Daily Dos : The Grand Oil Party

Posted by nicthebrick in August 4th, 2008

Grand Oil Party bumper sticker courtesy of MoveOn

In light of Friday’s Republican shenanigans of staying on the House floor to whine to themselves about drilling after the House was adjourned, I thought I’d throw out some facts about their call for an “Energy Plan”.

In 2001, the Cheney Energy Task Force relied for outside advice primarily on “petroleum, coal, nuclear, natural gas, electricity industry representatives and lobbyists,” as they secretly developed their energy plan, according to the Government Accountability Office.

Of the 40 Task Force meetings, the vast majority were filled with the oil and energy industry, such as executives from Exxon-Mobil, Conoco and Royal Dutch Shell. Some of the 65 provisions of President Bush’s final energy plan benefited campaign donors who met in secret with the White House energy task force. These provisions included: opening public lands to oil and gas drilling, providing royalty relief for offshore drilling on public lands and relaxing Clean Air regulations.

In 2005, Energy Secretary Bodman said that 95% of the recommendations of the Bush-Cheney Energy policy had been implemented. Even as they take in record profits, Big Oil is set to receive $27 Billion in taxpayer subsidies from 2006-2010 including royalty relief, expensing of intangible drilling costs and accelerated amortization of geological and geophysical expenses. [Taxpayers for Common Sense, 6/23/08]

Republicans can talk a good game, but actions speak louder than words. Republicans have voted against renewable energy and conservation, responsible domestic oil production, short-term measures to bring down prices now such as releasing oil from the government’s stockpile (known as the Strategic Petroleum Reserve or SPR), punishing those who are manipulating the oil market and new requirements that oil companies pay their fair share.

In reality 8 years of Bush divided by 2 oil men in the White House = $4 a gallon of gas