

1. Gas Prices Are Skyrocketing Under President Obama: The oil futures market is just that, a futures market. The price-per-barrel spikes in oil this week have not affected the domestic market yet. In fact, former Shell Oil President John Hofmeister made the prediction in December 2010 that America would face $5/gallon gasoline by 2012, a full month before the revolution in Egypt began. At the end of President George W. Bush’s two terms in office, prices were 9% lower than when he took office (adjusted for inflation). The day before President Obama was inaugurated; the average price of a gallon of gas was $1.83. Today, that average is $3.14.
2. President Obama Has Crippled Domestic Oil Exploration: Putting aside calls from some who want to increase domestic exploration to areas in Alaska and elsewhere, President Obama has completely shut down the existing oil drilling infrastructure in the U.S. At least 103 permits are awaiting review by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement. The federal government has not approved a single new exploratory drilling plan in the Gulf of Mexico since Obama “lifted” his deepwater drilling moratorium in October 2010. Obama also reversed an earlier decision by his administration to open access to coastal waters for exploration, instead placing a seven-year ban on drilling in the Atlantic and Pacific Coasts and Eastern Gulf of Mexico as part of the government’s 2012-2017 Outer Continental Shelf Program.
3. The Obama Permitorium is Costing the Government Much-Needed Revenue: The Gulf accounts for more than 25 percent of domestic oil production. With production in the Gulf expected to drop in 2011 by 220,000 barrels per day, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) estimates the U.S. will suffer $3.7 million in lost revenue per day as a result of lost royalties. If that holds, the federal government would lose more than $1.35 billion from royalty payments, just this year.
4. The Obama Administration Has Been Held in Contempt of Court: Federal District Court Judge Martin Feldman held the Obama Interior Department in contempt of court on February 2, 2011, for dismissively ignoring his ruling to cease the drilling moratorium which the judge had previously struck down as “arbitrary and capricious.” Judge Feldman has since given the Administration 30 days to act on permits it has needlessly and purposefully delayed saying inaction was “not a lawful option.”
5. Jobs Are Being Killed by Obama’s Oil Policies: As a direct result of Obama’s oil policies, companies that help supply our domestic energy needs are going out of business. Most recently, Houston-based Seahawk Drilling filed for bankruptcy. The Chief Operating Officer of the offshore drilling company, Randy Stilley, stated: “The decision by regulators to arbitrarily construct unnecessary barriers to obtaining permits they had traditionally authorized has had an adverse impact not only on Seahawk, but on the sector as a whole.”
6. And More Jobs Are Being Killed: Vendors, suppliers, even restaurants and retailers are losing ground or going out of business as a result of the economically crippling policies Obama has unilaterally imposed. According to Reuters, many of the thirty-plus deepwater rigs in the Gulf have moved to other markets. Each rig directly employs approximately 200 people, but that doesn’t even count the ripple effect across the nation. One industry official told CNBC that the industry was on “life support.” But President Obama is spending billions to finance offshore jobs…in Brazil. The Obama Administration committed at least $2 billion in 2009 towards Petrobras, one of the largest offshore oil drilling companies in the world.
7. Decreasing Our Domestic Supply Increases Foreign Dependence: Even Energy Secretary Steven Chu admits that “any disruption in the Middle East means a partial disruption in the oil we import. It’s a world market and [a disruption] could actually have real harm of the price.” If this is the case, then cutting our domestic supply hardly seems like an appropriate response. Rather than face this reality, Secretary Chu ridiculously called for an increase in renewable energy investments, which is a complete non-sequitur.
8. Renewable Energy Is Not the Answer to Mideast Turmoil: According to the EIA, petroleum accounts for less than one percent of electricity production. So wind and solar, which do not produce transportation fuel even if Obama’s $40,000 Chevy Volt quadruples production, can only replace coal and natural gas, of which America has an abundant supply. As for biomass, over 40 percent of domestic corn consumption goes to ethanol, which provides less than 10 percent of our transportation fuel and causes food prices to increase. Three large production platforms in the Gulf could provide an amount equivalent to all of the biofuels produced in the U.S.
9. Regulations and Delays: The Obama EPA has added costly new regulations to refineries in the name of global warming, while the Obama Interior Department issues new rules that make it much harder to develop natural resources on government land. The EPA is also denying approval of the Keystone pipeline which would increase the amount of oil the U.S. receives from our friendly neighbor Canada by over a million barrels per day.
10. The Middle East Is Not the Sole Cause of Rising Oil Prices: Global oil prices have been rising steadily for months based on variety of factors including those listed above and as the world economy pulls out of a recession. In fact, Egypt is not a major producer of petroleum, and only 2-3 percent of the world’s supply moves through the Suez Canal. Certain spikes are not abnormal and can be more easily weathered with a smarter domestic energy strategy.

This week, Deputy Energy Secretary Daniel Poneman told Bloomberg Television: “We’re hoping capacity will be brought to bear so it will continue to support our economic recovery.” Mr. Poneman needs to head down his hallway to meet with his boss Secretary Chu and explain how energy prices affect an economic recovery. Because it was Chu who, in the name of environmental radicalism, stated in 2008: “Somehow we have to figure out how to boost the price of gasoline to the levels in Europe.” It would seem President Obama and Secretary Chu are getting their wish and you are paying for it every day.
You can follow Rory Cooper on Twitter @rorycooper