In The News
WSJ: Strassel: Obama's Gas Price Migraine
Friday March 4, 2011
The Obama administration has its share of headaches: a possible government shutdown, Arab unrest, the union uprising. The real migraine may be a firestorm over gasoline prices.
Oil last week topped $100 a barrel, and gas has hit $4 a gallon in pockets of the country. The price is expected to keep heading up. This pain is being felt by a public still dazed by recession.
An immutable fact of expensive gasoline: Americans will find someone to blame. We can expect in coming months to hear many sober analysts attempt to explain the complex reasons for rising oil prices: inflation, Middle East tremors, growing demand. Expect, too, for all those reasons to vanish behind what most Americans will see as the far more obvious (and graspable) cause: President Obama's regulatory assault on domestic oil and gas production.
This is, after all, a White House that has put at the center of its domestic agenda its goal of a "green economy," which hinges on making fossil fuels too expensive for Americans to purchase. In January 2008, candidate Obama told the San Francisco Chronicle that under his cap-and-trade plan, "electricity rates would necessarily skyrocket." Steven Chu, now Secretary of Energy, told this newspaper in the same year: "Somehow, we have to figure out how to boost the price of gasoline to the levels in Europe." That would be, oh, $10 a gallon.
Oil last week topped $100 a barrel, and gas has hit $4 a gallon in pockets of the country. The price is expected to keep heading up. This pain is being felt by a public still dazed by recession.
An immutable fact of expensive gasoline: Americans will find someone to blame. We can expect in coming months to hear many sober analysts attempt to explain the complex reasons for rising oil prices: inflation, Middle East tremors, growing demand. Expect, too, for all those reasons to vanish behind what most Americans will see as the far more obvious (and graspable) cause: President Obama's regulatory assault on domestic oil and gas production.
This is, after all, a White House that has put at the center of its domestic agenda its goal of a "green economy," which hinges on making fossil fuels too expensive for Americans to purchase. In January 2008, candidate Obama told the San Francisco Chronicle that under his cap-and-trade plan, "electricity rates would necessarily skyrocket." Steven Chu, now Secretary of Energy, told this newspaper in the same year: "Somehow, we have to figure out how to boost the price of gasoline to the levels in Europe." That would be, oh, $10 a gallon.
AP: Dems join GOP in fight to block EPA climate rules
Thursday March 3, 2011
WASHINGTON -- Two senior Democrats are joining a Republican effort in the House to block the Environmental Protection Agency from reducing the gases blamed for global warming.
Rep. Nick Rahall (RAY'-hahl) of West Virginia and Rep. Collin Peterson of Minnesota will sponsor a bill drafted by Republicans that bars the EPA from using federal law to control greenhouse gases. The legislation was being introduced Thursday in the House and Senate.
Peterson helped the House narrowly pass a bill in June 2009 to limit heat-trapping pollution after making deals to ease the cost for farmers.
Rep. Nick Rahall (RAY'-hahl) of West Virginia and Rep. Collin Peterson of Minnesota will sponsor a bill drafted by Republicans that bars the EPA from using federal law to control greenhouse gases. The legislation was being introduced Thursday in the House and Senate.
Peterson helped the House narrowly pass a bill in June 2009 to limit heat-trapping pollution after making deals to ease the cost for farmers.
The Hill: Rahall to co-sponsor GOP bill to block EPA climate rules
Thursday March 3, 2011
Rep. Nick Rahall (D-W.Va.) will co-sponsor legislation set to be introduced later Thursday to permanently block the Environmental Protection Agency from regulating greenhouse gas emissions.
Rahall is the second Democrat to sign on to the legislation. Rep. Collin Peterson (D-Minn.) will also co-sponsor the legislation slated to be introduced Thursday by House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton (R-Mich.) and Rep. Ed Whitfield (R-Ky.), who chairs the panel's energy subcommittee.
Blake Androff, Rahall's spokesman, confirmed Thursday morning that the lawmaker will be an "original co-sponsor" of the legislation.
Rahall is the second Democrat to sign on to the legislation. Rep. Collin Peterson (D-Minn.) will also co-sponsor the legislation slated to be introduced Thursday by House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton (R-Mich.) and Rep. Ed Whitfield (R-Ky.), who chairs the panel's energy subcommittee.
Blake Androff, Rahall's spokesman, confirmed Thursday morning that the lawmaker will be an "original co-sponsor" of the legislation.
WATCH: Senators spar during hearing over alleged 1970s global cooling consensus (Daily Caller)
Thursday March 3, 2011
Senate Environment and Public Works Committee members sparred Wednesday over whether there existed a consensus in the 1970s that the earth was cooling.
During the hearing, Republican Sens. James Inhofe of Oklahoma and John Barrasso of Wyoming questioned the supposed need to enact policies to combat global warming by pointing to similar predictions in the 1970s of a global cooling phenomenon.
The exchange started with Barrasso addressing the committee's witness, Environmental Protection Agency Director Lisa Jackson.
During the hearing, Republican Sens. James Inhofe of Oklahoma and John Barrasso of Wyoming questioned the supposed need to enact policies to combat global warming by pointing to similar predictions in the 1970s of a global cooling phenomenon.
The exchange started with Barrasso addressing the committee's witness, Environmental Protection Agency Director Lisa Jackson.
Dem to co-sponsor bill to rein in EPA (Politico Pro)
Wednesday March 2, 2011
House Republicans can claim "bipartisanship" in their bid to handcuff the EPA's climate change rules.
Rep. Collin Peterson (D-Minn.) told POLITICO on Wednesday that he will be co-sponsoring the legislation from House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton (R-Mich.) and Rep. Ed Whitfield (R-Ky.) that puts a freeze on EPA's regulatory agenda for major industrial polluters like power plants and petroleum refiners.
"The EPA needs to be reined in," said Peterson, the top Democrat on the House Agriculture Committee and a frequent critic of the agency.
Upton and Whitfield, the chairman of the Energy and Power Subcommittee, have been offering small changes to their bill in their courtship of moderate and conservative Democrats like Peterson. Support from House Democrats, they hope, will put pressure on Senate Democrats and the Obama White House to accept their legislation.
"We want to get as many as we can, and we have reason to believe we'll have a number of Democrats," Whitfield told reporters.
House GOP aides were still trying to put a full list together of House Democratic co-sponsors as of late Wednesday and couldn't confirm additional names. But the field of potential Democrats numbers around 13, considering the list of lawmakers who crossed the aisle during last month's floor vote on anti-EPA language attached to the fiscal 2011 spending bill.
Those members include Georgia's John Barrow, Oklahoma's Dan Boren, Illinois's Jerry Costello, Indiana's Joe Donnelly, Wisconsin's Ron Kind, West Virginia's Nick Rahall, Arkansas's Mike Ross, California's Dennis Cardoza and Jim Costa, and Pennsylvania's Jason Altmire, Mark Critz and Tim Holden.
Rep. Collin Peterson (D-Minn.) told POLITICO on Wednesday that he will be co-sponsoring the legislation from House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton (R-Mich.) and Rep. Ed Whitfield (R-Ky.) that puts a freeze on EPA's regulatory agenda for major industrial polluters like power plants and petroleum refiners.
"The EPA needs to be reined in," said Peterson, the top Democrat on the House Agriculture Committee and a frequent critic of the agency.
Upton and Whitfield, the chairman of the Energy and Power Subcommittee, have been offering small changes to their bill in their courtship of moderate and conservative Democrats like Peterson. Support from House Democrats, they hope, will put pressure on Senate Democrats and the Obama White House to accept their legislation.
"We want to get as many as we can, and we have reason to believe we'll have a number of Democrats," Whitfield told reporters.
House GOP aides were still trying to put a full list together of House Democratic co-sponsors as of late Wednesday and couldn't confirm additional names. But the field of potential Democrats numbers around 13, considering the list of lawmakers who crossed the aisle during last month's floor vote on anti-EPA language attached to the fiscal 2011 spending bill.
Those members include Georgia's John Barrow, Oklahoma's Dan Boren, Illinois's Jerry Costello, Indiana's Joe Donnelly, Wisconsin's Ron Kind, West Virginia's Nick Rahall, Arkansas's Mike Ross, California's Dennis Cardoza and Jim Costa, and Pennsylvania's Jason Altmire, Mark Critz and Tim Holden.
Tulsa World Editorial: Inhofe's Efforts Welcome on WRDA
"We agree with Inhofe's stance and hope he is successful in obtaining more funding for Oklahoma water projects."
Monday February 28, 2011
We agree with Inhofe's stance and hope he is successful in obtaining more funding for Oklahoma water projects. The simple truth is that if it weren't for the efforts of leaders like Inhofe and the others who are willing to advance earmarks, less populous states like Oklahoma would never get needed help on these fronts.
VIDEO: Inhofe turns tables on global warming ambushers - and gets it on tape (Daily Caller)
Friday February 18, 2011
Ambush journalism tactics are often effective, unless, of course, the target is as on his game as Oklahoma Republican Sen. James Inhofe. In recently released footage, a pack of global warming alarmists, led by journalist Mark Hertsgaard, attempt to surprise Inhofe after waiting an hour and a half outside a hearing of the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
In late January Hertsgaard explained his big scheme to "confront the climate cranks" in an article in The Nation."Our plan is to confront the climate cranks face to face, on camera, and call them to account for the dangers they have set in motion. We will highlight the ludicrousness of their antiscientific views, which alone should discredit them from further influence over US climate policies," he wrote.
The tables were turned, however, when instead of making Inhofe - whose cause celeb has been questioning the global warming agenda - look foolish, the senator made mince meat of his would-be ambusher. Fortunately, Matt Dempsey, Inhofe's communication's director, was there to catch it all on camera. Mark Hertsgaard later posted his own, highly edited version on his website. Not surprisingly, the full version tells a much different story than the edited version.
In late January Hertsgaard explained his big scheme to "confront the climate cranks" in an article in The Nation."Our plan is to confront the climate cranks face to face, on camera, and call them to account for the dangers they have set in motion. We will highlight the ludicrousness of their antiscientific views, which alone should discredit them from further influence over US climate policies," he wrote.
The tables were turned, however, when instead of making Inhofe - whose cause celeb has been questioning the global warming agenda - look foolish, the senator made mince meat of his would-be ambusher. Fortunately, Matt Dempsey, Inhofe's communication's director, was there to catch it all on camera. Mark Hertsgaard later posted his own, highly edited version on his website. Not surprisingly, the full version tells a much different story than the edited version.
WATCH: Hot Air: Inhofe on EPA battle, WH budget
Tuesday February 15, 2011
Yesterday, I sat down with Senator James Inhofe (R-OK) to discuss the latest developments in his battle to rein in the EPA and Lisa Jackson. Inhofe says that Barack Obama may have failed to succeed in getting cap-and-trade passed, but Inhofe says that Obama has been attempting to get the same result through EPA regulatory expansion. The Senator has a remarkable depth of expertise in the energy sector, which he puts to good use in this conversation. If we were allowed to get to our own resources, we would have enough oil and natural gas to supply American power for the next century, Inhofe says.
Of course, with the White House releasing its budget proposal, we also spoke about the surprisingly weak effort from Obama to contain spending. Inhofe predicts that the Senate Democrats will split from the President on this budget, especially those who are running in red states in 2012 - a number Inhofe puts at 11. "There are trillions in increases," Inhofe says, "but [defense cuts] are the only cuts I can find in this," and says that Obama's foreign policy and defense policy seems to rest on the notion that nations will hold hands and sing Kumbaya.
Of course, with the White House releasing its budget proposal, we also spoke about the surprisingly weak effort from Obama to contain spending. Inhofe predicts that the Senate Democrats will split from the President on this budget, especially those who are running in red states in 2012 - a number Inhofe puts at 11. "There are trillions in increases," Inhofe says, "but [defense cuts] are the only cuts I can find in this," and says that Obama's foreign policy and defense policy seems to rest on the notion that nations will hold hands and sing Kumbaya.
NYT/Greenwire: Inhofe seeks preservation of EPA records in agency's dispute with Texas
Tuesday February 15, 2011
A key Republican senator is taking an interest in a regional U.S. EPA administrator's fight with Texas officials about natural gas drilling.
Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.) sent a letter yesterday to EPA Inspector General Arthur Elkins Jr., asking him to preserve all records of communications connected to an emergency order issued late last year by EPA Region 6 Administrator Al Amendariz.
The order accused Range Resources Corp. of contaminating water wells near Fort Worth. Armendariz bypassed state officials to issue the order and accused them of not acting to help homeowners victimized by drilling (Greenwire, Feb. 11).
EPA officials have defended Armendariz's handling of the situation. But industry officials have criticized him, saying his communications with activists and EPA headquarters officials show he was more interested in publicity than in finding proof that violations existed. Range Resources has said there is little or no proof that the gas that contaminated the water wells came from its drilling operations.
Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.) sent a letter yesterday to EPA Inspector General Arthur Elkins Jr., asking him to preserve all records of communications connected to an emergency order issued late last year by EPA Region 6 Administrator Al Amendariz.
The order accused Range Resources Corp. of contaminating water wells near Fort Worth. Armendariz bypassed state officials to issue the order and accused them of not acting to help homeowners victimized by drilling (Greenwire, Feb. 11).
EPA officials have defended Armendariz's handling of the situation. But industry officials have criticized him, saying his communications with activists and EPA headquarters officials show he was more interested in publicity than in finding proof that violations existed. Range Resources has said there is little or no proof that the gas that contaminated the water wells came from its drilling operations.
Tulsa World: Obama budget condemned by state's congressional Republicans
Tuesday February 15, 2011
WASHINGTON - Republicans in Oklahoma's congressional delegation lashed out at the $3.7 trillion budget that President Barack Obama unveiled Monday. They singled out issues such as transportation funding, energy taxes and the level of spending.
Sen. Jim Inhofe, a key player on transportation matters, said Obama proposed a mammoth $556 billion program with no way to pay for it.
"This is flat-out irresponsible," Inhofe said.
"It gives false hope to transportation advocates and leaves Congress in the same box as before their budget was released."
He also warned that Obama's proposal would destroy the Highway Trust Fund by attempting to tap it to pay for transit and high-speed rail projects.
"Bottom line: This budget proposal will make it harder for Congress to get a highway bill done," Inhofe said.
Sen. Jim Inhofe, a key player on transportation matters, said Obama proposed a mammoth $556 billion program with no way to pay for it.
"This is flat-out irresponsible," Inhofe said.
"It gives false hope to transportation advocates and leaves Congress in the same box as before their budget was released."
He also warned that Obama's proposal would destroy the Highway Trust Fund by attempting to tap it to pay for transit and high-speed rail projects.
"Bottom line: This budget proposal will make it harder for Congress to get a highway bill done," Inhofe said.
