The Blame Game

Bush has insisted that if Congressional leaders leave for the Fourth of July recess without taking action, they’ll need to explain why $4 a gallon gasoline is not enough incentive for them to act. He expects the Democrats in Congress to fix a problem that’s been decades in the making and claims it’s all their fault.

House Speaker, Nancy Pelosi responded: “Two oil men in the White House, they put together an energy policy that drove up the price of oil to $4 a gallon. And now they’re saying you’re going to have to drill your way out.”

Barack Obama pointed out: “There’s no way that allowing offshore drilling would lower gas prices right now. At best, you’re looking at five years or more down the road.”

The price of oil will be the a burning issue in this election year, so much so, that John McCain has reversed his position on offshore drilling. Now, he believes the federal government should lift restrictions and put our own reserves to use. He blasted Obama’s plan for more efficient cars and tax incentives to drive down gas prices.

Obama replied: “Senator McCain wants to give billions of dollars in tax breaks to big oil and opposes a windfall profit tax on oil companies like Exxon to help families struggling with high energy costs.”

Obama is emphasizing alternative energies and wants to meet the immediate crisis, with another $50 billion stimulus package. McCain wants to do more offshore drilling. Basically, it’s the old production argument versus changing our way of life sort of argument.

The only new issue is the gas tax vacation. McCain favors it and Obama doesn’t. Obama considers it more of a political ploy than anything realistic A gas tax vacation of eighteen cents a gallon wouldn’t make much difference to most people, because there is no short-term fix for gas prices. Obama’s state of Illinois tried a gas tax vacation, which resulted in the oil companies raising their prices.