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What A Week: Energy

The Republican Protest of the No-Vote Vacation continues today, with no end in sight.  CSPAN showed the following press conference [1] (video courtesy John Boehner’s office) featuring House Minority Leader John Boehner (Ohio), Mike Pence (Indiana), and Jon Porter (Nevada).  Excellent, concise, brought a solid message back from their constituents, and continuing the push forward.  Worth the 13 minutes to watch:

The best part of the message was the encouragement to all of us to call our congressmen.  Call (202)224-2121 and ask to be connected to your congressman/woman. Call and speak to Pelosi as well.  Let your them all know you want them back to work in Washington right now to get this energy legislation voted on.  And let them know that if they don’t vote for you, you won’t vote for them!

More good news (via Ed Morrissey at Hot Air [2]): Fifteen Republican Senators, including Iowa’s own Chuck Grassley, have begun to follow in the steps of their lower house colleagues and released the video below. They also encourage calling Senator Harry Reid and your senator

List of Senators on the video: Lamar Alexander (Tennessee), Sam Brownback (Kansas), Elizabeth Dole (North Carolina),  Lisa Murkowski (Alaska), Pat Roberts (Kansas), Mel Martinez (Florida), Kit Bond (Missouri), Pete Dominici (New Mexico), David Vitter (Lousiana), Wayne Allard (Colorado), John Thune (South Dakota), Chuck Grassley (Iowa), Bob Corker (Tennessee), Richard Burr (North Carolina), Thad Cochran (Mississippi). Let these folks know you appreciate their efforts!!!

Captain Ed also brings us some insights [3] from the latest Chatham House report [4] (31 pages of actual content).  The British think tank is telling us that the price of oil will reach $200/bbl in the next decade if we don’t act to find new sources of oil soon or dramatically reduce the demand.  As Morrissey points out, the problem is a purely man-made one, one of international and domestic politics intended to provide various degrees of flawed protectionism.  One more major piece of evidence that action is required NOW!

From the Wall Street Journal web site [5] this evening:

Oil futures, which climbed $1.44 on Thursday, ended down $4.82, or 4%, to a three-month low $115.20 a barrel in New York amid continuing anxiety about demand and a sharp rebound in the dollar. On the week, the commodity slid 7.9%.

On the radio I keep hearing all this mumbo jumbo about how the current demand for gasoline dropping as if current demand were the ONLY factor impacting oil prices.  I’m convinced that voices of Congressional Republicans and the American People are being heard loud and clear by the markets and foreign interests.

When McCain spoke today at the Iowa State Fair (Radio Iowa covered the story nicely [6]!  Including an audio of the speech [7]!), he hit the energy topic and stated (and I agree) that he wants to see us get on with of-shore drilling, but that we need to eventually build a comprehensive plan using multiple sources of energy, with a special emphasis on nuclear energy (which, he was able to pronounce correctly).

Daring was he to once again come before Iowan’s and tell them something they don’t want to hear.  Several months ago he came to Iowa and professed his opposition to the 2008 Farm Bill (which admittedly had problems).  Today, he restated his position on Federal Ethanol Subsidies (that is, he opposes them).  Iowa farmers, who benefit from these subsidies, have not been happy about his position and amazingly was not heckled about it… he mentioned it in a somewhat conciliatory tone, which I think helped, and admitted that we will not agree on everything, but can agree on most things and that his highest priority remains the American People.

One more thing about this week and energy: I rode my bicycle to work for the first time in over decade.  Total travel distance was, I think, about 25 miles.  Those of you who know me will realize that the exercise I’m getting from this will far outweigh the value of the gas savings (I’m a about 270 lbs., and should be at about 200 or less).  I made the trek on Tuesday, Wednesday morning’s schedule precluded using my bike, and Thursday and Friday were vacation days spent partly at the State Fair (sorry folks, riding my bike THAT far is not an option just yet).  My goal is to use the bike two to three times a week until it is too cold to ride anymore this year.  Total savings per day: $3.00+.

I’ll let you know how the weightloss goes.