CQ TODAY ONLINE NEWS
July 8, 2008 – 12:37 p.m.
Republicans Say Voters Are Ready for their Message on Energy
By Eric Pfeiffer, CQ Staff
Republicans are hoping to turn the energy debate into one of their new signature issues, believing that the rising concern among voters, driven by the ripple effect of soaring gasoline prices, can work in their favor in a year when most issues have been trending in favor of Democrats.
That belief is based on a series of recent polls showing newfound support for offshore oil drilling and a dip in support for conservation.
“There’s been a monumental shift towards exploration,” said Josh Holmes, a spokesman for the Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky.
A Pew Research Center study found support for increased energy exploration had risen from 35 percent in February to 47 percent in June. Likewise, those citing increased energy conservation as a priority dropped 10 points, from 55 percent to 45 percent. The same study also shows 50 percent of respondents favor drilling in Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR), including 36 percent of Democrats and 48 percent of Independents.
Other recent polls from Rasmussen Reports, CNN, Fox News and Zogby have shown similar trends of increased support for offshore drilling.
Republicans hope be able to exploit this trend in the presidential election and to push legislation in Congress favorable to exploration and drilling. They also are looking to leverage the influence of outside advocacy groups. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich recently launched a new PR effort from his American Solutions organization entitled, “Drill Here, Drill Now, Pay Less,” which seeks to increase support for increased energy exploration.
In addition, the Republican National Committee has produced a new ad for presumed presidential nominee John McCain entitled “Purpose.” The ad emphasizes McCain’s willingness to support both increased energy exploration, while also encouraging efforts to develop alternative energy sources such as electric batteries for cars.
“ John McCain will call America to our next national purpose: energy security,” the ad’s narrator says. Finally, Republican Sens. John Cornyn of Texas and Mel Martinez of Florida will hold a press conference today discussing what they are voter frustrations with gas prices. A recent working group of Republican senators discussing energy policy proposal drew more than 30 members.
However, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada said the Republican proposals would do nothing to reduce energy prices in the short run.
“Even if the Republican proposal were enacted, it would take years – even decades – to conduct exploration and begin drilling. And even then, the Republican plan wouldn’t lower gas prices,” Reid said in a statement. “Instead of proposing legislation that will just add more to the 68 million unused acres – and do nothing to reduce gas prices – Republicans should join Democrats to find solutions that work.”
“We can walk and chew gum at the same time,” Holmes said yesterday in a conference call with conservative bloggers, in reference to efforts to both increase energy exploration while pursuing forms of alternative energy. It was the second such conference call Senate Republicans have hosted on the issue in less than a week. Holmes said Republicans are willing to compromise with Democrats on energy proposals, an assertion Reid and other Democrats have challenged.
The question is whether Republicans can translate those improved poll numbers into increased support for their policies. Voters appear more motivated by the energy issue this year, but Republicans have to weigh that against the very real risk that voters will associate increased energy prices with President Bush and the Republican Party in general.
Democrats have been launching their own ads focusing on the energy issue. A series of new radio spots produced by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) features an impersonator of President Bush targeting North Carolina Rep. Robin Hayes features the faux president calling Republicans the “Grand Oil Party.” The ad is featured on the DCCC homepage the same day Barack Obama makes a stop in Charleston to tout his economic proposals.
Republicans Say Voters Are Ready for their Message on Energy
“Republicans are offering more of the same failed policies that got us in this mess in the first place,” said DCCC spokesman Doug Thornell. “They’ve done everything in their power to block Democratic efforts to reduce gas prices and America’s dependence on foreign oil.”
Thornell pointed out that gas prices have risen to historic levels under the Bush administration and said, “The White House has been aided and assisted by House Republicans every step of the way.” He said that the rising cost of gas could be a “severe vulnerability” for Republican candidates in the fall.
In fact, the price of gas has risen 182 percent since Bush took office to a historic high of $4.11 per gallon. A Los Angeles Times/Bloomberg poll released last month showed respondents blaming President Bush and oil company profits in nearly equal measure for the rising cost of gas prices, 29 percent to 25 percent respectively.
Comments
Republicans and the oil companies are hypocrites-pure and simple. They have opposed virtually every attempt at enacting meaningful conservation measures--the one strategy that can actually bring prices down quickly. (Oil drilling wont bring prices down, by the way). It's not surprising that Republicans and oil companies oppose actions that can bring prices down. That would hurt PROFITS. Now we're supposed to believe that Republicans and oil companies actually care about reducing demand? Baloney! Obama in '08!
The republicans have created this mess out of greed and out of policies aimed at increasing profits for oil companies, including the propaganda lies they told the country in order to invade Iraq. It is an act on insanity to trust them with the country's energy future or anything else. As Susan Eisenhower said when she endorsed Obama, her grandfather wouldn't recognize the republican party of today. Obama's plan involves creating hundreds of thousands of jobs in green energy that will actually greatly decrease the country's dependence on foreign oil. Unlike McCain's gas tax relief which has been proven to only increase the oil companies profits by millions when they don't pass the tax break on to consumers. McCain knows this and yet he lies. McCain's plan for 45 new nuclear plants is a recipe for huge losses in money and life because we, as yet, have no way to deal with nuclear waste from those plants. Obama is looking at nuclear energy also, but not until, and if, we come up with a way to handle the waste safely. Do you really want to spend billions of dollars building nuclear plants that will end up having to be closed and then spending billions more trying to clean up the mess and give medical care to the people who get sick from the contamination? We need the energy and we need the jobs. Obama's plan makes more sense and it doesn't come with the ugly environmental cost. Republicans are nothing if not consistent. This is still about lining the pockets of big oil for as long as they can. Who do you think writes all those $70,000 checks to McCain? Who do you think he owes? It isn't you and I my friends.
Yeah, it is the Repulican's fault. Who has been in charge of Congress for most of the last 50 years? The Democrates want us all to conserve by riding bikes and horses. Bush did try to get energy legislation passed in his first term. Congress has not passed legislation that would end all of the frivolous law suits that prevent us from building Nuclear Power Plants or new gas refineries. McCaine is pro-America. He will not bow to either the Big Oil gang or the Enviromentelist Thugs. John McCaine will improve Americas energy position.
It seems hard to believe that this is part of one big strategy to open up everywhere for oil exploration. First, stick an incompetent president in the White House, place an industry operative next to him, just in case. Then create a situation that strains the market (middle east instability). The Chinese and Indian future demands were well known years ago. Once this supremely unstable situation existed it makes sense to change all the rules for exploration and overturning a generation of successful protection of our natural environment from the big oil exploiters. It is simple economics, big oil exists for one reason alone, not to provide fuel for our cars or heating oil for our homes, or plastics for industry. It exists to make money, and at ANYONE'S expense. Drilling off Florida and California will do nothing to solve today's problem. We need imagination and people who care to fix the mess. Big oil is the enemy.
Neither party has done a good job of an energy policy. However, to say drilling for oil here won't reduce prices is to ignore economics. Further, democats are against Oil, Gas and Nuclear for a start. Many democrats and many conservationists also are against hydro power and require exhaustive studies before solar or wind power can be constructed. Those evil oil companies make about 8 cents a gallon of gas where the combined government agencys from federal to local get about 40 cents a gallon in gas taxes so who is really reaping the benefits. Biofuels are causing food prices to dramatically rise, which hurts the poor and causes many to starve in the 3rd world countries. Oh by the way never mind the fact it takes about a gallon of gas to make a gallon of biofuel and biofuel is at least as bad on the environment as gas. Even if Wind and Solar litterally covered 1/3 of our country it would not produce enough energy. It has to be a combined effort of all energy sources with tax breaks being given to the alternative energies for our future.
POST A COMMENT
Oops! The following errors must be addressed: