Where’s the Proof, Rep. Walz???
Last week, Rep. Tim Walz came out against expanding oil exploration. That isn’t shocking in the least bit. What it is, though, is proof that Rep. Walz consistently buys into the liberal line. that’s why MN-1 needs to retire him this November.
U.S. Rep. Tim Walz said President Bush’s efforts to pressure Congress to lift a federal ban on some offshore oil drilling would do nothing to move the United States in the direction of a sensible energy policy or substantially lower gas prices.
Calling the issue a red herring, the first-term Democrat also said he was prepared to call oil companies’ bluff. He said federal law should be changed to penalize oil companies for not using the leases they already have.
Federal law already stipulates that an oil company must sink a producing well within 10 years or lose the lease. The legislation Walz supports would deprive oil companies of the ability to lease new federal offshore areas until they’ve drilled on all their existing leases, an aide said.
“This idea, this red herring, that all of a sudden you’re going to drill and everything is going to be better, as if the market fundamentals are at work here, that’s not happening,” Walz said. “These are the same people that are (getting) $40 billion in profit.”
First of all, what proof is Rep. Walz using in saying that increasing oil production won’t affect gas prices at the pump? Is he basing his opinion on market principles or is he basing this off the talking points the Environmental lobby has given him to speak from?
One thing that I know is that his opinion isn’t based on this study:
These restrictions effectively banned new offshore energy production off the Atlantic and Pacific coasts, parts of offshore Alaska, and the eastern Gulf of Mexico. Recent DOI estimates put the amount of energy in these off-limits areas at 19.1 billion barrels of oil and 83.9 trillion cubic feet of natural gas, approximately 30 years’ worth of imports from Saudi Arabia and enough natural gas to power America’s homes for 17 years. It should also be noted that these initial estimates tend to be low.
OCS restrictions are a relic of the past. They were put in place at a time when energy was cheap, the need for additional domestic supplies was not seen as dire, and the political path of least resistance was to give in to environmentalists. All that has changed, with more than a quadrupling of oil and natural gas prices since the restrictions were first imposed. Extra energy is badly needed, and the risk of producing it has been reduced. All new drilling would be subject to strict safeguards and would require state-of-the-art technology with a proven track record for limiting the risk of spills.
Conclusion
The President can bring America one step closer to accessing promising sources of domestic oil and natural gas for decades to come. He should lift the existing executive moratorium against OCS exploration. More important, Congress must show the nation that it is serious about meeting our energy needs by supporting the production of American energy from American waters.
Is Rep. Walz willing to argue that tapping into the equivalent of 30 years worth of imported Saudi oil and enough natural gas to power America’s homes for 17 years won’t have a serious impact on home heating and gas prices? If he’s willing to argue against this study, then that’s grounds for questioning his objectivity and his competence to serve Minnesota’s First District. Minnesota’s First District can’t afford that type of irresponsible behavior from its representative. No legislative district should be forced to suffer through such irresponsible behavior.
This is why policies matter. That’s why voters do themselves a disservice in not vetting the candidates enough on the issues. Tim Walz never was qualified to represent anyone in the Unite States House of Representatives. The proof is in how uninformed he is and irresponsibly he’s acting on the most important issue of this election cycle.
Fortunately, the First District has a choice this time because Brian Davis takes this issue seriously:
Davis said gas prices might not automatically drop if the country drills for more oil domestically. But they almost certainly will go up if the country does nothing to further develop its domestic oil reserves, he maintains.
“I repeatedly hear from Congressman Walz that markets fail. He has an adversarial relationship, it appears, with corporate America. It doesn’t seem as if he understands the free market and supply and demand,” Davis said.
Residents of Minnesota’s first district owe it to themselves and to each other whether they want someone who believes in capitalism or if they want someone who doesn’t understand or is ambivalent towards capitalism.
I seriously doubt that people think highly of a legisltor who is indifferent to the principles of capitalism. That means there’s only one real choice. That means voting for Brian Davis.
letfreedomringblog.com Categories: Economy, Energy, Environmental Extremism, Election 2008, Tim Walz
