* tipped his hat today re: big oil and they are extorting the nation.

[Skidmore]

Bush today was hammering away on solutions for gas prices. Gues what they were: drilling ANWR and building more refineries. The only two solutions he can come up with are the old saws the petroleum lobbyists have been trying to push through for the past two decades. Now, * and the Rs and the petroleum industry all see the window of opportunity closing for them. I believe that there is a component of extortion beyond some of the problems with supply/demand to game the system to win some of these political battles that they have been unable to win in the past. Is my thinking too simplistic? I've come to this conclusion because I don't see even lip service being done to any form of real conservation or alternative energy sources.

[Hannah Bell]

1. you're right. moreover, it's not the only sector.

[TheWraith]

2. No, you're absolutely right. It's never really been about supply.

It's all about price fixing. I've heard estimates that $75 off the top of a barrel of oil is entirely commodities speculation. It's entirely a fraud, just like the California energy "crisis" of 2001. The only real "supply problem" is that somebody's got their hand on the spigot.

[Skidmore]

7. So how can we use this in the GE, or right now, for that matter?

[TheWraith]

18. Tie McClone to the Shrub.

Remind everybody that he's supported the Bush energy policy 100%; the war that helped spike oil prices; strikes on Iran, which would give an excuse to drive prices higher; and that his solution is to pick the pocket of our highway construction workers, rather than to tell the oil companies to give up a little bit of their ten billion dollars a month in pure profit.

[Rene]

3. they want drilling in anwar. they're just priming people to be desparate

enough to accept it.

[bdamomma]

5. how about off the coast of Florida, oh that's right Jeb was against that.

[bdamomma]

4. what about that "switch grass" George??

he is such a liar.

[Hydra]

6. Bush is doing what he does best

Badmouthing people who are offering solutions in the attempt to prevent a change of policy.

How is it that he keeps being able to do it?

[Initech]

8. What they should do is kick Exxon's ass to the curb and nationalize oil.

What Exxon is doing is extortion, plain and simple. And it's clearly obvious that Bush simply doesnt give a fuck.

[Skidmore]

10. He and his big oil buddies in government are aiding and abetting.

[leftofthedial]

9. under king george, our entire government has become a giant extortion racket

[hootinholler]

11. Building more refineries?

Ain't nothing stopping that. Where are they building them? Nowhere!

-Hoot

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

12. The other day, I heard that refinery capacity is only 85%, down 10% from before

and apparently the oil companies aren't pumping their massive profits back into improving, repairing, and streamlining the refineries we do have. Even if we found and pumped more oil inside the United States, would the price go down? Would the oil companies refine more oil and see their profits diminish, or would they cut back on refinement of that oil to keep the price of gas up for a higher profit margin?

[Arctic Dave]

13. You are correct. The oil companies are running a racket.

Why should they pump more oil so their profits go down? Answer is, they won't. And yes, it is also a leverage mechanism for trying to get into ANWR and any other area they have been locked out of.
This is not a secret. :shrug:

[Skidmore]

15. It is not a secret, but they are openly using the political situation

to perpetuate legislative change. It is never framed in this way by the media or by the pols on our side. Needs to start happening.

[Arctic Dave]

19. You nailed it. The framing of the issue is always on their terms.

And the reason why they can openly manipulate the production of the oil is due to the buying of the political process. Oil companies have an entire department of "spokespersons" and "liasons" just for the purpose of managing the publics perception. Let the production drop, increase price, scream shortage (people image 1970s) and then "encourage" people to allow them to drill anywhere they like.

[lonestarnot]

14. Heard it and you are spot on.

[Ilsa]

16. Yup. Keep Drivin, Drillin, Refinin. We don't need no stinkin conservation. nt

[Stinky The Clown]

17. I agree with you. And further, who has the money to speculate in the oil futures maket?

Answer:

The fucking oil companies.

They're making money by making money screwing us. Perfect synchronicity.

[spanone]

20. hey, the fox is guarding the hen house....always remember, bu$h* & cheney are oil men

[Fireweed247]

21. Subject: Why doesn't logic matter anymore?

It would take 10 years to get the oil from the Arctic Wildlife Refuge.

And what part of Arctic Wildlife Refuge don't they understand?

I think looking at the !!!!RECORD OIL PROFITS!!!! might be a better place to start.

[VP505]

22. Was just listening

to Senator Domenici, Session and Thune whining on the Senate floor about drilling in ANWAR, looks like the Reptilians are going to try and float another attempt to drill there. I sure hope the Dem's don't cave on this one now, we need clean alternative fuels, conservation and higher fuel efficiency, not more 1920 solutions to 2008 problems.

[Skidmore]

23. Obama, in particular, should begin hammering on this Washington

shell game. Drive it home to the people of the nation over the next few months. Get the Rs to back down and forge ahead with a sound energy policy.

[VP505]

24. I think your right

and I also think that Obama can unite the country behind a massive effort to get that sound energy policy in record time.

[Skidmore]

25. I just e-mailed the campaign about this.

[Mind_your_head]

26. Yes, but it's probably prudent to fight (and win) one battle at a time. eom

[Skidmore]

27. It wouldn't hurt to start chipping away at this though, especially given

that gas tax holiday flap is fresh in everyone's mind. These Republicans need to be held in check for several months and we need to find a road for relief for the people until the election.

[Brundle_Fly]

28. I have a client who has started a BioDiesel company

with amazingly innovative technologies. He says he can meet with democrats & he even has a retired democrat senator on his board, but until the GOP is knocked out he realizes he can't even get his foot in the door into the US.

They are actively blocking good solutions...

[satya]

29. If they drilled ANWR, they'd export the oil to China and our gas prices would keep going up. nt

[Old and In the Way]

30. We got 180,000 troops in Iraq, working for Exxon.

Keeping the #2 oil reserves in the ground. McSame admitted it...it was about the oil. But we're not trying to steal it for today's use. We're there to keep it in the ground and off the market. It's called maximizing profits by reducing supply. Saudi Arabia appreciates our efforts.

The Bushbots need to remember that Saudi Arabia's Royal Family's investment company is Kingdom Holdings...both have strong positions in NewsCorp and CNN. Doh...you been played, again, suckers.