LAT: Bush To Address High Gas Prices In Speech On Energy

[DeepModem Mom]

Bush To Address High Gas Prices In Speech On Energy
By Edwin Chen, Times Staff Writer


WASHINGTON — The White House said today that high gasoline prices have become "a drag" on the economy and that President Bush would deliver a major speech on energy next week, foreshadowing a higher presidential profile on the issue in the coming days....

***

It was unclear, however, whether Bush intends to offer fresh initiatives or simply reiterate his call on Congress to pass his controversial energy bill, which the president maintains would reduce reliance on foreign sources of energy.

Either way, according to oil industry analysts, Washington policymakers have few short-term tools at their disposal to drive prices down.

One possibility, they said, was to persuade Saudi Arabia to increase production. The White House said that Bush had invited Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah to his ranch in Crawford, Texas on April 25.

Another possibility would be to release into the marketplace some of the nearly 700 million barrels of oil from the strategic petroleum reserve. The president has been adamant against doing so in the absence of a national security emergency....


http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-041305bush_lat,0,401562.story?coll=la-home-nation

[havocmom]

1. Right after his nap (n/t)

[VegasWolf]

13. They are preparing the puppet show now so that he will understand

the issues.

[mhr]

16. Oh, Rove Stopped Using The Comic Books?

Sorry, I did not see the memo.

[Demeter]

66. Comedy Tonight!

maybe there will be a second act for Bush (if he ever gets the hook from his first one).

[eleny]

2. Is this the speech where he lights a cigar with a C- note ...

laughs his ass off and calls us all suckers?

[struggle4progress]

19. No, that's at the private reception after the speech. In the speech, ...

... I'd expect the usual Republican crocodile tears about how the high gas prices are due to evil environmentalists, too much government regulation, too many taxes, and how lawsuits threaten energy company productivity. I'd bet he babbles nonsense about hydrogen cars. I wouldn't be terribly surprised if ANWR and "that damn EPA" were themes, perhaps with an attempt to force states to reduce their gas taxes. Of course, limiting MTBE liability will be in the final bill he pushes -- but stronger CAFE standards and removing tax credits for gas-guzzlers won't be.

It would be nice if the media ever asked about the Middle East oil field maps from Cheney's secret task force, and if any "mainstream commentators" wondered aloud about the effect of Bush's Iraq adventure on oil prices -- but that's probably an unrealistic hope.

[dave29]

3. There are different levels of friendship

with countries. Take for example, Saudi Arabia...

:o

[Geo55]

4. It goes something like this...

The pinhead will tell people ta buy TWO smaller SUV's insteada ONE BIG ONE !.....easy pezi, japanezy.

[radfringe]

53. we gotta drill for more oil....

blah blah blah

not my fault

blah blah blah

market dictates the prices - not me... Demicrats obstructing progress

blah blah blah

important to destroy refuge to get more oil

blah blah blah

not my fault, don't blame me

blah blah blah

previous administration's (i.e. Clinton) fault

blah blah blah

hard being president

blah blah blah

don't forget poland

-----------

wonder if anyone will ask him what happened to "turning the spigots on" and all that oil we were suppose to get from invading Iraq?

[tabasco]

63. Excellent summary.

Chimpy will spend most of the time blaming others.

He lacks the ability to take responsibility for anything.

[mhr]

5. Saudi Oil Fields In Decline - Fat Lot Of Good This Will Do

Bank says Saudi's top field in decline
By Adam Porter in Perpignan, France

Tuesday 12 April 2005

Speculation over the actual size of Saudi Arabia's oil reserves is reaching fever pitch as a major bank says the kingdom's - and the world's - biggest field, Gharwar, is in irreversible decline.

The Bank of Montreal's analyst Don Coxe, working from their Chicago office, is the first mainstream number-cruncher to say that Gharwar's days are fated.

Coxe uses the phrase 'Hubbert's Peak' to describe the situation. This refers to the seminal geologist M King Hubbert, who predicted the unavoidable decline of oilfields back in the 1950s.

"The combination of the news that there's no new Saudi Light coming on stream for the next seven years plus the 27% projected decline from existing fields means Hubbert's Peak has arrived in Saudi Arabia," says Coxe, referring to data compiled by the International Energy Association's (IEA) August 2004 monthly report.

Snip ......

http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/08B97BCF-7BE6-4F1D-A846-7ACB9B0F8894.htm

[barb162]

42. no new major oil fields have been discovered in several

years. Makes a lot of sense the oil companies aren't building new refineries...for what?

[NickB79]

52. Years? Try decades

The last major oil field was discovered in the 70's or 80's. You nailed it on the refineries: by the time any new ones come online, there won't be anything left for them to refine.

[tridim]

6. More tax breaks for Hummer and Escalade buyers

So they can afford the higher gas prices? Makes sense in Bush-world.

[mhr]

7. Let's See, 700 Million Barrels = 35 Days Of US Consumption

How does this solve any significant problems?

[MichiganVote]

8. Let me guess..its good for the culture of life for the rich....

and we're defeating the terrorists one pump at a time. In other words, give it up for Jesus ya' low income working stiffs cuz' I really don't give a damn about you and neither does 'do nothing' Congress.

[Coastie for Truth]

9. Pissing In The Ocean and Preaching To The Choir

We have got to push CAFE up to Mini-Cooper and Prius levels --- with a minimum ramp up.

We have to push on transit, passenger rail, transit villages, put teeth in the "Energy Star" program.

We have to push on nuclear, photovoltaic, wind, geothermal. Hydrogen is only bull crap unless we have the means to generate the electricity to electrolyze the water.

Now is not the time to cut back on fusion.

But Bush's plan of (a) jawboning Crown Prince Abdullah, (b) drilling in ANWR, (c) and opening up the Strategic Petroleum Reserve will only fool Bush and his choir.

Maybe he'll declare war on Iran or Venezuela -- or attack the Province of Alberta.

[mhr]

11. Don't Forget The Miracle Gulf Hydrates Or Alberta Tar Sands?

Have to round up all the usual suspects!

[Coastie for Truth]

24. Miracle Gulf Hydrates Or Alberta Tar Sands

1. Miracle Gulf Hydrates

Joule Thompson expansion of LNG into high pressure (below 1500 feet) water. We duplicated that in about 70 feet of Baltimore Harbor water (Paper presented at the October 1969 American Institute of Chemical Engineers meeting, reprinted in AIChE Chemical Engineering Progress and in a Coast Guard publication). Context was a simulated accident involving a bulk LNG tanker.

The whole methane hydrate thing reminds me of the "pranks" we played in our college labs - like autoclaving coffee to make it stronger, or home brew in the frat house, or home vintnering in the frat house, or 180 proof rot gut in the frat house, or freeze distillation of wine to make port.

2. Alberta Tar Sands

Reminds me of strip mining "spoils" and steel mill "slag piles" -- I've been up there in Alberta -- reminds me of "home" only colder -- and I grew up in coal mining and "iron and steel" country -- Steelers and Pirates--- and Panthers and Tartans and Dukes -- and Iron City and Kolbassi.

[Selteri]

32. The next Gen of Hybrid will be capable

of the same range on it's charge and being able to recharge while you drink your coffee and eat a biscuit. It should revolutionize the industry if it does't get squashed.

[Viking12]

64. How?

I am curious. How will a hybrid car capture kinetic energy while we have a cup of coffee?

Not being a smart-ass, just want some more on the info behind your claim.

[hippiechick]

10. It's hard work, getting all that oil from those brown people ...

... and freedom loving Murkans everywhere should realize that they're blessed to have such a strong and determined leader like St George who will continue to raze these countries and steal their oil instead of being a girly man and looking at developing wimpy alternative fuels like some French science geek would.

So it's your patriotic duty, America, to drive that Hummer !!!



/sarcasm

[agincourt]

21. I'm not so sure,

if what you describe is sarcasm anymore. It's suprising the amount of people I see whom think that drilling in ANWR will substantially affect prices.

[0007]

22. ....drive that Hummer and listen to the Hammer & STFU

it's your patriotic duty as an American... Tom will have a press conference in just a few minutes now.

[TheFarseer]

12. He intends to talk it down

for a week or two so people will forget gas is still high and won't notice when it gets even higher. He'll probably say, "I've asked prince Bandar to open up the spigots and he's agreed, so now everything is fine and dandy"

[mhr]

14. Do Some People Actually Believe What He Says Anymore?

Amazing, if true!

[evworldeditor]

15. Asking the Saudis to Pump More Could Be Problematic....

Bank of Montreal Reports Largest Saudi Oil Field Now In Decline


http://www.evworld.com/view.cfm?section=communique&newsid=8201

[mhr]

17. Yes, See Post Above

eom

[agincourt]

18. It will consist of freedom car pap ,

and how big business, excuse me, the private sector will rise to the occasion. The concrete stuff will be getting rid of environmental restraints to drill. This speech will be a political operative speech not a presidential one.

[mhr]

23. Well, The Free Market Got Us $2.00 Plus Gas Prices

Who would believe that the free market has any interest in lower consumer costs?

One must assume that Bush supporters are the most gullible homo sapiens on the planet.

As is oft said, "there's a sucker borne every minute!"

[AlGore-08.com]

20. I've got the transcript of his remarks as prepared already

It just says:

YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!

[Kimber Scott]

25. What? Already? He's only been in office 4 1/2 years and gas has only

been going up, well let's see... 4 1/2 years. I can't believe he's moving so quickly on this one.

[mhr]

26. He Thinks So Slow, It Has Taken Him This Long To See The Problem

eom

[Athame]

35. Can you imagine how long it would've taken if

He were not an OIL MAN? :grr:

Not that he has any effective answers, just makes me furious that he always takes a long, long time to recognize a crisis.

edit: damn apostrophes!

[grytpype]

27. Anyone else filled with foreboding???

What' the Leading Asshole in the Country going to say now?

Lemme guess what his big plan is:
1) Drill in ANWR
2) Repeal environmental legislation to "save energy"
3) Give billions in tax breaks and subsidies to energy companies
4) Liberate Iran, Syria, Jordan, Egypt, Yemen, and Nigeria

[KoKo]

47. Any one or all of the above, probably. Or, it could be worse.

With him there's usually worse...

[SpiralHawk]

28. "Dear Suckers: We got you where we want you."

Yrs. truly, -- George W. BushCo, the Cheney "Secret" Energy Talk Force, sundry Fat Cat Republican Oil Cronies, and your special assortment of "Saudi ("We know nothing about 9/11") Arabian panjundrums.

[Skip Intro]

29. Exactly. Oilmen in the WH saying "we're doing all we can."

2+2+2

and invading Iraq hand nothing to do with oil either.

WMDs? Well look, we've had an accountability moment already. Let's move on.

Its all $$$$$$$$ to them.

[RawMaterials]

30. But it's HHAARDD work , you just don't understand how

much hard work it is. Also did i mention that the energy sector mutual funds made 23% gains last year, so that proves that we should Privatize SS.

[TexasLawyer]

31. We have been FILLING the Strategic Petroleum Reserve

the whole time. Not only is Bush not releasing any oil from the SPR, we,ve been filling it up with the equivalent of US production (oil owed as a royalty to the MMS from offshore leases).

Also, there are record quantities of oil being stuck in storage. Maybe Bush should ask his buddies at Exxon, Chevron, etc... to sell some of it.

Oil being taken off the market? Why would someone do that?!? :sarcasm:



"Another possibility would be to release into the marketplace some of the nearly 700 million barrels of oil from the strategic petroleum reserve. The president has been adamant against doing so in the absence of a national security emergency...."

[RawMaterials]

34. Getting Ready for Peak OIL????

Or making profits (money not religious leaders) for Exxon, chevron.

[justgamma]

36. Didn't Shrub say that we had to save the reserves

for war?? I remember yelling WTF war are you waiting for now.

[hatrack]

33. Will he pitch community colleges & NCLB as fixes for energy problems?

I mean, that's what he did during the debates. Every Goddamn question, "NCLB, retraining." "Retraining, NCLB." "NCLB, Education reform, community colleges."

It's about as connected to reality as anything he's likely to say.

[Erika]

37. My fellow Americans " My donors have never profited more"

So live with the high costs. I am King George, of the planet earth, and the corporate global rule.

[The_Casual_Observer]

38. "if only they had passed my energy bill and social security reform"

[LiberallyInclined]

39. DU Scoop! Text of the speech:

Y-E-E-E-E-E-E-E HAW!!!!!

[barb162]

40. It wouldn't be a good idea to take oil out of the SPR.

That's for national emergency. Wouldn't it be nice if he told the people he is going to ban gas guzzlers (bwahahaha..it'll never happen) for starters?

[ngGale]

41. Chimpy has been sitting on our reserves so long...

let him open them, after all - the whole bunch has make enough money.
Greedy b*******! I'm holding my breath while he tries to make himself look good - his number's are falling.

[ninkasi]

43. Nah, he'll just tell us

to hug a neighbor, and ask him what we can do for him. And buy another SUV to keep the economy going, and run up lots of credit card debt so that the new and improved (for the banks) bankruptcy laws will earn even more than the 21% or God only knows how much interest people are paying now.

He rules for corporate, and the wealthy's interests. He has never done anything else. I don't care what feel-good names he gives various programs and initiatives, they who pay the neo-cons, profit from the neo-cons. This is no secret, any bright 5th grader could come up with the same conclusion, if he were willing to dig for the truth.

Sadly, too many of our fellow citizens are stuck in kindergarten, and only live for their milk and cookie break, followed by a nap.

[Straight Shooter]

44. He'll just tell everybody to sacrifice.

Then he'll crack a joke and do the bushie shuffle while answering softball questions from the press corpse.

We've seen it all before. Nothing is going to change. The man is hopeless, helpless, and hapless.

[unkachuck]

45. oh my....

....I betcha bushs' speech will go something like this

....poor people will have to pay a special sur-tax per gallon, they waste gas and are less productive....if you gas-up in certain geographical areas, you will need to produce last year income tax statement to tank-up....

....to increase refining capacity, zoning and pollution laws will be relaxed so new refineries can be built in poor urban areas....

....hardship caused by higher gas prices needs to be shared by all....anyone making over $100k per year driving a vehicle getting less than 12mpg will receive a special gas tax-credit....

....since the airline industry suffers disproportionately, a blue-panel commission will be established to determine ways to lower airline employee pay and benefit packages....

....in order to free up more gas stocks, people in the liberal northeast will be required to stop using home heating oil....conversion to cans of sterno will be encouraged....

....the strategic petroleum reserve will need to be tapped....crude oil will be given to the major oil companies with the understanding that any profits above 98.5% will be returned to the government....

....we must return to one national blend of gas....EPA tests will prove no harmful effects when lead is return to gas this summer....if it was good enough for grand-dad, it's good enough for you....

[Nostradammit]

46. It's getting hard to put gas on our families.

It really is.

Jawbone this, GW...

[DustMolecule]

48. Maybe * is gonna ask everyone that can't afford a Hummer

(and hence who can't take advantage of the tax breaks that usually come along with Hummer ownership) to modify their vehicles?

:shrug:

[Daphne08]

49. I'd like to know why oil company profits are soaring!

You don't see that reported very much in this country.

[cosmicdot]

50. unless he's conferring w/the likes of D.Kucinich, it'll be a waste of time

"...the oil, auto and electric utility corporations should not be directing energy policy."

http://www.kucinich.us/issues/energy.php

imho

[Lindacooks]

51. Next week, huh? Waiting until his face heals??

Problem is, when you're a drunk like he is, you're going to fall on your face a LOT.

[slor]

54. Maybe he will tell us all to get a...

Segway.

[megatherium]

58. Segways get the equivalent of 450 miles per gallon.

Might be a good idea.

[TheModernTerrorist]

55. or ANOTHER possibility

would be to eliminate the BILLIONS of dollars that oil companies make off of us by forcing them to lower prices, and lower their profits. No one man needs millions of dollars a year in profits, no one company needs BILLIONS of dollars a year in profits.

[4dsc]

56. This is what AWOlbush is going to say

A Saudi saying, "My father rode a camel. I drive a car. My son flies a
jet-plane. His son will ride a camel."

[dbt]

57. Let us listen to the Jawboning Of The Ass(hole).

From the New York Times (K.Q. Seelye) June 28, 2000:

OPEC will increase oil supply out of respect for Bush

Bush said today that he would bring down gasoline prices by creating enough political good will with oil-producing nations that they would increase their supply of crude.

"I would work with our friends in OPEC to convince them to open up the spigot, to increase the supply. Use the capital that my administration will earn, with the Kuwaitis or the Saudis, and convince them to open up the spigot." Implicit in his comments was a criticism of the Clinton administration as failing to take advantage of the good will that the US built with Kuwait and Saudi Arabia during the Persian Gulf war in 1991.

Also implicit was that as the son of the president who built the coalition that drove the Iraqis out of Kuwait, Mr. Bush would be able to establish ties on a personal level that would persuade oil-producing nations that they owed the US something in return.

Surely some Astute Journalist will question bu$hler as to why he's wasting time and a ROOMFUL of oxygen on a Major Speech when he could be phoning and jawboning.

[hector459]

59. Will take the oil companies to task or just blame the Arabs again?

I thought he had influence over the ME oil? So was the invasion of Iraq worth it even for the oil?

[Beetwasher]

60. "It was unclear, however, whether Bush intends to offer fresh initiatives"

BWAHAHAHAAAHAHAHA! Yeah, right. Who the fuck do they think they're kidding? Unclear my ass. Do they think all of sudden he's going to become something more than a one trick pony?

[Roland99]

61. $2 will be the standard for cheap gas now

With peak oil here, the oil/gas companies need to bolster their coffers instead of looking for alternative fuel sources. I would laugh my ass off if they all go the way of the whip and buggy companies when some upstart comes up with new ideas.

[adigal]

62. I'm doing my part - driving MUCH less

and not buying gas at Exxon and Mobil, as I saw here and received in an email. (They are the biggest 2 companies.) I many of us did this, we would make a difference. We need to start squeezing the oil companies for a change.

[all.of.me]

65. ho-hum......

:popcorn: