<p>The Dems have turned off the lights to go on vacation without doing a thing about gas prices. The GOP is still working, still on the floor while Pelosi leaves for her 5 week vacation.</p>
<p>[The</a> Crypt: House Dems turn out the lights but GOP keeps talking - Politico.com](<a href=“House Dems turn out the lights but GOP keeps talking - POLITICO”>House Dems turn out the lights but GOP keeps talking - POLITICO)</p>
<p>Gas prices are set in a “so-called” free market. Is the GOP calling for big government intervention - in the next five weeks? Do they want to curb the oil speculators? Put a cap on prices? Add a windfall profits tax?</p>
<p>The Democrats are going on vacation without doing anything about gas prices. At least the Republicans are trying!</p>
<p>But WHAT are they trying? Have they become big government socialists? What are they proposing that will reduce gas prices in the next five weeks?</p>
<p>A silly stunt. I think it quite apropos that they were left talking to each other in the dark.</p>
<p>Big government socialist? LOL Thats the Democrats! The Democrats won’t even take a vote on offshore drilling! They refuse to even try!</p>
<p>The story linked at the top of this thread is absolutely hilarious.</p>
<p>The Democrats have made an artform of shooting themselves in the foot and Nancy Pelosi stars as Annie Oakley with bad aim.</p>
<p>“Big government socialist? LOL Thats the Democrats! The Democrats won’t even take a vote on offshore drilling! They refuse to even try!”</p>
<p>Offshore oil drilling won’t affect prices for 7-10 years. So I ask AGAIN: what government intervention are the Republicans proposing that will affect gas prices in the next five weeks?</p>
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<p>Stunts work. The Republicans using the poster of an old VW with a sail on top as “the Democrats Energy Plan” is brilliant. Just brilliant. Fits perfectly with the Democratic Presidential candidate’s Carteresque call for Americans to do their part and put air in their tires as the solution to our energy problems.</p>
<p>Democrats are so easy to lampoon.</p>
<p>The Do Nothing Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid congress.</p>
<p>I really expected better fron these two. In 2006 they said they had plans to move the country on a right track, I am still waiting for them to unveil these plans.</p>
<p>Strangely (and wierdly) enough, air in the tires, done nationally, would have a greater effect on gas prices in the next five weeks than drilling for oil. (But neither will happen.)</p>
<p>Lifting the ban on offshore drilling does affect the futures market thus affecting the price at the pump.</p>
<p>But mini, how many cars don’t have enough air in their tires? This is the problem with estimates, you can pick what number you want, and get the desired results.</p>
<p>[I am neither for nor against offshore drilling]</p>
<p>But to a much greater extent does rebel activity in Nigeria, pipeline expansion in Kazakhstan, recessionary trends in India, and the ban on cars during the Olympics in Beijing.</p>
<p>But probably none as much as air in the tires (which won’t happen). (There are estimates which I can look up, but since it won’t happen, it is academic. Similarly with offshore drilling - we have no idea what would actually be produced.)</p>
<p>I similarly am neither for nor against offshore drilling, but after an initial blip in the futures market, am quite sure that decisions taken would have no lasting effect on pump prices - the speculators are not stupid, and they’ve got a good thing going.)</p>
<p>I’m convinced that we have many “dim lights” out there…how could there not be with Bush getting in a second time? So yeah, stupid stunts like this might have some impact. It’s right there with the “gas tax” holiday. Most folks out there just don’t get that oil drilling won’t do anything in the near future. Too complicated. It’s sad.
“Optics” can count - and this is not a good one for the dems… but really, things are so bad right now that the GOP doesn’t have much of a shot come November.</p>
<p>The stupidest stunt (or gimmick) out there is Obama’s proposal to give everyone a one time $1000 for energy cost, and he will finance it by putting a windfall tax on oil companies. I have to say, I don’t feel comfortable with his economic advisors if they also agree with this dumb idea. Carter tried this in the 70’s and it failed miserably. </p>
<p>Did they check how much tax Exxon paid to the government this year? How about the profit margin of the oil companies compared with other industries?</p>
<p>His campaign found out that this dumb idea is polling well, and they decided to push it.</p>
<p>What exactly is a Windfall profit?</p>
<p>
[Mouth</a> Of The Potomac - NY Daily News](<a href=“http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/dc/2008/07/inflated-tires-hot-air.html]Mouth”>http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/dc/2008/07/inflated-tires-hot-air.html)
Llink provided to:
[AAA</a> and Partners to Share Gas Saving and Tire Safety Tips With Car Owners](<a href=“http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2008/04/23/084957.html]AAA”>AAA and Partners to Share Gas Saving and Tire Safety Tips With Car Owners)</p>
<p>I’m neither for or against offshore drilling. But this seems to me a more immediate remedy. Individual car owners who have properly inflated tires already will not be using less gas than they do; but they would benefit from lower gas prices resulting from lower demand by other drivers who currently have underinflated tires. Meanwhile, one can continue exploring the pros and cons of offshore drilling, and maybe even start drilling.</p>
<p>Marite, it is a good idea to always have your tires inflated to the required level, but how many cars out there have less air than necessary?</p>
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<p>I agree with this point.</p>
<p>The advice about inflating the tires reminds so much of Jimmy Carter asking “US to just wear a sweater”. LOL</p>
<p>Or Nancy Reagan’s “Just Say No” to drugs. … Maintaining proper air pressure apparently does help improve fuel efficiency, even if just a little, and it also makes for a safer ride. Every little bit helps. :)</p>