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April 29, 2006

Big Oil Profits Trump National Security

The irony of the Republicans' response to rising oil company profits and gas prices begs for an explanation. They readily recognize that oil is a national security issue due to the fact that our entire economy relies on it. Because of this, they are willing to set aside American principles about the circumstances under which we will declare war on another country in order to preserve our access to oil. Protecting the country's oil supply is, to these people, unquestionably worth the loss of 2400 young Americans' lives, terrible injuries to thousands more, the deaths of at least 100,000 Iraqi civilians, the sparking of a civil war, and all the dangers associated with our use of depleted uranium, not to mention our loss of standing in the world.

But interfering with oil company profits to protect the access of Americans to affordable gasoline so we can keep our economy moving? That goes too far. Big Oil profits trump national security.

Thanks to some Republicans who actually care about their constituents, Congress has considered some pretty good options:

Among the Republican proposals offered this week as gas topped $3 a gallon: mandating more fuel-efficient cars, investigating oil companies and revoking federal tax breaks and subsidies for the oil industry.

Unfortunately, they are leaning toward some not-so-good ones:

Republicans also proposed several initiatives popular with their base of supporters, such as opening the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil drilling. ... Several Republican lawmakers proposed giving Americans $100 checks to ease the pain of higher gasoline prices.

Naturally, the ever-annoying talking heads scoffed at the Republicans proposing the good options:

"It just embarrasses me that Republicans are leading the effort, and it's just pure election-year politics," said Rush Limbaugh, the influential conservative talk-show host.

"Oil hit $75 a barrel recently and apparently transformed the Republicans into Democrats," commentator R. Emmett Tyrrell Jr. said in The American Spectator, a conservative periodical.

But I think Senator Chuck Schumer of New York summed it up best:

"High gas prices are going to be the final nail in the GOP coffin this election year. Every time drivers fill their cars up, they get a stark reminder how this Republican Congress takes a 'see no evil, hear no evil' approach to the oil industry as gas prices set new records. It's time for the American consumer to have a Congress that works hand in hand with them and not with the oil executives."

Posted by Becky at April 29, 2006 03:03 PM

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