NozzleRage: Lover's Lane

NozzleRage strikes again - this time on Lovers Lane. The second NozzleRage video is up. View on NozzleRage.com

OPEC ruins another romantic evening.

View on Youtube

A Message From Senator Obama

A few days ago I sent this letter to my Representatives in Congress. Senators Richard Durban(D), Senator Barack Obama(D), and Congresswoman Melissa Bean(D):

The reason our nation's economy is so successful is that we allow free-market principles to drive prices and availability of goods and services. So I can't understand why Congress continues trying to punish oil and natural gas companies for continuing to provide necessary products, even as the global market becomes more fiercely competitive. I urge you to oppose any legislation that unfairly targets oil and natural gas companies with harmful provisions that could hurt our American consumers and our energy security.

What we need least is for Congress to pass proposals that would discourage investment in increased production, especially at a time when we need a greater oil supply. In particular, onerous taxes on the industry have been shown in the past to lead to shortages in supply and negative impacts on consumers and energy markets. These are not solutions—in fact, they would make the problem worse! Surely you remember what happened in the '70s. Hasn’t Congress learned its lesson?

Instead, what Congress should be doing is passing sensible, balanced policies that encourage investment in increased oil and natural gas production, and provide incentives to explore renewable energy options. Don't stop oil and natural gas companies from competing for global energy and providing services to American consumers. Please fight harmful legislation that unfairly punishes oil and natural gas companies.

I really didn't expect to get a response in favor of the legislation. These are 3 liberal Democrats and this is an Conservative effort.

I did get back this response from Senator Barack Obama:

Dear Katie:

Thank you for writing about legislation that would target gas companies with potentially harmful restrictions. I was glad to hear from you.

I agree we must seek new domestic sources of energy as part of a comprehensive strategy to reduce our dependence on foreign sources. Also, it is short-sighted to allow apparent "quick fixes" to undermine the broader, multifaceted strategy needed to end America's dependence on imported energy. We should continue to look for new sources of domestic fuel production - - but not unless the pursuit of alternative fuels and energy efficiency is conducted at far greater levels than has been done in the past.

Over the past 90 years, Congress has provided tax incentives to the petroleum and natural gas industry to encourage greater production and reserves of these resources. Those incentives led to outcomes that reflected the circumstances and priorities of the United States of that era. Today, many of these beneficiary companies are announcing profits of tens of billions of dollars per quarter, shattering records of any industry, while the average American struggles to afford the skyrocketing cost of fuel. During the next 10 years, Congress faces two significant challenges: avoiding catastrophic changes to the climate due to carbon emissions, and improving national and economic security by diversifying our energy portfolio away from Middle East influence.

These are all signs that a century’s worth of federal tax breaks to oil and gas companies have not only achieved their purpose, but have outlived it, and are misaligned with our future energy objectives. Only through a new openness to developing a balanced, comprehensive, forward-looking national energy policy can the country break out of this dangerous mindset, and that challenge is one of my policy priorities. Where tax benefits for traditional technologies no longer reflect our future energy path, they must be retired. Where federal support is too anemic for robust investments in renewables, energy efficiency, and biofuels, it must be strengthened. Where our federal policies are outdated with our new energy policy objectives, they must be rebalanced accordingly. We must accept that increased production will only postpone what will be a major crisis, if we do not begin to use existing energy resources more efficiently and deploy more new energy sources into the marketplace.

Again, Katie, thank you for contacting me. You can rest assured that I will continue to work with my colleagues to develop policies that will lead to true energy independence while ensuring environmental sustainability.

Sincerely,

Barack Obama
United States Senator

I know that this is just a form letter sent out by some intern on his staff, but I do hope that he has received many letters like mine.

He writes in his letter:

We should continue to look for new sources of domestic fuel production - - but not unless the pursuit of alternative fuels and energy efficiency is conducted at far greater levels than has been done in the past.

In other words, first we try to develop new forms of energy and if that doesn't work, then we will drill for new supplies. Not the more sensible idea of developing new supplies here at home while developing alternate fuels. We can do both. It wouldn't be too hard to do both. And drilling here at home would lower gas prices within 6 months.

During the next 10 years, Congress faces two significant challenges: avoiding catastrophic changes to the climate due to carbon emissions, and improving national and economic security by diversifying our energy portfolio away from Middle East influence.

Drilling here and now would do all that, Senator. It would decrease our dependency on Foreign (Arab) oil, and provide needed jobs to many depressed areas. The oil that is pumped from our own lands will bring a needed boost to the economy in jobs and lower gas prices.

Only through a new openness to developing a balanced, comprehensive, forward-looking national energy policy can the country break out of this dangerous mindset, and that challenge is one of my policy priorities.

It is too bad that you really don't have any new policy for our energy crises. What you have is the old policy that was proposed by Jimmy Carter in the 1970's. A policy that did have some good points to it (solar power proposals and alternate fuel development), but like all the other proposals of that administration, it lacked the technological expertise to make it happen.

What Barack Obama is proposing for America is that we all buy hybrids, run on bio-fuels, use vegetable oil or any other non-petroleum product instead of gas. If these were available, Senator and actually worked, Americans would. But these are all pipe dreams, invented by failed hippies to make you and other liberal elitists feel good. They just don't work, and throwing money at them doesn't make it so.

I find it ironic that Al Gore, that bastion of Global Warming and Energy doom sayer doesn't follow his own advice. Mr. Gore's home uses more electricity than the whole state of Tennessee. And you won't find him or his family riding in a car running on hippie fuels. No he likes those large limos and huge SUVs. And I am to understand that you do too.

You talk a good game Senator, but your actions speak louder than your words. And the word that describes what you are is:

Hypocrite!

Return to the Energy Policies of the 70's?

Tell Congress NO WAY!

Send a letter to your elected officials today.

Congress keeps trying to pass new energy taxes that are just like the harmful taxes passed in the 1970s, which had the exact opposite of their intended effect: They reduced oil supply, drove up gas prices, and caused serious damage to the economy. America needs a more balanced approach.

The Partnership for America's Energy Security is fighting for balanced energy policies that can deliver energy security for America. And we need your help! Tell Congress not to pass energy legislation that's bad for American consumers and the American economy.

Please review the letter below and complete the form to the right. The contact information you provide allows us to send your letter directly to your legislators.

The Letter:

The reason our nation's economy is so successful is that we allow free-market principles to drive prices and availability of goods and services. So I can't understand why Congress continues trying to punish oil and natural gas companies for continuing to provide necessary products, even as the global market becomes more fiercely competitive. I urge you to oppose any legislation that unfairly targets oil and natural gas companies with harmful provisions that could hurt our American consumers and our energy security.

What we need least is for Congress to pass proposals that would discourage investment in increased production, especially at a time when we need a greater oil supply. In particular, onerous taxes on the industry have been shown in the past to lead to shortages in supply and negative impacts on consumers and energy markets. These are not solutions—in fact, they would make the problem worse! Surely you remember what happened in the '70s. Hasn’t Congress learned its lesson?

Instead, what Congress should be doing is passing sensible, balanced policies that encourage investment in increased oil and natural gas production, and provide incentives to explore renewable energy options. Don't stop oil and natural gas companies from competing for global energy and providing services to American consumers. Please fight harmful legislation that unfairly punishes oil and natural gas companies.

From Monkey in the Middle:

Why is it that Congress can't understand what the American people want and are demanding. We want our own oil resources opened up in this nation. It will wean us from our dependence on foreign (terrorist) oil.

The failed policies of Jimmy Carter in the 1970's didn't solve our energy crises, they worsen it. The failed policies of the Congress has not helped Americans at the gas pump, they have worsen it. The time has come for Americans to demand a change in policy. Our nation's future is at stake.

UPDATE: Drill Here Drill Now!

We have some very exciting news to report about our "Drill Here, Drill Now, Pay Less" movement.

We are pleased to announce that at a press conference on Tuesday at the U.S. Capitol, we presented the House and Senate Republican leadership 1.3 million petition signatures on your behalf.

As you watch the video of the event below, please remember that you have helped to make this all possible. And don't forget to send this on to your friends to show them what we've been able to accomplish together.

Accepting the petitions, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, House Minority Leader John Boehner, and other congressional leaders spoke about the need to produce more American energy as part of a larger American energy plan.

Among the petition signers in attendance were Fred Hughes, a Vietnam veteran and small business owner; Tara Bowman, who owns a cattle company with her husband Daryl; Barbara Windsor, who runs a trucking company that has been in her family for 75 years; and Laura Ramirez Drain, a teacher and proud new American citizen. As representatives of over 1.3 million Democrats, Republicans, and independents, we sincerely appreciate their time and effort.

The campaign for a 21^st century secure energy plan is about more than the price of filling our gas tanks. It's about protecting America by cutting off the flow of our dollars to the foreign dictators that control so much of our oil supply .It's about coming together to flex our national muscles to make life better for us, our children, and our grandchildren.

Understanding the importance and enormity of this challenge, our effort at American Solutions has only just begun. As the momentum builds, we will present millions more petition signatures to the Democratic and Republican Conventions later this summer to urge both parties to take action.

As Senator John Cornyn said at the event, you are doing "what every citizen of America has a right to do, and that is to petition their government. To petition for change."

With your help, we can continue to shape this debate, win the argument, and affect real change.

Sincerely,

Dave Ryan

Executive Director

American Solutions

From Monkey in the Middle:

The time has come for the United States to wean ourselves off of Muslim oil. This oil funds the terrorist activities of al-Qada, Hamas, Hizbollah and other terror groups. It funds the Madrases in this nation that call for the destruction of the US Constitution and the implementation of Shar'ia Law.

It is time for the Democratic lead Congress to take a bold stand and say to the radical environmentalists NO! This time we aren't going to listen to your lies. Everything you now say you said about the Alaskan pipeline (and that never happened), you all talk a good game, but the country's needs are more important than your hippie ideas.

The time of talking must be over. Now is the time for action.

DRILL HERE, DRILL NOW!

Key Vote Alert - H.R. 6515, the "Drill Responsibly in Leased Lands Act of 2008"

Good Thoughts on a Bad Bill

by Brad Peck

Earlier today we posted a key vote letter outlining our opposition to H.R. 6515, the "Drill Responsibly in Leased Lands Act of 2008". Here are what some others have to say:

From "How to Stifle Oil Exploration with Misdirection and a Smile" at American Sentinel:

As is typical, Congress wants to make a show of working on the energy crisis without actually addressing it. The bill H.R. 6515, also known as the ‘Drill Responsibly in Leased Lands Act of 2008’, was introduced yesterday and will be coming up for debate soon. Undoubtedly it will be hailed as a sort of landmark moment when the bill gets pushed through.
...
And then the energy crisis goes on as usual and continues to worsen. How could this be possible? Simple. The bill is useless.

Section 5 is merely a gift to the labor unions and a strike against the freedom to work and employ as you see fit...Section 6 places an absolute ban on exporting Alaskan oil, which we don’t do anyway. Putting it on paper, however, will only make it a point of contention in many future trade agreements. It is a short-sighted, feel-good act of isolationism that will backfire.
...
Section 7, the “Use it or Lose It” portion of the bill, is a harsher version of what is already out there. Both onshore and offshore leases already have time limits for production–bet you haven’t heard that lately. Frequently, these limits can be difficult to meet because of–get ready for the shock–bureaucratic red tape. Then, as you are performing a Houdiniesque escape from the red tape, you have to find the oil, build platforms and other infrastructure, find qualified workers, etc. There is every possibility that Section 7 will actually decrease incentive for oil producers by placing them further under the gun and forcing them to risk from millions to billions of dollars building infrastructure only to have their leases pulled before they can complete the job and reap any benefits.

From "A Sham Energy Bill" at Townhall

SHAM 1
It once again brings back the “Use it or Lose it” idea that was defeated a few weeks back by a bipartisan coalition because of its worthlessness. The 68 million acres that the Democrats say are in need of “use” are, in fact, being used. They are in some stage of exploration right now but are caught up in a bureaucratic maze of approval. As far as the “lose it” portion of the proposal, energy companies are already required to utilize acquired leases within a five to ten year period or the Interior Department Secretary has the right to revoke the lease.

SHAM 2
It says we can’t export oil from Alaska. Not a bad idea, but the problem is we haven’t done that for the past 10 years.

SHAM 3
It "opens up" land to drilling in Alaska. While they’re on the right track, if they really cared about opening up land for drilling, they’d do so in ANWR and not in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska (NPRA) that has (1) already been open for 25 years, (2) is 250 miles away from the nearest pipeline, and (3) isn’t all that serviceable in that it only has 53 workable days a year of thaw.
...
Just yesterday, at a Financial Services Committee hearing, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke stated "…a 1 percent increase in supply could lower prices by 10 percent."

Enough smoke and mirrors.

I think The Lonely Conservative sums it up quite nicely:

The cost of natural gas is expected to double this winter over last year's price. The cost of a gallon of gas is now over $4.00. Prices of everything are now going up. People are losing their jobs. The last thing we need is Congress passing another inane law that will drive energy costs up even further while doing nothing to increase domestic production.

We are supposed to have "representative government". Something is terribly wrong when the American people overwhelmingly support legislation to open up more federal lands for drilling and Congress ignores our wishes. Is it any wonder their approval rating is so low?

Note from Monkey in the Middle:

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.