Republicans Claim Their Protest Has Lowered Gas Prices

Even though McCain's ex-economic advisor Phil Gramm set off an uproar last month for saying Americans are experiencing a "mental" recession and we are a "nation of whiners," Republicans continue to assert the country's economic woes can be solved with a few encouraging words. Just two weeks ago, McCain claimed Bush's announcement that he would lift the presidential ban on offshore drilling has lowered oil prices. It's not surprising that McCain would give Bush that credit since he did say in June that his own offshore drilling proposal would have mostly "psychological" benefits. The Republicans clearly think these are "psychological" benefits that reduce gas prices. And why wouldn't they think the collective US mindset can lower gas prices when they think it can create recessions...?

Republicans on Capitol Hill are telling the media today that this magic formula is working for them. They are saying their protest to hold a vote on an energy package that includes offshore drilling has led to lower gas prices. Yes, their protest, which has mainly consisted of speeches to tourists, has helped lowered gas prices! Problem is, the protest was to be able to vote on domestic drilling and that hasn't happened. So they are saying their failed protest is in fact lowering oil prices. But wasn't the point of the protest to get a vote on the bill because that was the only thing that could lower gas prices? If you want to continue to be confused then read more from the Hill:

House Republicans on Tuesday said their protest of Speaker Nancy Pelosi's (D-Calif.) decision not to allow a vote on expanded offshore oil drilling has helped lower gas prices.

Heading into a third day of speeches in the near-empty chamber, Republicans acknowledged that the average price of gas and oil has declined in recent weeks. But they claimed credit for part of that reduction.

Watch video clips from the protest posted by Congressman John Culberson.

Comments

[jfor]

Taking credit for gas that costs $3.75 a gallon is pretty dumb in my book but hey they're Republicans.

[BlueStateMan]

In Los Angeles it's more like $4.85

[rcozad]

Another way to look at it is the Democrat plan to take 5 weeks off was sheer genius!

[BlueStateMan]

There is no such entity as the "Democrat Party", dittohead.

Try again.

[Boboday555]

That was the GOP's plan pinhead!

NOW GO ENLIST!
George W. AWOL still needs all his supporters to pony up and enlist.
Halliburton's bottom line isn't going to protect itself!

[jfor]

That wouldnt be the plan that McCain jumped on even though ALL his economic advisors panned it now would it?

[joebiz]

The GOP IS supposed to speak up for the rights of the nation. The party in power are supposed to do something for the working and middle classes.

It's their job to be PROACTIVE and not allow social and economic issues, that they actually helped create, get to point where they hurt families, children, the poor, and the nation.

But, they were proactive in getting us the following:

Here are some of their accomplishments:
*derailed the economy by shriking and disappearing the national surplus;
*created a multi-billion dollar outstanding federal debt;
*spent a trillion dollars in the Middle East;
*increased inflation;
*devalued the dollar;
*promoted the housing crisis;
*have not support energy policies that save fuel and save the environment;
*exported high paying manufacturing jobs abroad consequently shrinking the corporate tax base;
*stripped Americans of valuable civil liberties and rights, some without the right to due process;
*sided with the Executive in not allowing the US to tap into the strategic oil reserves, and
the list goes on and on.

This November, kick the BUMS out of office!!

[jkpcguru]

Calling Keith Olbermann.... Calling Keith Olbermann... your needed on Countdown to mock this group of stooges!

[Veeve]

People!

Did you grunions already forget HOW precipitously gas prices fell in Sept-Oct of '02, '04, and '06?

Do you guys even realize that 30% of refinery capacity isn't even being used by the clowns of the 'Big 4' oil comapnies?

Did EVERYONE forget how precipitously gas prices SHOT UP in February of '01?????????
---- Congress had a mock investigation into price gouging and everything!

Get a clue, folks; it's simply collusion between the 'Big 4' and the added support of their shill repugnican allies in Congress and the White House.

[watcher269]

Republicans Claim Their Protest Has Lowered Gas Prices

-----------------

That's because the Oil Companies withheld their Republican election contributions because they are soooo stupid!

That's the real reason the oil prices came down.

[Boboday555]

In case it slipped your mind, here are some other classic republican claims!
Iraq has WMDs!
Iraq and Afghanistan were in cahoots over 9/11.
The Iraq Oil War will only last 6 months!
The Iraq Oil War will only cost United States taxpayers $100 million.
The Iraq Oil War will be paid for by Iraqi oil!
Iraq bought Yellow Cake from Niger!
We had nothing to do with outting Valerie Plame!
We'll be greeted as liberators!
Cutting taxes (during our nation's time of war) for billionaires will make us all rich!
We will bring Osama bin Laden to Justice!
Saddam Hussein and Osama bin Suckhole were in on 9/11 together!
We LOVE the United States Constitution.

Sorry but this country has had about all the baseless "Republican Claims" it can stand!!!

[GV97]

Dear Republicans..... and "dear friends".......
We are driving less when we can.... and the oil people are getting nervous.

When we can start enforcing some of Sen.Obama's energy plans..... the price of oil
will REALLY come down.

[Boboday555]

...but aren't you the same republican wizards that CLAIMED Iraq had WMDs, that we'd be greeted as liberators, that the Oil War would only last six months and only cost us $100 million?

Sorry but we've had just about enough of baseless republican claims!
Now run along, we Americans have a country to fix!

[ReasonIsMyReligion]

I don't know what's funnier:

Claiming credit for gas coming down from double what it was a short while ago to only 1.9x as much.... or a rooster taking credit for the sunrise.

[Boboday555]

The only "Psychological Effect" I see is that McK-Street and his supporters are CRAZY!

[Boboday555]

Sorry Bushies and McCainanites...Jesus spoke to me just now and He said oil and gas prices have come down due to a decrease in demand.
Adding that it had nothing whatsoever to do with "those uneducated confederate Bible Thumpers"
His words, not mine!

[Arguman]

Oh, also: What are they going to take credit for next? Making the sun come up between 4 and 5:30 AM and going back down around 7?

"Look! I made half a day last 12 hours just by thinking it! Vote for me!"

[Arguman]

How delusional. I think they are completely wrong. I've been closing my eyes shut really tightly and wishing really hard that gas prices would go down for the last few weeks, and voila! So it's not them, it's me.

[locuslily]

Off shore drilling would take 7 years to see a difference in prices at the pump. Even if there were a "pyschological effect" happening it would take more than a couple days to take effect, they're claiming something that is blatentley false.
I think that it is sickening that we live in a world where our politicians can say ANYTHING and claim it as fact, even if what they say is completely false and completely ridiculous.
I can't take this anymore.

[Boboday555]

1. THREE FIFTHS OF THE LAND ALREADY LEASED TO BIG OIL REMAINS UNDEVELOPED!!!

2. THE GOP KILLED A BILL TWO WEEKS AGO THAT WOULD HAVE FORCED THE FILTH IN BIG OIL TO DRILL ON THE LAND ALREADY LEASED TO THEM BEFORE THEY EVEN THINK ABOUT RISKING SOME OF THE MOST PRODUCTIVE FISHING GROUNDS ON EARTH BY DRILLING OFFSHORE!

3. SENATOR JOHN MCK-STREET'S BIG OIL CAMPAIGN DONATIONS SHOT FROM $200,000 TO $1 MILLION THE DAY AFTER HE ANNOUNCED HE FLIP FLOPPED AGAIN AND IS NOW ALL FOR OFFSHOE DRILLING!

Now we know you McCainanites don't like Americans...heck, we don't really like you idiots either but come on, how childish can you be?
Don't you neo-con adults know when you're being played?
No?
Hey, I have some lovely swampland in Florida you should take a look at!

[Peachstealth]

Oil leases are sold at public auction and expire after 10 years unless there is producing well on that land at the end of that time.
In that 10 year period, the lease holder has to explore, drill and if oil is found, establish a pipeline to get the oil to a terminal or refinery.
I see three posibilities.
1) It's a recient lease and the land is still being explored
2) the land has been explored, oil was found and the infrastrusture to remove the oil is being built.
3) the land was explored and no oil found or not found in quantities to make it economically fiesable to remove it

If there was oil on those leases don't you think it would be stupid to sit on it knowing the price of oil is near an all time high and they are going to lose the right to it after 10 years?

[Boboday555]

So, McK-Street, his owners and you claim big oil can start getting oil out of unexplored, undeveloped federal land leases that lie ON THE OCEAN FLOOR before they can from those land based leases mentioned above?

Ha ha ha ha ha ha...why son, that's just silly!