I'm a Dean fan but he really disappointed me tonite on Hardball

[Armstead]

When Chris Matthews asked him if the Democrats plan to do anything about spiraling fuel costs Howard gave a copout answer.

He said there's nothing we can do about fuel costs, but should allocatre more money to subsidies for the low income. Then he went off that track totally and said a lot of blah,blah about alternative energy in the future and then threw in a lot of otehr totally unrelated issues.This is not a trivial issue. Fuel costs are devestating the poor, strapping people of the middle class, screwing many businesses and generally wrecking the economy. AND THIS WINTER THEY ARE GOING TO FUCKING KILL PEOPLE WHEN WE HAVE A COLD SPELL.

Howard -- and the rest of them. You have to at least TRY to do something about fuel costs. Subsidies for the low income are fine, but this is much bigger than that.

Even if the Democrats can't push through legislation and regulation, you should not be so fucking defeatist. There arelaws and otehr forms of pressure that can be applied to stop the price gouging and profiteering and monopolistic robbery that is going on.


Stop spewing this fatalistic nonsense. This is exactly what SHOULD mark the difference between Republicans and Democrats.

[OldLeftieLawyer]

1. All his answers were copouts

It was appalling. He was a weasel, which was a terrible disappointment.

This is why Democrats keep getting their heads handed to them.

[Armstead]

2. I hope he hasn;t caught Potomac Fever

That malady that saps the spirit of Democrats who are exposed to the Beltway Virus for too long.

[OldLeftieLawyer]

19. He was pure bland,

sure not to offend anyone, make any kind of substantive statement, or voice any kind of thought that might be interpreted as controversial.

He'll forever be under the cloud (bogus, in my opinion) forever - that any passion on his part, anything other than pure vanilla, will immediately get him called "hysterical."

He's never going to be effective in that office, I fear.

[KittyWampus]

20. Never Going To Be Effective? He Already Is.

[OldLeftieLawyer]

41. Really?

I guess that accounts for all the spectacular Democratic moves we've seen so far - like Harry Reid giving up the right to filibuster?

Please.

[mattclearing]

50. Whatever.

Even if his only accomplishment is building a permanent grassroots organization in each state and contesting every race at every level of government, he will still be the best DNC Chairman in decades.

[OldLeftieLawyer]

58. I hope he does turn out to be that successful

But as head of the DNC, his performance so far has been less than enthralling. I doubt he has what the job takes.

As for the grassroots organizations, I hope they hold together, those that were built, and that they get stronger and stronger. But, that's in the past, and I'm not interested in anyone's legacy - I'm interested in his or her strengths and skills today, now, right now.

I've noted that people say "Whatever" when they're up against a wall, so to speak, and know they have nothing. You really should curb that, because you're giving too much of yourself away.

[mattclearing]

63. I'm saying whatever because you seem to have dismissed his

efforts based on one television appearance.

I say whatever when someone says something that is totally worth dismissing as silly. That is what I thought of your comment.

And as for your unsolicited advice, I'm perfectly willing to give myself away. I'm not a big secret. I like what Howard Dean is doing, and hope he continues to do it, even if he occasionally embarrasses me and himself.

And you are saying the grassroots organizations that were built as if he is finished building them or convinced he's on the way out.

Dean isn't going anywhere.

Edit: And Dean didn't have anything to do with Reid's giving up the filibuster. Reid has said many times that Dean isn't running policy.

[OldLeftieLawyer]

64. You nailed it

"Dean isn't going anywhere."

My point, precisely.

And we're all the poorer for it.

Interesting how you can't differentiate between Democrats and Dean. You might want to examine that shortcoming.

And now, ita, missa est. (How's your Latin?)

[mattclearing]

65. You keep attributing qualities to me that aren't evidenced by my comments.

Like saying I can't differentiate between Democrats and Dean. The fact that I admit that I cringe at some of the things he said clearly contradicts that. That's the second lame personal attack you've thrown my way.

And then you try to show off with Latin? Give me a break. You don't even know who's responsible for the Democrats' use of the filibuster.

Maybe you should spend a little less time on the dead languages and a little more time paying attention to the goings-on of the actual Democratic Party.

I'm unimpressed.

[OldLeftieLawyer]

66. Oh, rats

My life's aim was to impress you.

Showing off with Latin that's commonly known? Darling, you've lead such a sheltered life.

When you equate Dean and Reid, and invoke that policy comment, without understanding that I'm not as enamored of Dean as you are, I realize I'm never going to get my point across to someone who's not able to take things as they are, without personalizing them.

Pity. You might have learned something. But, that's all right. Google "its, missa est," and you'll get the joke.

By the way, the Democrats gave away the right to filibuster. Remember the so-called "Nuclear Option"? And Reid sold the Democrats down the river on that one, allowing himself to be handled by Frist in a brilliant way.

Maybe you need to spend some time learning about politics. You won't find that in the "goings-on of the actual Democratic Party."

As if there were any "goings-on," actual or virtual.

Now, go spread joy.

[mattclearing]

67. led such a sheltered life?

Right, I should bow before your infinite wisdom. You are spouting nonsense.

You are being condescending and childish. If you want to actually discuss why we disagree about Dean, I'm up for that debate.

If you just want to insult people who don't agree with you, then I'm afraid you're wasting our time.

[madfloridian]

26. LOL

I think that's funny.

[OldLeftieLawyer]

42. And I think it's tragic

The Democratic Party is in a state of paralysis, and, frankly, I don't see anything changing in the near future. Dean contributes nothing.

[wurzel]

3. Perhaps he doesn't want to tread on Repuke stories. Staying quiet.

[flowomo]

4. I was thinking that also....

not a good time to make headlines.

[MADem]

62. I'm with you--the GOP are hanging themselves in the public square

Let us not distract the masses from the spectacle!!!

[msongs]

5. gee if you don't like the fuel costs don't buy the fuel?

btw talking about alternate energy for the future is actually doing something about fuel costs in the long term

Msongs
www.msongs.com/clark2008.htm

[Armstead]

7. Screw the long term

Natural gas prices are slated to go up by at least 50 percent this winter, after going up by alomst as much last winter over the previous year.

The possibility of a glorious alternatuive energy future 50 years from now isn;t going to keep people warm or prevent a precipitous economic decline if this keeps up.

[BlueEyedSon]

6. What, exactly, can be done about fuel costs? As a country we are

spending our energy inheritance like drunken sailors and the supply is finite.

[Armstead]

8. Profiterring, anti-trust, windfall profits, emergency price controls

The notion that we are supposed to be slaves to the Social Darwinian forces of uncontrolled rapacious "free markets" for everything is bullshit.

As for the future, nothing's going to happen without enlightened policies. And if they can't even advocate short term fixes to stave off short term disaster now, how are they ever going to get the moxie to do anything about the long term?

[BlueEyedSon]

10. I'm all for Universal Health & Social Security, but rigging the

energy market is too socialist a plan to get any traction in the USA.

Notice that Europe manages to survive - even prosper - with gasoline TWICE THE PRICE.

[Armstead]

11. It's not socialism, and Europe is not the US

http://bernie.house.gov/documents/articles/20051005172737.asp

If you’re a crony capitalist, like oilman Bush, whose chief of staff, Andy Card, is a former lobbyist for the car companies, you don’t want to do anything to offend Big Oil or Big Auto. Instead, lay it on the American people. Drive less, says Bush. Don’t go “on a trip that’s not essential.”

This prescription outrages Dennis Kucinich.

The oil companies “made $254 billion in profit in the last five years,” Kucinich said on the House floor on September 27. “What are we doing here? Drive less? The Administration is asking every American to sacrifice mobility, but not asking the oil companies to sacrifice a dime of their profit.”

A new poll shows that four out of five Americans support a windfall profits tax on the oil companies, but that’s not in Bush’s plans.

“The problem is not that the American people are driving too much,” Kucinich added. “The problem is that the oil companies are driving our energy policies, driving up the cost of gasoline, natural gas, and home heating oil at every chance, and driving themselves toward huge profits.”

[Zensea]

24. Yes, drive less

I haven't owned a car in 17 years and I'll be 49 in a month.
I've lived in NYC for the past 8 which makes it much easier I know, but before that I lived in the midwest and west. I borrowed a car or car pooled if I needed a car. Otherwise I walked, I bicycled & I did this in the middle of the winter when it was zero degrees outside.

Of course that isn't the only solution but to discount it as a method is silly.

Also fly less for a start. Insulate your house. etc. etc. All stuff that can't be done overnight but that would have an impact.

The problem is that Americans are soft.

As a slight tangent, there was a study a couple of years ago that said many of the problems with American's health related to weight and the heart would be substantially impacted if these Americans engaged in moderate exercise. Apparently over 50% of Americans do not engage in moderate exercise which is defined as walking at a normal pace only 2 miles a day.
50% of Americans walk less than two miles a day on average!

What is wrong with that picture?

[Armstead]

45. Um, it''s hard to walk several miles in 20 degree cold

Your are correct in that we should reduce our excess use of cars and fuel.

But bottom line is that our whole society at this point is based on the notion of energy use for transportation, heat and shipping and production.

My mother is 75 and has bad legs. She can't get out and around without a car. And in winter, when heating costs are up by 70 percent over 3 years ago, she also needs to keep her house at least warm enough to keep from freezing.

That's the reality most peopel face and a lot of platitudes about some utopian future is not what is needed NOW.

[davepc]

37. If we had honest to god "free markets" we wouldn't have a problem

But the markets in this country are anything but free.

Fascism that masquerades as capitalism today has no such thing as a free market.

[NNN0LHI]

12. Tax breaks for people to make their homes more efficient would be great

That accomplishes a lot of good things for a lot of people and saves dwindling supplies. Screw more tax breaks for the wealthy. Time to spread the wealth to the middle class. Rescind all federal taxes on gas while they are at it.

Don

[WinkyDink]

9. I agree.

I think he also should NOT have laughed off the point about SUV's. Chris was right; Dems SHOULD condemn their use, even to the point of saying they are immoral. SUV's are wastes of money and resources, and aren't even safe!

[sandnsea]

13. He didn't advocate current Dem policy

Frankly, he never does. Lots and lots of stuff he could have said about energy prices, but then, that would mean admitting Democrats actually are fighting for Americans and we certainly can't have that.

Senate Democrats Renew Call for Energy Independence By 2020

Strategies presented by the Democrats include an immediate look at price gouging at the pumps, saying 90% of Americans believe price gouging is occurring. Cantwell stated, "Twenty-eight states currently have laws on the books to prevent price-gouging, and we should pass something at the federal level as well.”

The administration was also berated for calling on Americans to conserve, while rejecting true conservation proposals like “accurate fuel mileage for cars and bi-partisan proposals for reducing our dependence on foreign oil by a million barrels a day.”

http://www.lightupthedarkness.org/blog/?view=plink&id=1399

Democrats Question FTC Oil Refinery Merger Approvals

Washington, D.C. – In an effort to protect American consumers at a time of record-high gasoline prices, U.S. Senators Russ Feingold (D-WI) and Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), along with 14 of their colleagues, today drew attention to the dangerous concentration of companies in the country's refining sector. The Senators called on the Chair of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) for an explanation as to how the many oil industry mergers approved by the FTC, including the merger of Valero Energy and Premcor in early September, have not harmed consumers and have not hurt competition. Senators cosigning the letter with Senators Feingold and Feinstein were Jim Jeffords, Charles Schumer, Barbara Boxer, Jack Reed, Ron Wyden, Byron Dorgan, Maria Cantwell, Barbara Mikulski, John Kerry, Ken Salazar, Joe Lieberman, Mark Pryor, Dick Durbin, and Chris Dodd.

http://www.lightupthedarkness.org/blog/?view=plink&id=1398

[Armstead]

15. They should take the glloves off like Bernie and Kucinich have

http://bernie.house.gov/documents/releases/20050831172355.asp

For Immediate Release, 8/31/2005
Sanders Holds Press Conference to Address Impending Gas Crisis


Montpelier, VT—Congressman Bernie Sanders today held a press conference with the Vermont Fuel Dealers Association to address the impending gas crisis in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. Due to the hurricane, the nation’s oil supply has been lessened by between 1.4-2 million barrels of oil per day. Unless Congress acts decisively to address this crisis, prices are expected to rise to well over $3 per gallon in Vermont. Vermont Fuel Dealers Association President Sean Cota and Vice President Shane Sweet joined Sanders at the meeting.
Sanders said, “The oil crisis that we are experiencing now, and will be experiencing in the coming months, constitutes a national emergency which must be addressed in a very forceful manner by the President and the U.S. Congress. This crisis is affecting millions of American workers, especially in rural states like Vermont, who absolutely cannot afford to pay $3 or $3.50 per gallon in order to get to work and return home. This is a crisis which impacts our entire economy – trucking, aviation, agriculture, manufacturing, public transit -- and almost every other sector of American life.”

At the press conference, Sanders outlined a series of actions that must be taken in order to reign in skyrocketing prices. Sanders has, for many months, urged the Bush Administration to release oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. Today the Bush Administration has announced that they will release some amount of oil from the reserve in response to Hurricane Katrina.

Sanders said, “I’m pleased that the Bush Administration will begin to release oil from the reserve. We must make sure, however, that the President releases enough oil to make a real difference in lowering prices rather than simply responding to the requests of oil companies.

In addition to supporting the release of oil from SPRo, Sanders also proposes a number of immediate and long-term solutions to address the nation’s oil crisis. This includes confronting OPEC about lowering crude oil prices, stopping major oil companies from making huge windfall profits in the midst of this national emergency, and increasing the average fuel economy standards for cars to 45 miles per gallon and SUVs to 34 miles per gallon over the next decade. Sanders is also working to substantially increase funding for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) to make sure all Vermonters are able to afford their home heating bills this winter.

Sanders said, “The President and the Congress must make very clear to OPEC --especially countries like Saudi Arabia and Kuwait who we have defended with American troops and with American lives, that we need their support right now in terms of adequate oil production and reasonable prices. We must also make it very clear to big oil companies, Exxon Mobil and the others, that the huge windfall profits that they are now enjoying are just not acceptable. Huge oil profits and price gouging in the midst of a national energy emergency cannot continue.”

[sandnsea]

23. They've done all that

Some of that is in the links I provided. The LIHEAP Amendment just went down in the Senate today, 50-49. It has nothing to do with any gloves, it has to do with the lefty name connected to the action. If people got behind initiatives like the ones I posted, then we could make a change. Instead, the blogosphere and the left remains obsessed with genitalia. It's kind of peculiar, the meme that is hurting the Democrats the most is the one being spread by Democrats.

[UTUSN]

14. Hey. "Hardball" Is Always a Disappointment. n/t

[readmylips]

16. Dean was great. He kept the eye on the corrupt bush and...

did not cause any ripples to have the subject changed away from bush. Matthews invited him in hope that Dean would make stupid comments. Dean was great.

[pstans]

17. Dean was exactly right

Then he went off that track totally and said a lot of blah,blah about alternative energy in the future and then threw in a lot of otehr totally unrelated issues.

I totally disagree with you on this. Dean's answer is right on the mark. There isn't much we can do THIS winter because we pay what the market says that natural gas costs. We can help out in the future by promoting renewable energy, so we don't have to buy natural gas to heat our homes. Geothermal, solar, wind energy are all other options that need to be pushed. I truly believe that the campaign theme for 2008 should be "Repowering America" with giving power back to the middle class, gaining our independence from foreign oil, and promoting renewable energy.

[Armstead]

48. We have reached an emergency state

Heating costs in the northeast are expected to be up something like 70 percent over three years ago. Last winter was a disaster for many people on the financial edge because of previous rises. This year they are talking about hikes as much as 50 to 70 percent.

We should have done something LAST winter.

That's not to mention the impact on the economy rhat fuel and heating costs are having.

You are correct, we should be working for a future that is less dependent. But we should have done that 20 yrears after that series of energy crises. But it didn;t happen because of the fatalism and corruption that is accelerating now.

Saying maybe we can afford energy in 20 years from now is not a sufficient answer to what is happening RIGHT NOW.

[pstans]

73. Dean didn't have much say 20 years ago

You can blame the failure 20 years ago on Dean.

I believe the US took hit the day Reagen took the solar panels off the White House that Jimmy Carter had put in. If people actually listened to what Carter was saying in the 70's, we might actually have an energy future.

[w13rd0]

18. Ok, I'm in the mood...so here goes...

...what Dean said is accurate. There's NOTHING DEMOCRATS CAN DO RIGHT NOW ABOUT FUEL COSTS. They CAN allocate more money to subsadies for the low income, because that's something they can slip in with the pork on most any bill and get away with it. But as a "power" bloc, there's NOTHING DEMOCRATS CAN DO RIGHT NOW ABOUT FUEL COSTS. Unless you'd like the Democrats to suit up and invade Venezuela or Saudi Arabia or Canada or something.

You say, "There are laws and other forms of pressure". Please, tell me about this. Democrats have, let's see...a minority in both houses of congress, a diminishing presence on the courts (by the day it seems lately) and no position in the executive whatsoever. ALL we can do right now is be obstructionists. That's it! That's the ONLY trump card we have.

[jillan]

21. They need to be non-stop talking about alternative fuels, and sources

They should be pushing solar energy right now as winter is coming.

They should be coming up with solutions and make the repugs look like the fools for wanting more of the same.

[Armstead]

49. They can press for real solutions for NOW

They can do as people like Kucinich and Bernie Sanders are doing, and making or filing proposals to attack the immediate crisis and windfall profits as well as the long term answers.

And if the GOP shoots them down it would be a pure demonstration of which side each party is on. And people will see which party is on their side, and which is on the side of the status quo pirates who are screwing them.

That's political. In a non-partisan sense it might also put public pressure on the more reasonable members of the GOP to actually co-operate with Democrats to take steps to help alleviate the immediate crisis.

We have to stop making excuses for passivity.

[napi21]

22. I disagree with you. I think he did great!

He knows, even if you don't, that the Dems have NO POWER right now! Did you hear him say several times that "we will win back the majority in 2006"? Or did you just ignore that?

You didn't like the SUV comment? What would you prefer him to say?
"Sure, no dem should drive any SUV?" He statement that he wouldn't tell anybody what kind a car to drive was the right answer!

It's quite disturbing to me that no matter how good a job any Dem does, they can't ever please some of you!

[Cha]

27. I didn't see Dean on tweety but

I remember an earlier thread where you said he did great so it's nice to read some details on that.

[madfloridian]

25. He did a good job, really bashed this administration.

I was glad he brought up helping low income pay power bills, as Bush has cut all that out. It is going to be a very cold winter indeed for many.

People who live payday to payday will not make it, I fear.

Democrats can do nothing about fuel bills. Only the Republicans can.

I disagree, he did a good job.

[Cha]

28. Yes, I'm reading that the

bushwa are trying to Gut Everything so that would be very good to bring up helping the poor pay their energy bills..as I too have been thinking about the Cold winter they've predicted this winter up north here.

And I do appreciate that Dean brought up alternative energy sources..the more it's talked about the Better!

[Strelnikov_]

29. There Is Not Price Collusion On Petroleum / Natural Gas

There was a movement by refiners to close/consolidate refineries so as to minimize spare, and therefore un-utilized, capacity. When a supply problem arises, there is no spare capacity, and prices go up to create demand destruction.

Regarding petroleum (oil) and natural gas, we are at worldwide peak for the first, and beyond the North American peak for the second.

Petroleum, natural gas and refined product prices are set by open market commodity trading, just like corn and pork bellies. The problem is therefore one of supply, not price collusion. That is, manufactured supply constraints similar to OPEC (when they had excess capacity) and the California electric crises of 2000/2001.

The answer is therefore threefold. One, baseline energy credits so a subsistence amount of afforable energy is available. Two, regulate refining by mandating 15% excess capacity at specified locations (for redundancy), and that all refined product is produced in the United States (offshoring of refining is a huge mistake). Three, emergency launch of a 'Apollo' program for energy efficiency/alternates to transform our energy infrastructure.

The heroin dealer can't make much money if most of the addicts have kicked.

The oil companies, and their Quislings in government, build an intricate scaffolding and place a big rock over our head. We have been standing underneath the whole time it was being built, ignoring the warnings, holding a wad of cash in our hand. Occasionally we become nervous, and they use a combination of ridicule alternated with promises of unlimited prosperity to keep us in place.

Eventually, they drop the rock, knock us out, and steal the cash. When we wake up, who do we blame? Why gravity, of course! Because without gravity those criminal oil companies would not have been able to steal our cash.

It's called a free market system.

It can be used for good, like building the Internet.

It can be used for bad, like keeping a society hooked on a limited resource, and once the supply of the resource begins to dry up, cash in on the inherent price inelasticity of demand.

[progressivebydesign]

31. Okay. Explain RECORD profits by the oil companies right now?

I'm talking BILLIONS per quarter of profit... pure profit. Tell me how that extra money is going to them right now, while the consumers are being charged for it. I'd buy the whole argument that it just costs more because of refinery consolodation and such.. BUT when they are not making the same amount, but record profits instead, then it's gouging. Plain and simple.

[Strelnikov_]

32. The Profits Are Explained By Price Inelasticity Of Demand

Do we accuse farmers in Nebraska for cashing in on high grain prices when there is a drought season in Illinois?

Not that I am comparing farmers to Big Energy (the companies and their Quisling politicians over the years). They kept us hooked, and are now cashing in our their 'Giffen Good' as it enters the era of scarcity.

Solutions? Well, we could place price caps, or windfall profits taxes. The problem is, petroleum is a fungible worldwide commodity, of which we import 60%. The oil would simply be sold to those who will pay more. Read up on what is going on in Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, the poorer provinces of China.

Natural gas does offer some possibility of price caps, but these caps will have to be accompanied by rationing, or the system would probably lose pressure about mid-January. Read up on how subsidized heating energy has resulted in Moscow being highly inefficient. Why insulate when the government is paying most of the bill?

[ProfessorGAC]

53. Oh, Goodie. Another Econ 101 Lesson

The pricing structure of the big petro companies is based upon cost plus. That DOESN'T explain the record profits. If they maintained a constant margin, except of a fixed proportional margin, the prices would be lower.

The oil companies LIKE high crude prices because 20% of a bigger number means greater profits.

Supply & demand have NOTHING to do with it. I know Hazletian economists would like to believe that. But, the price of gasoline has directly paralleled the price of crude, even though the cost of processing and overhead absorption do not change in any way as crude prices rise.

Nice try, though.
The Professor

[Strelnikov_]

60. Yea. Ok.

So, the price being bid up on a price inelastic commodity in short supply has no effect on profits for the supplier of the commodity, and those in the supply chain.

And is gasoline not traded on the commodity market?

[ProfessorGAC]

61. From A Minimum Initial Price

The oil companies set the initial price. The bidding STARTS there! Do some research, BEFORE you start lecturing others.
The Professor

[Strelnikov_]

68. Ok. I Now Understand. All Those Years OPEC Was Restricting Supply

supply was not to keep prices, and therefore profits, up. They were just ahead of the curve on global warming, and had our best interests at heart.

And I guess the search for where those record oil company profits are coming from will have to go on, since you have made it clear that the oil companies price is based on cost plus a fixed fee, and not on what the market will bear in open commodity trading.

And just who is lecturing who, Sir? The last time I checked, this was a general discussion forum, and I just just offering my opinion to an open comment.

[ProfessorGAC]

69. We're Talking About Gas, Here. Not Oil

The gas prices are based upon the cost of crude, plus a fixed proporational margin above crude + variable costs + allocated absorption.

The refineries are operating, in this country, at nearly 100% capacity, all the time. There is no manipulation in supply. The starting market price is cost/plus. It's always been that way, even before the basic gasoline was sold on the commodities market. Futures and options push the prices even higher as speculators push those prices up based upon demand, not supply.

And, you were doing the lecturing with the supply & demand lesson. Your facts on how gasoline pricing, however, were in error. An opinion is not much an opinion if it's based upon a factual distortion.

I'm not lecturing. I'm making a correction to your dataset.
The Professor

[Strelnikov_]

70. Gee. Thanks For Lecture, 'Professor'

Since when was this discussion limited to refined product. I was responding, before you stepped in to lecture me, to a post regarding 'oil company' profits.

I was aware, even before your lecture, that refinery margins were low.

[eridani]

35. The free market did not fucking build the Internet

That was entirely a government project until it got potentially profitable, just like the aviation industlry. If the free market had had anything to do with the Internet at its beginning, it would not exist. Just thank your lucky stars that Gates bought out MS-DOS instead of the TCP-IP protocols.

[Strelnikov_]

39. Whatever

Not worth the effort.

[LittleClarkie]

30. Here's what one Dem is trying to do

From Kerrygoddess' site:

"As the Bush administration is urging cutbacks on Food Stamps, Medicaid and other aid to poor and low income familes, John Kerry is fighting to keep the heat on on this winter for the poor and low income families. With American’s facing record prices for gas, oil, and propane this winter, the Bush administration has offered a paltry amount of assisstance for those who need it most. What should be obvious to all at this point is, George W. Bush is no friend to the little people; John Kerry is.

WASHINGTON - Today, Senator John Kerry (D - Mass.) offered an amendment to the Department of Defense Appropriations Bill that will deliver $3.1 billion of emergency funding to the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). The Bush Administration’s budget only requested $2 billion in LIHEAP funding. This amendment will allocate the necessarily $3.1 billion to bring LIHEAP funding to $5.1 billion, the level authorized by the Energy Policy Act of 2005.

This year American families are facing record prices for gas, oil, and propane, and the devastation caused by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita has made these prices increase. The Department of Energy projects major increases in heating bills this winter heating season. Families in the Midwest could face a 69-77% increase in the price of natural gas and 39-43% increase for propane, families in the South could expect a 17-18% increase for electricity costs and families in the Northeast could face a 29-33% increase in the price of heating oil. These costs pose a crisis to low-income households this winter, and ensuring full funding of LIHEAP is one important step to lessening the burden on these families.

“For some families - especially low income families and seniors - this crisis in heating prices will mean a choice between a heated home or food on the table."

[Kenroy]

33. He DID make a nonsensical reference to playing

"hide the salami", so that was good for a chuckle.

[eridani]

34. Help pass the Gas Price Spike Act

http://www.kucinich.us/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=11559

[Tactical Progressive]

36. Bash the Repubs and give long-term Dem answers

How fucking hard is that.

Republicans control the White House. Republicans control Congress. Ask them why oil prices are so high. What kind of 'jawboning' have they been doing that's almost tripled the price of gas?

Democrats have been trying for twenty years to get Republicans to understand that our energy problems are real and they're long term and they're not going to get solved by taxpayers paying for a new refinery for Texaco. But all we get out of Republicans is record oil industry profits. They raise prices on any excuse they can. A disaster for New Orleans is a windfall profit for Bush and his oil gang.

...
...
...


We don't need triangulating wonk-talk Howard. Nobody wants to listen to that shit. Nobody hears that shit.

[JNelson6563]

38. Dean fan? Really?

Here's another take on Dean's appearance.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x2138372

[Armstead]

40. Yes I am. I've long defended and praised him here

And I could care less about his "hide the salami" remark. And I didn't criticize the points mentioned in that other post.

That's why I hate to see him spreading the talking point that there is nothing we can do to interfere with the Holy Oil Companies and the ruthless workings of the energy markets. That's conservative bullshit that Democrats should be challenging forcefully instead of echoing. It's the kind of fatalistic helplessness that plays right into the GOP/Corporate Conservative hands.

There may be little the Democrats can do, because they are out of power. But damn it, our side should atleast be showinbg the public that things really would be different and that the government would be on their side on this kind of thing.

[OldLeftieLawyer]

43. Absolutely

This passive, silent, yielding behavior - and saying it's because Democrats are a minority just doesn't cut it - is costing us everything down the line.

I've never in my long life seen such an abject display by such a collection of spineless, clueless wimps.

That "hide the salami" gaffe told me how unprepared Dean was. It wasn't funny - it was embarrassing. He's supposed to be a pro.

[sendero]

46. On this we disagree..

.... there is really nothing we can do right now. There is really nothing the Repubs can do right now.

You'd rather Dean blew smoke up everyone's ass and I'd rather he do something refreshing for a politician, tell the truth.

There is no short term solution to the energy problem. None. And blather and bluster isn't going to change that.

Maybe Dean is overestimating the American public, maybe you are correct, maybe Americans want to hear yet another pie in the sky "plan" to solve a problem that is, in the near term, beyond solving.

I don't think so.

And trust me on this one - the Repugs are not politically stupid. THEY KNOW THAT AFTER ALL THE BULLSHIT THEY'VE GOTTEN AWAY WITH, it is GAS PRICES that are going to take their power away. If there was something they could do about it they would. There isn't.

[blm]

51. I can attest to Armstead being an honest, longtime supporter of Dean.

I somewhat agree of Dean's appearance, but overall, he did pretty well considering the way Tweety asked his questions in that nasty, accusatory manner of his. He does it to ALL Democrats except Feinstein and Lieberman.

Dems just have to go on his show EXPECTING a nasty barrage and question Tweety's motives for his derisive tone of questioning.

[JNelson6563]

54. I found it interesting

you only talked (at length) about what you disagreed with.

Frankly I was unaware he's spreading the message that we are powerless against Big Oil. I didn't see this interview but I have heard far different from him in others. You must've missed those.

Julie

[Armstead]

55. I mentioned it because it's an issue I feel strongly about...

..and because I have had such faith in Dean's tendency to speak Truth to Power that it was very disappointing to hear him take such a wimpy, unconstructive position that only plays into the hands of the Church of the Free Markets crowd.

Energy prices are screwing the majority of people, they are threatening to absolutely wreck the economy and threatening to actually kill people this winter.

If the Democrats are unwilling to address a crisis like this directly, then they are once again falling into the trap of echoing right-wing Corporate talking points. The whole damn point of liberalism is to provide a balancing mechanism to ensure that the economy works FOR the majority insteasd of against them.

[JNelson6563]

56. Seems to me he kicked serious ass

on several topics. He's done so before on this particular topic. Not every interview will be focused on this topic and Dean alone cannot overcome this issue.

If I were you I'd start by taking it to the Dems who voted for the energy bill and go from there.

Julie

[Armstead]

59. PS -- To be perfectly honest, IMO this is much more important than..

....the GOP corruption scandals.

The impact of energy prices on people in the real world is an issue that is both politically potent and important in a humanistic sense. It is also a pro-business position, because many businesses are also being placed under increasing pressure because of fuel prices and the otehr potential negative economic effects.

It is also a chance for Democrats to take a stand that is populist (in the positive sense) to show the public who is on their side.

[JNelson6563]

71. Better as a two-pronged attack.

First of all the R's need to be widely discredited as far as giving a shit goes, these scandals will do that. Secondly, when the disenchanted people look around for leadership, Dems need to be there on energy and many other issues too.

Julie

[Armstead]

57. Duplicate post

/nt

[Dawgs]

44. Agree 100%...

Anyone that saw it would know he was coping out.

[FredfromSpace]

47. One of the good things about living overseas

Is that you can't catch Chris Matthew's show anymore.

I love Dean though--he has a tough job now, maybe we should we give him some slack...

[lateo]

52. Yeah and he basically passed on...

the comment of the "Dean scream" smear that Tweety did. He did comment on the fact that Diane Sawyer admitted the media purposely edited the moment and then ran it in the ground but...damn...I wish he would have taken a moment to expound on how the media fucks over the Democrats.

[mzmolly]

72. Well Democrats need to address fuel costs period.

It's a central issue facing this country right now.

Guess I'm glad I missed it.