Reader comments
Hatch, Bishop blame Demos for high oil prices

Anonymous | 12:54 a.m. July 24, 2008

Republicans aren't responsible for anything. Why elect one? American needs leaders that take responsibility.

Do your part holding republicans responsible by voting for Obama.

Throw 'em out | 1:05 a.m. July 24, 2008

Well, that proves these guys are chuckleheads! Step up and do something constructive. Time to throw them all out.

GrateDane | 3:56 a.m. July 24, 2008

Hey "Throw 'em out," get a clue... maybe by studying up on the Constitution. Step up and do something constructive, eh? Bishop and Hatch's point is that the Senate and House are currently controlled by DEMOCRATS who are afraid of "offending" their wacko-environmentalist supporters like Earth-First, Sierra Club, Greenpeace, etc...and so they are not allowing VOTES on doing something constructive!! They control the floor and the agenda. That's the whole point! Americans voted in Democratic Congress and this is what we get... $5 a gallon diesel fuel and no votes on drilling here at home or using clean coal....where we have known reserves. Democratic leaders would rather we continue sending $700 billion a year to the Middle East and to Hugo Chavez. Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid are fiddling while we all burn... paying $5 a gallon for diesel fuel and then wonder why our economy is falling apart? Some of these environmental groups are on record as supporting high fuel prices in a Darwinian model of forcing us all to use mass transit, live in high-density housing, and wear recycled cereal boxes. Wake up, people. Hatch and Bishop are right on.... DRILL, BABY, DRILL!!!

Comments continue below

Coug in Mass | 4:32 a.m. July 24, 2008

Congress has defeated, within the last two months and along party lines, off-shore drilling, coal gasification, ANWR drilling, shale development, and some nuclear initiatives. To be specific, the Democrats voted against all of them.

Also, while gas doubled in the US, gas doubled in the EU as well. Unless Exxon-Mobil and President Bush run the EU as well, the underlying factor is something common to the US and the (enlightened) EU.

The Liberals and Environmentalists on an international basis want to cut off carbon-based fuels and force a switch to wind and solar power, or what they call renewables. As the supply gets constricted, the price rises. That restricts driving, flying, and heating of homes to the wealthy.

If you agree with that philosophy, vote accordingly.

Demo's fault Right ! NOT!! | 6:05 a.m. July 24, 2008

So while the republicans had total control in years past it is the Democrats fault that Republicans did nothing but pad their pockets! Throw out the Lazy republicans and lets get this country back on top!
It's time we take care of our own instead of trying to fix the worlds problems!

Hatch,? ha ha ha ha ha ha! | 6:39 a.m. July 24, 2008

Utahns are naive about politics.

Nucpwr | 6:52 a.m. July 24, 2008

Its time the people we elect come up with an energy bill that allows us to drill where there is oil, plus develop alternative fuel systems. Not having a realistic electric car available is unacceptable.
We need to stop relaying on other countries to supply us with oil. And if takes replacing all the Democrats
in Washington so be it. We don't need to be turned into a Socialist country. Let the people decide what they want, the polls show drill the oil.

Grand Oil Party | 6:50 a.m. July 24, 2008

Although the Bush administration held secret meetings with the oil industry to construct our national energy policy to stay dependent on oil, we're now blaming the Democrats for high energy prices? Didn't Bush and Republicans oppose fuel efficiency standards for the car industry? Didn't the Republicans opposed tax incentives for renewable energy to set the stage for substitutes for oil? Didn't Bush create tax incentives for small businesses to buy big SUVs and allow them to write them off within a year to increase our oil consumption and dependency? Hasn't the Bush Administration endorsed a weak dollar policy that has made oil more expensive? Thus, after setting the stage to allow the oil industry to enjoy significant profits and flooding our dollars to the Mideast, we're now blaming Democrats for blocking measures that will only keep us "addicted to oil" (Bush's 2006 State of the Union). We have to decide what our future will look like in 10 years -- McCain's vision of continued oil addiction (by drilling more) or by changing the game with domestic, price-stable renewable energy sources (wind, solar, geothermal) touted by Obama. America must decide what its future will be -- addiction or freedom! Your choice!

to Gratedane | 7:09 a.m. July 24, 2008

You need to add water to water ever you are drinking. The Bush admin. got us into this mess with their arrogant policies, etc. Demos have controlled congress by one vote in the senate... which doesn't really let you control, does it.

Drilling will get us new energy supplies in 10 years. Don't you think there are other ways to get to the promised land than through spoiling what little beauty is left to our grandchildren? How about conservation? Let's all be quiet now while we hear the President lead us in discussions about slowing down while driving, etc.

Pretty quiet, eh. Bush is an oil man and he is laughing at us. He will get a fat old seat on an oil company's board as soon as he walks out of the white house. Probably $2M a year? Why not... he has done their business.

Here is a thought for the day: if Bush can make the price go down, then why has he let it go up????

Hurry Obama!! Let's get honesty back into our government.

And Utah elects these people? | 7:09 a.m. July 24, 2008

Call Hatch ask him if he lost it. The stock market crash of 1987 was at least as big as the stock market crash in 1929. But, instead of being followed by a Great Depression, the 1987 crash was followed by 20 years of economic growth, with low inflation and low unemployment. The Reagan administration did nothing in 1987, despite outrage in the media at the government's failure to live up to its responsibility, as seen in liberal quarters. But nothing was apparently what needed to be done, so that markets could adjust. Nobody did anything. The last thing politicians can do in an election year is nothing. So we can look for all sorts of solutions by politicians of both parties. Like most political solutions, these are likely to make matters worse. We have a supply problem in oil; we've reached the tipping point at $4 + a gallon of gasoline, and you want to stop any progress in adding to our supply so you can continue to demonize the oil companies rather than participate in something that would be genuine progress for the people who elected you and the rest of the people in this country?.

We need new blood | 7:33 a.m. July 24, 2008

We need people willing to acknowledge that fault/blame lies on both sides of the aisle. We need people in the Republican party who can stand up and say the Republican party has lost its way and needs to return to its core values. We need Democrats who can stand up and say "Let's look at all options" and stop blocking every attempt at looking at those options. We need legislators who know that even if it takes 5 or 10 years to see the full results, we need to act NOW so in 5 or 10 years we're not paying $20/gallon at the pump and $5.00 for a loaf of bread. I know of at least one candidate this election cycle who has been willing to call a spade a spade. That man is Jason Chaffetz, who has long said that many of the current Republican reps have abandoned their base and their core principles. I'm excited to have him back in DC working on REAL options to our energy crisis. It will be a tough road, though, when the other party won't even come to the table.

Dave | 7:48 a.m. July 24, 2008

When Bush first took office, he had an energy plan that called for more drilling. It was not passed because all the paranoid Bush haters said he only wanted to make oil cos wealthy well guess what? The oil cos are making record profits now. because supply is tight. If Bush's energy proposal had been enacted we would be paying$2 for gas and the oil cos and OPEC would be making a lot less.

Bob G | 7:50 a.m. July 24, 2008

The issue is not oil, it's the general welfare of the american people. Why are the politicians passing blame when they should all be united for the American people? We need a united american policy, not a blame game that does noting but cause more disention and problems. This is where the Bush Cartel should be acting as leaders of a nation and not CEO's for business interests. This lack of leadership is our problem and Obama, McCain, Clinton, and Romney offer nothing better in leadership. The president should be thinking of a nation of people and our security at home. America can not remain a nation of power without control of its own territorial borders. A real national leader would be taking action like embargos on foreign oil and stop illegal aliens openly and blatantly violating our borders. An embargo would dump the price of oil to realistic levels. If we americans must be held hostage at high oil prices then we might as well take action to control our own course. Wars have taught the american people to come together and it must happen again with this economic war. Be americans first and demand America first leadership.

sob | 8:31 a.m. July 24, 2008

this is really all the democrats fault
they wanted us to stop using whale oil in 1905
and we've been paying the price since
now they want us to find a source other then arab oil to power our country.

Tom Paine | 9:06 a.m. July 24, 2008

The big oil Bush administration is directly responsible for the high oil prices. Bush is directly tied to big oil and to the Saudi royal family. Cheney to big oil and Haliburton. Condie Rice to big oil. If anyone believes that these people have any empathy for people who are not in the same circles or on the same socioeconomic level as themselves, then they need to think again. These people care about 2 things, wealth and power, and they'll do whatever it takes to get both. Even if that means running the US into the ground, which they've done. It's only Republicans who are suffering from cognitive dissonance who don't realize that fact.

Re: Tom Paine | 9:38 a.m. July 24, 2008

Tell the truth on the "WHO IS" is directly responsible for the high oil prices - it's - Union big Labor, radical groups like MoveOn.org, and George Soros hype and pie-in-the-sky promises and other left-wing billionaires plus the media filter that blanket candidate Barack Hussein Obama, sacrificing our economy at the alter, that is - that's who.

United States ? | 9:48 a.m. July 24, 2008

United we stand, United we fall. We as a people have eleceted poor officials. We dont hold the officials accountable. Most politicians have private agendas to benifit themselves. We have not been educated or involved on the issues. Get involved on city, state, and national level. Demand results and change. What are our state elected officials really doing? We need to become independant of foreign oil, that means new drilling, new refineries. The enviromentalist need to sell there cars, not use natural gas, walk or ride a bike everywhere, and install solar panels, otherwise they are hypocrits that add to and have huge carbon footprints. Lets get in the game people, dont let the minority control your future.

Guilty | 10:27 a.m. July 24, 2008

Congress has known for 30+ years that there was an impending oil crisis - and lobbyists for the oil companies, auto industry, etc. have kept congress from acting.

You want to find a scapegoat? Point your finger at ALL the members of congress over the past several decades. Republicians and Democrats are ALL guilty.

To: Demos fault Right! | 10:43 a.m. July 24, 2008

Please remember that the Republicans were in control for a very short time (94-03). The rest of the time the Demos have been hard at work destroying this country.

sob | 11:03 a.m. July 24, 2008

re tom paine

if your rant wasn't so pityful it would be hilarious
you must live in utah county and think mccain is a liberal and communists still rule the world.

sob | 11:05 a.m. July 24, 2008

that was to re re tom pain by the way 9:38

Uintah Basin Oilfield | 12:10 p.m. July 24, 2008

You people are clueless, we drill 20 new oil wells a week. You don't get the oil industry. We are drilling. I have been here for 25 years and Reagan did the most damage to the domestic oil fields. He passed laws that would not allow us to build roads on BLM lands and he stopped oil production. Building a field and getting manpower in place to move the oil takes years to set up. Our refineries in SLC are so bad that any storm knocks them out of production. This comes from Bush Sr. We have done more upgrading and drilling in the last 6 years then we have in the previous 30. The current administration is interested in foreign oil profits not domestic. We have the oil, and we have the ability to pull the oil. Why doesn't Bush let us?

Tom Paine | 1:19 p.m. July 24, 2008

Democratic administrations have been responsible for the recovery after the Depression, medicare, and the passage of civil rights. What have Republican administrations ever done to make the US a more equitable, more enlightened society? What Republicans stand for are money, big business, war profiteering, fouling the environment, hypocrisy in their religion, and greed.

Tom Paine | 1:29 p.m. July 24, 2008

The Republican solution to the energy problem is one of lining their own pockets from the coffers of big oil. Republicans want to drill more, giving their big oil friends more profits, and profiting themselves from their oil stocks and from donations from big oil. Their solution is no solution at all, it's more of the same. More Bush, more McCain, more Cheney, more Condie Rice.......and thinking American people are tired of it

CITIZEN | 2:11 p.m. July 24, 2008

Vote out all the jerks that have been there over two terms!!Throw the bums out that have raped this great country.THROW THE BUMS OUT!!!!

to Tom Paine | 2:11 p.m. July 24, 2008

I hate to say it... but you are right. The question is whether others will see the light, know their history, and dare to think.

Good call, Tom Paine.

2 GreatDane | 2:33 p.m. July 24, 2008

Boo Hoo! Hatch and his buddies can't do anything because of the mean democrats.

GreatDane,

Please make us a list of ALL the proactive energy policies the repubs put forward when they WERE IN POWER.

BTW: I'm an independent. Both parties are useless.

Devilion | 6:42 p.m. July 24, 2008

Why not put out a bill that allows all energy ideas to compete on the open market? If renewable energy can lower it's cost per kilo watt it would win. If it can't it loses. Free Market econnomy is what built America it worked tell Congress started messing with it.

Opposite of Progress is?

demo, repub or indie | 7:20 p.m. July 24, 2008

To be involved in politics in our country it pays to be either a republican or a democrat. Indep. people and indep. thinking is ok, sometimes even wonderful, but if you want to pull the wagon you have to get involved with one or the other of the two teams. Just a statement of fact.

My son likes to declare he is independent. He is, of course, until it comes time work with the team, the family, and to pull the wagon (meals, lawn being cared for, etc.). I like independece, and independent thinking, but in this nation of two strong parties it is best to join one, influence it accordingly, and help move the wagon for all of us.

GrateDane | 8:06 p.m. July 24, 2008

OK, I was challenged to list pro-Energy ideas by Republicans when "they were in power." I'm limited to 200 words, but basically, Republicans have put forward bills each year on pro-nuclear power (Jane Fonda goes nuts) , pro-pipelines ("not in my backyard!) , pro-electric lines (same), pro-hydropower (means you have to build a dam), pro-wind (Kennedy doesn't want it near Martha's Vineyard), clean coal technology (coal is "dirty" and melts the icecaps), off-shore oil and gas (might ruin my beach experience), .. I think you get the picutre. Republicans have never had 60 votes in the Senate.. and so, things like opening up ANWR to oil, which we shoudl have done 15 years ago.... lost in the Senate 3 or 4 years ago by only 1 vote!! Democrats have blocked all of these things, and continue to do so. Nancy Pelosi can afford $5 a gallon gas... She and her husband are worth $50 million. What about the rest of us? By the way, the 2-party system is the best in the world... Just name a country with a better system.. Americans need to pay more attention to the news and quit watching American Idol.

Glenn | 8:36 a.m. July 25, 2008

In 2001 Cheney met in secret with the country's oil executives and formulated a secret energy policy.
In 7 1/2 years oil has one from $25/barrel to between $125-$145/barrel.
The Poicy has been sucessful, The oil industry wins, you lose.

Black Gold - Texas Tea | 9:55 a.m. July 25, 2008

GrateDane: Nancy Pelosi might be able to afford $5 a gallon for gas. But let's not forget how the Republicans and the current administration have robbed this country blind with their business ties and association with the Saudi oil empire.

Cryos | 1:20 p.m. July 25, 2008

Unfortunately there is no point debating liberals anymore on energy. They have been coerced to follow the policies of the nutjob environmental whackos WHO WANT HIGH GAS PRICES. However they are too stupid to see logic if it doesn't involve democrats and idealism. Good luck to all the sane minded who haven't subscribed to the environmentalist extremism 3rd world country energy policies.

Cryos | 1:21 p.m. July 25, 2008

To add to my note I love how gullible liberals are to the "Big oil republican huge conspiracy theory" pushed by the media for years. Just goes to show you can push ridiculous ideas enough and people will believe them.

Liberals think about it. Your only argument is "we can't drill because republican big wig fatcats are tied into the oil industry." You are tools to the media's agenda I hope someday you wake up.

High oil prices | 5:52 p.m. July 25, 2008

Ah come on, Cryos. Drilling for shale oil and offshore oil drilling would take decades before any significant drop in the price of gas and oil prices would be noticed. It's all a republican shell game by Hatch and the other neocons to place the blame on the other political party. For you to believe such drilling would be an economic messiah is quite guillible on your part.

Besides, we all know "GOP" stands for the "Gas and Oil Party".

Bottom line | 11:50 p.m. July 25, 2008

Let's stop bickering about which party is to blame and hold our duly elected politicians accountable for their positions on the issue of energy regardless of party affiliation. If they are in favor of increasing domestic supply (more drilling and refineries in the US) and their votes show it then they deserve to stay in office. If they oppose it and insist on allowing prices to rise through the roof, let's throw the bums out! Remember folks, this is about the law of supply and demand. Our supply is limited by the middle east cartel which increases demand and raises prices and devalues our dollar. Why are we giving our enemies money to "terrorize" us? Why not instead use our resources to protect our interests? GWBush announced offshore drilling would be allowed and the price per barrel dropped $20 almost immediately, and our dollar value went back up for the first time since the beginning of this economic crisis. High gas prices equate to higher prices in everything else we buy. Let's keep the politicians who are looking out for our best economic interests.

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