Last time I checked there weren’t separate prices at the pump for Republicans and Democrats and Independents? I don’t think anyone on this list is happy with hundreds of billions of dollars going to countries who hate us and kill Americans!

Clearly, both political parties have failed us with respect to Energy Independence, and we are now seeing the result of that. Four-twenty at the pump is just the tip of the iceberg; food prices have skyrocketed, as has everything else.

If Dems want to blame Republicans, go ahead. If Reps want to blame Democrats, go ahead. In the end, it will not solve a single problem, except piss each other off and get nothing done (see your current Congress).

Our problem is an American problem caused by Democratic and Republican administrations that did little if anything to prevent our current crisis. Congressmen, I recently heard, pay 60 cents a gallon for gas; so they are not effected the way we are, particularly when many of them are wealthy and have, in the past, voted pay raises for themselves while in session. No one on this list has the power and privilege.

So, please relax. Let’s just be happy that for the first time, leaders from both parties are at least acknowledging the problem.

David

Here is a quote from Sen Obama, regarding this issue:
“This is a guy who lives in my neighborhood, who’s a professor of English in Chicago, who I know and who I have not received some official endorsement from. He’s not somebody who I exchange ideas from on a regular basis.
And the notion that somehow as a consequence of me knowing somebody who engaged in detestable acts 40 years ago when I was 8 years old, somehow reflects on me and my values, doesn’t make much sense, George.
The fact is, is that I’m also friendly with Tom Coburn, one of the most conservative Republicans in the United States Senate, who during his campaign once said that it might be appropriate to apply the death penalty to those who carried out abortions.”

2. You already have stated in 91 that you were wrong about this…thats cool. My point was why bring it up at all?
3. It costs oil companies less than $10 per barrel to extract and ship a barrel of oil. The “finding” costs to explore and develop an oil field range from $5 per barrel in the Middle East to $67 per barrel off of the U.S. coast. These are production costs. So when the market price jumps due to speculators, political unrest, supply disruption, or other similar events, it is a windfall for the oil company. Yes…Oil companies have it rough. They also have massive tax loopholes. They may SAY that a tax like this will raise prices, but it is just a reason to keep the extra money they are making.
4. Answered above
5. “Not so fast, says Jorge Pinon, an energy fellow with the Center for Hemispheric Policy at the University of Miami. First, China doesn’t hold any offshore oil concessions in Cuba. And though the island nation has partnered with a number of nations proficient in deep water drilling, there’s not been any action since June 2004 because the deep water drilling equipment is needed elsewhere, Pinon says. And some of the companies have expressed reservations about how to turn the potential crude into product: Cuba doesn’t have the refinery capacity and the Cuban embargo prohibits it from coming to the U.S.”

What we need to focus on is doing more with what we have and expanding where we get our energy from (wind, solar, tidal, etc on a house to house basis). I think that the Volt will be very helpful in this regard but it is just the first move. As I said, 5 – 10 years before you see a drop of oil and then you have all the problems attached to oil (environmental spills, air pollution, staying hooked on oil). It only takes two years to make a solar plant.

6. You agreed that gun control should be in moderation. Guns in the hands of law abiding sportsman and hunters = good. Guns in the hands of criminals=bad. Now, how we make that happen is the rub.
7. You agreed with me on this one
8. You didn’t try to rebut this one
9. You didn’t try to rebut this one
10. This country is made of immigrants and I agree that we need to have a sound and controlled border. If you went to the web site I listed you would have seen that Sen. Obama has a multi pronged plan to address this (I have it here in bullet form but you can see the whole plan at http://www.barackobama.com/issues/immigration/):

• Create Secure Borders
• Improve Our Immigration System
• Remove Incentives to Enter Illegally
• Bring People Out of the Shadows
• Work with Mexico

Personally, I think that the two most important are working with Mexico and removing incentives to enter illegally. You still have to deal with all the immigrants who are here. You talk of secure borders in the physical sense, I am talking about a mental barrier in addition. Working with Mexico means helping them make life better in Mexico and reducing the incentive for them to make a dangerous journey across the border where they could die trying. (i.e. jobs, quality of life, etc.).

I will just post an portion of the original post without the supporting links for each one. This is all voting record stuff so no conjecture here.

Barack Obama voted to allow reckless lawsuits designed to bankrupt the firearms industry.

Barack Obama wants to re-impose the failed and discredited Clinton Gun Ban.2

Barack Obama voted to ban almost all rifle ammunition commonly used for hunting and sport shooting.3

Barack Obama has endorsed a complete ban on handgun ownership.2

Barack Obama supports local gun bans in Chicago , Washington , D.C., and other cities.4

Barack Obama voted to uphold local gun bans and the criminal prosecution of people who use firearms in self-defense.5

Barack Obama supports gun owner licensing and gun registration.6

Barack Obama refused to sign a friend-of-the-court Brief in support of individual Second Amendment rights in the Heller case.

Barack Obama opposes Right to Carry laws.7

Barack Obama was a member of the Board of Directors of the Joyce Foundation, the leading source of funds for anti-gun organizations and “research.”8

Barack Obama supported a proposal to ban gun stores within 5 miles of a school or park, which would eliminate almost every gun store in America.9

Barack Obama voted not to notify gun owners when the state of Illinois did records searches on them.10

Barack Obama voted against a measure to lower the Firearms Owners Identification card age minimum from 21 to 18, a measure designed to assist young people in the military.11

Barack Obama favors a ban on standard capacity magazines.12

Barack Obama supports mandatory micro-stamping.13

Barack Obama supports mandatory waiting periods.2

Barack Obama supports repeal of the Tiahrt Amendment, which prohibits information on gun traces collected by the BATFE from being used in reckless lawsuits against firearm dealers and manufacturers.14

Barack Obama supports one-gun-a-month sales restrictions.9

Barack Obama supports a ban on inexpensive handguns.9

Barack Obama supports a ban on the resale of police issued firearms, even if the money is going to police departments for replacement equipment.9

Barack Obama supports mandatory firearm training requirements for all gun owners and a ban on gun ownership for persons under the age of 21. 9

The number after each point goes to the numbered link which I have omitted this time to hopefully prevent a long moderation wait.