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"Find More, Use Less"

Submitted by Senator Lamar A... on Fri, 07/11/2008 - 09:55
in

We welcome Senator Alexander to the blog, and applaud his action to improve our energy situation.  - Jon Henke

Americans are feeling the pain at the pump. Hundreds of my constituents have written me with their stories of how record-high fuel costs are affecting their family budgets. One Tennessean who wrote to me is a diabetic who is having trouble paying for her insulin shots due to rising gas prices. She says: “Gas for work or insulin to live. That is the decision I have had to make several times daily.”

It’s time for Congress to take action. Forty-four Senate Republicans are co-sponsoring legislation to address these record-high costs. Our bill – the Gas Price Reduction Act of 2008 – can be summed up in four words: “Find more, use less.”

“Find more” means we would increase U.S. oil production by one-third through offshore exploration and Western states’ oil shale. This will over time produce at least 3 million barrels a day. “Use less” means we would reduce imported oil by one-third by making it easier for millions of Americans to drive plug-in electric cars and trucks. This will over time reduce Americans’ use of oil by 4 million barrels a day. Just those three provisions – deep sea exploration, Western shale, and plug-in cars – will allow us to cut our oil imports in half.

Unfortunately, most Democrats still insist on trying to repeal half the law of supply and demand.

Instead of Economics 101, we might call this new theory “Obamanomics.”

When we say “offshore exploration,” they say “No, we can’t.” When we say “oil shale development,” they say “No, we can’t.” When we say “more nuclear power for clean electricity to power plug-in cars and trucks,” they say “No, we can’t.”

They would rather our country beg Saudi Arabia and other countries for more oil when we already have larger reserves than the Saudis offshore and in shale in Western states.

Republicans will do BOTH – find more and use less – and we intend to work hard and in good faith to find a way for Democrats to say “yes we can,” too.

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Comments

A Responsive GOP can win in November

Submitted by aberman on Fri, 07/11/2008 - 12:44.

This is precisely what the GOP needs to win in November.  We are in flux right now, disappointed by what's going on and looking for leadership, vision, and solutions to the problems we are facing right now.  Proposals like 'Find More, Use Less' are great and will help the GOP tremendously.  Keep them coming and follow up!

 

Response is key!

Submitted by Trey on Fri, 08/08/2008 - 12:45.

I could not agree more that GOP response is the key to victories in November and responses need to not apply solely to national media.  Senator Alexander has been an excellent Senator for our state and I applaud his public service record.  We are fortunate he is in Washington. However, the Senator's efforts in responding to constituent concerns via personal, or even automated email, is less than stellar!  Senator Alexander and his staffers need to realize that responses, however impersonal, are important for after all, he has to be elected to this position rather than annointed.  If Senator Corker can offer a quick response, Senator Alexander should be able to also.

Drill now off shore and in Alaska

Submitted by texasmueller on Fri, 07/11/2008 - 16:18.

The benefits of drilling now are more than just eventually reducing gasoline prices.  Good jobs would start immediatly in construction, engineering, geology, etc.  Some oil could be online much sooner than the ten years the Democrats say it will take.  The oil pipeline in Alaska is already in place. When the oil starts to flow in addition to lower fuel prices, America would benefit from:

Billions of dollars improvement in balance of payments

Reduction of the deficit due to royalties from oil production and taxes on producers

A major boost in the whole economy as employment increases and prices in general decline with lower fuel costs.

We need to drill here and drill now. 

 

Yeah, good luck with that...

Submitted by Pogue_Mahone on Fri, 07/11/2008 - 18:55.

When we say “offshore exploration,” they say “No, we can’t.” When we say “oil shale development,” they say “No, we can’t.” When we say “more nuclear power for clean electricity to power plug-in cars and trucks,” they say “No, we can’t.”

Oh, I see what you've done there... You took Obama's slogan and reversed it.

That's just... amazingly clever.

 

Republicans will do BOTH – find more and use less – and we intend to work hard and in good faith to find a way for Democrats to say “yes we can,” too.

 

First of all, you'll have to explain where you've been for the last decade before you can convinve me that this is just nothing more than election year posturing.

And your new plan will be a neat magic trick.  Considering you'll likely face a majority opposition just about everywhere.  Your lumps, of course, are of your own doing.

Good luck.

 

I, for one, welcome Obama supporters into this website.

Submitted by aberman on Fri, 07/11/2008 - 19:57.

In answer to your remarks, yes, flipping someone's slogan is not amazingly clever, but if it fits, then it's the right thing to say.

As far as election year posturing, I think the answer to your question is--- Yes, the Republicans should have made the case for drilling a long time ago, when oil was 'just' 40 or 50 dollars a barrel.  Now it's almost 150 dollars a barrel.  So however wrong the Republicans were for not pushing offshore drilling five years ago, how wrong are the Democrats now?

We have literally up to 13 TRILLION dollars offshore that the law doesn't allow us to get.  I'd sure like the US to take advantage of those assets. And both parties should recognize that the cost/benefit equation for drilling has radically changed.  So far only one party has recognized it.

I for one hope one and only one party continues to recognize it

Submitted by lagomorph on Sat, 07/12/2008 - 16:37.

all the way up to November 5th. 

Go Dr. No! 

Go Dr. No! 

Go all the way back to your Day Job in the Senate. 

In the meantime, please continue the brain-dead, tone-deaf policy that is probably the last best chance of John McCain having a reasonable opportunity to govern what can only be charitably referred to as a Parliament of Whiners (no offense to the Senator, of course, who I am thrilled to see on this site). 

 

After you read this, you can apologize

Submitted by limebrook on Sat, 07/12/2008 - 14:45.

In 1996 a Republican House and Senate approved exploration in ANWR and the president vetoed the legislation. 

seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/216352_anwr17.html

Let's see, who was president in 1996?  Bush I?  Bush II?  U.S. Grant?  No it was William Jefferson Clinton.  If that legislation had gone through our current crisis would be non-existent.

Since 2006 the House has been controlled by Democrats.  What have they done to alleviate the woes of the American people regarding oil prices?  Zip.  Zilch.  Nada.  I mean, really.

In passing, I have to ask if you have ever been to ANWR.  I have.  Let it suffice to say this is not Yosemite Valley.  In July the mosquitoes can literally kill you.  That said, the footprint of oil production on the North Slope is tiny.  You have no conception of the vastness of  Alaska.  Production has been going on since 1976 with almost no impact on the environment.

Finally, when it comes to "facing majority opposition just about everywhere"  I think you'd better check your sources.  Public opinion now favors drilling offshore and in ANWR.  When it comes to money, people can think remarkably clearly.

Just Do It

Submitted by texicali on Sat, 07/12/2008 - 02:09.

Thank you Senator Alexander for posting about this issue on this site.....I'm glad to know there are 44 GOP Senators in agreement on this issue...there is infrastucture in place to speed up the delivery of newly drilled wells....the Dems are just wrong again on their timeline...we can win on this issue and get people on board to support it....

So that's it?

Submitted by davidfarrar on Sat, 07/12/2008 - 10:25.

How is that going to solve the lady's  insulin or gas issue? Why not eliminate the federal gas tax as long as gas price is over $4.00 per gallon and allow Americans to buy their drugs online anywhere they whish?

As far as America's infrastructure of roads and highways is concerned, lower government growth across the boards to find these funds.

ex animo

davidfarrar

And another thing....

Submitted by davidfarrar on Sun, 07/13/2008 - 08:57.

I am getting pretty annoyed at recent public officeholders posting here and never bothering to respond. It's as if they expect all of us little people to fall down on our hands and knees, with our heads bowed,  and in quivering voices, thanking them for the opportunity to be in their presence while they deliver their words of wisdom from on high, but can't be bothered to stick respond and actually mix with the crowd.

So to set the record straight, I am now starting a count as to how many of these "political elites" visit this forum simply to preach.  By my count, Sen. Alexander, along with Governor Huckabee, makes two.

Two will get you five, it's probably a staffer posting anyway.

ex animo

davidfarrar

That's just plain rude

Submitted by lagomorph on Mon, 07/14/2008 - 18:47.

While I appreciate the fact that our legislators are really starting to take advantage of using the Internet to communicate with us, their constituents, I don't expect that they have the bandwidth to have the same level of dialogue with us that we have with each other.  You wrote:

It's as if they expect all of us little people to fall down on our hands and knees, with our heads bowed,  and in quivering voices, thanking them for the opportunity to be in their presence while they deliver their words of wisdom from on high, but can't be bothered to stick respond and actually mix with the crowd.

Writing this kind of remark to a United States Senator or his staffer, if that's the case, really disturbs me.  Your rude, childish comment to the Senator does not represent my views, Farrar.  If this is the way you are accustomed to speaking to our leadership, then perhaps your parents should have taught you some manners - either that or you should practice what they did teach you and have obviously chosen to abandon. 

This isn't an AOL chat room, it's a political grassroots website. I know how old you are.  If you want grown-up attention, maybe it's time to grow up yourself and stop putting the baby in Baby Boomer.  Nobody cares whether (a) you're annoyed, or (b) you're starting a "political elites who don't play by my rules" list.  On the other hand, Phil Gramm might like to add you to the Parliament of Whiners.  Maybe you should contact him.

Bear in mind. . .

Submitted by Walt Gilbert on Mon, 07/14/2008 - 20:18.

. . .that Farrar bills himself as a "Reagan conservative" who wants to cut government growth across the board while calling for nationalizing the nation's healthcare system.  He's been kicked off two Ron Paul forums (leading him to a brief flirtation with supporting Obama's candidacy) as well as the Unity '08 forum.  And, he spammed the hell out of every MeetUp board he could find trying to drum up support for Ron Paul.

Just to lend some perspective, of course.

Yup, yup, yup...that makes sense

Submitted by lagomorph on Mon, 07/14/2008 - 20:39.

Thanks, for the insight, Dude.  Hey - I think I saw you out on the PC Live Group on Facebook.   I sense I may have found some of my fellow South Park Conservatives out there and I can't wait to see what they're doing with blogtalkradio on Sunday.  If you find out what time the broadcast is, send me a message in Facebook, m'kay?

Please check the record...

Submitted by davidfarrar on Mon, 07/14/2008 - 21:00.

Ron Paul is a registered Republican and a fiscal conservative. Sure, I couldn't support him because of his anti-war stance, but that doesn't mean the party can't benefit from his supporters joining their local party executive committees, thereby strengthening fiscal conservatism at least at the local level, if not at the national level. It was this message I was bringing to the Ron Paul Meetup groups, if you would like to check the record, it's all there.

Our elected officials serve us, not the other way around. The good Senator was never here. What you are seeing is just a normal, run-of-the-mill press release posted by his media staff person, nothing more. 

ex animo

davidfarrar

Thank you for the measured response

Submitted by lagomorph on Mon, 07/14/2008 - 21:01.

And you may be entirely correct about the staffer theory, but I guarantee that either way, you'll catch more flies with honey than you will with a fly swatter.