I know Mitch McConnell is expecting a fight this fall, but he is already showing several symptoms of having taken too many shots to the head. (Besides the gnarly teeth). Yes, you can tell this is an election year for him, because all the sudden he can't remember what he's done, and remembers doing just the opposite.

Case in point, while purusing his website today, I came across this laughable entry of his "accomplishments":

Wednesday, May 7, 2008

Washington, D.C.—U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell offered the Republicans’ energy plan, the ‘American Energy Production Act S. 2958’ as an amendment to S. 2284 Wednesday, and made the following remarks on the Senate floor:

http://mcconnell.senate.gov/record.cfm?id=297360&start=1

A couple of paragraphs later he rants about the Democrats in the Congress:

“Two years ago, Democratic leaders told us that they had a ‘commonsense’ plan to lower gas prices. But since they took control of Congress, gas prices have risen by $1.29 per gallon, according to AAA.

“Apparently, the Democrats’ ‘commonsense’ plan is not working as intended. In fact, the general thrust of their plan is to increase taxes on energy companies – which would raise, not lower, gas prices.

You know Mitch, Democrats have only had Congress for over a year, and gas prices were spiraling out of control long before that!!

It gets worse however, this little snippet just about got my screen sprayed with hazelnut coffee:

“But Republicans do have a plan to reduce gas prices over the long term by increasing our supply of American energy and American jobs right here at home.

Now, thats really funny!! Has Mitch really forgotten all the jobs shipped overseas by this Republican Administration? Has he forgotten the root of the problem were bills like this:

Voted YES on Bush Administration Energy Policy.

Vote to pass a bill would overhaul the nation's energy policies, reorganize the electricity system and make available approximately $15 billion in energy-related tax incentives. It also would direct the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to establish a new CAFE standard within 15 months to two years. It would support the use of alternative energy and call for utilities to increase their dependence on renewable fuels.

Reference: Energy Policy Act of 2003; Bill HR 6 ; vote number 2003-317 on Jul 31, 2003

http://www.govote.com/International/Mitch_McConnell_Energy_+_Oil.htm

Really Mitch, you let Dick Cheney get together with his energy executive buddies and write the Energy policy for this country. You rubber-stamp it through a partisan, cowardly Congress, and now you are crying because WE are paying high fuel costs?? I do believe the citizens of Kentucky pay for your fuel!!! Did you forget that??

And what of this glorious plan that the Republicans have unleashed to save us all so much money? MORE CORPORATE WELFARE!!!!:

Voted no on removing oil and gas exploration subsidies.

Creating Long-term Energy Alternatives for the Nation (CLEAN) Act

Title I: Ending Subsidies for Big Oil Act--denying a deduction for income attributable to domestic production of oil, natural gas, or their related primary products.

Title II: Royalty Relief for American Consumers Act--to incorporate specified price thresholds for royalties on oil & gas leases in the Gulf of Mexico.

Title III: Strategic Energy Efficiency And Renewables Reserve--makes the Reserve available to accelerate the use of clean domestic renewable energy resources and alternative fuels.

Reference: Creating Long-Term Energy Alternatives for the Nation (CLEAN); Bill H.R.6 ; vote number 2007-226 on Jun 21, 2007

http://www.govote.com/International/Mitch_McConnell_Energy_+_Oil.htm

Voted YES on making oil-producing and exporting cartels illegal.

Voting YES would amend the Sherman Anti-Trust Act to make oil-producing and exporting cartels illegal.

It would be a violation for any foreign state:

1. To limit the production or distribution of oil & natural gas;

2. To set or maintain the price of oil & natural gas; or

3. To otherwise take any action in restraint of trade for oil & natural gas;

4. When such collective action has a direct, substantial, and reasonably foreseeable effect on the market, supply, price, or distribution of oil & natural gas in the US.

Reference: NOPEC Amendment to CLEAN Energy Act; Bill S.Amdt.1519 to H.R.6 ; vote number 2007-215 on Jun 19, 2007

http://www.govote.com/International/Mitch_McConnell_Energy_+_Oil.htm

Their other solution? Drilling in ANWR:

Voted NO on disallowing an oil leasing program in Alaska's ANWR.

To remove the establishment of an oil and gas leasing program in the Alaskan Coastal Plain. The original bill allows for an oil and gas leasing program in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR).

Voteing YES on this amendment would remove that section, hence barring leasing in ANWR.

Reference: Bar Oil and Gas Leasing amendment; Bill S Amdt 2358 to S 1932 ; vote number 2005-288 on Nov 3, 2005

http://www.govote.com/International/Mitch_McConnell_Energy_+_Oil.htm

Voted NO on banning drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

Vote to adopt an amendment that would strike a provision in the concurrent resolution that recognizes revenue from oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR). The amendment says: "To ensure that legislation that would open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, other federal lands, and the Outer Continental Shelf to oil drilling receives full consideration and debate in the Senate under regular order, rather than being fast-tracked under reconciliation procedures; to ensure that receipts from such drilling destined for the federal treasury are fairly shared with local jurisdictions; and does not occur unless prohibitions against the export of Alaskan oil are enacted."

Reference: Arctic National Wildlife Refuge anti-drilling Amendment; Bill S AMDT 168 to S.Con.Res. 18 ; vote number 2005-52 on Mar 16, 2005

http://www.govote.com/International/Mitch_McConnell_Energy_+_Oil.htm

Voted NO on removing consideration of drilling ANWR from budget bill.

Boxer Amdt. No. 272.; To prevent consideration of drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in a fast-track budget reconciliation bill. S Con Res 23 Budget resolution FY2004: Vote to pass an amendment that would strike (remove) language in the resolution that would permit oil drilling and exploration in part of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) in Alaska. [Voting No favors drilling for oil in ANWR].

Reference: Bill SConRes 23 ; vote number 2003-59 on Mar 19, 2003

http://www.govote.com/International/Mitch_McConnell_Energy_+_Oil.htm

Voted YES on drilling ANWR on national security grounds.

Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Murkowski Amendment No. 31323; To create jobs for Americans, to reduce dependence on foreign sources of crude oil and energy, to strengthen the economic self determination of the Inupiat Eskimos and to promote national security. Would allow gas and oil development in a portion of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge if the president certifies to Congress that production in the area is in the nation's security and economic interests (qwhich Prsident Bush would). If the cloture motion is agreed to, debate will be limited and a vote will occur. If the cloture motion is rejected debate could continue indefinitely and instead the bill is usually set aside. A yea vote for this bill was one in favor of drilling in the reserve. Three-fifths of the total Senate (60) is required to invoke cloture.

Reference: Bill S.517 ; vote number 2002-71 on Apr 18, 2002

Oh wait, one more:

Voted YES on preserving budget for ANWR oil drilling.

Vote to preserve language in the Fiscal Year 2001 Budget Framework that assumes $1.2 billion in revenue from oil exploration in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge [ANWR] in Alaska.

Reference: Bill S Con Res 101 ; vote number 2000-58 on Apr 6, 2000

Does Mitch forget this also??:

WASHINGTON - Opening an Alaska wildlife refuge to oil development would only slightly reduce America’s dependence on imports and would lower oil prices by less than 50 cents a barrel, according to an analysis released Tuesday by the Energy Department.

The report, issued by the Energy Information Administration, or EIA, said that if Congress gave the go-ahead to pump oil from Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, the crude could begin flowing by 2013 and reach a peak of 876,000 barrels a day by 2025.

But even at peak production, the EIA analysis said, the United States would still have to import two-thirds of its oil, as opposed to an expected 70 percent if the refuge’s oil remained off the market.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4542853/

Finally, he seems to forget his voting record on renewable energy:

“In last year’s energy bill, we passed a number of provisions to reduce demand for oil, including increasing fuel economy standards for cars and trucks, and increasing the use of alternative fuels.

Yes, McConnell has forgoten his stance on alternative energy:

Voted NO on reducing oil usage by 40% by 2025 (instead of 5%).

Amendment to improve the energy security of the United States and reduce United States dependence on foreign oil imports by 40% by 2025. The amendment seeks to reduce usage by 7.6 million barrels of oil a day, out of a total usage of 20 million barrels of oil a day. The bill without amendment seeks to reduce usage by 1 million barrels of oil a day. Opponents of the amendment said, "It would be disruptive of jobs if you set a 78 mile per gallon CAFÉ standard for cars, a 185-percent increase; a 60 mile per gallon standard for trucks, light trucks, a 174-percent increase. [The unamended version] is more in keeping with President Kennedy's "man on the Moon" goal. [The amended version] is a "man or woman on Mars" goal, and maybe we will get there one day, but it is unrealistic today."

Reference: Energy Policy Act of 2005; Bill S.Amdt. 784 to H.R. 6 ; vote number 2005-140 on Jun 16, 2005

Voted NO on targeting 100,000 hydrogen-powered vehicles by 2010.

Dorgan Amdt. No. 865; To require that the hydrogen commercialization plan of the Department of Energy include a description of activities to support certain hydrogen technology deployment goals. Part of S 14 Energy Omnibus bill; this vote would pass an amendment that would call for the Department of Energy to set targets and timelines to maintain the production of 100,000 hydrogen-powered vehicles by 2010, and 2.5 million vehicles annually by 2020. It also would call for the department to set targets for the sale of hydrogen at fueling stations. The bill would require the Energy secretary to submit a yearly progress report to Congress.

Reference: Bill S.14 ; vote number 2003-212 on Jun 10, 2003

Voted YES on defunding renewable and solar energy.

In June of 1999, Senator Jeffords (R-VT) was prepared to offer an amendment which would have added $62 million to the Energy Department solar and renewable energy programs. This action was blocked by Senator Reid (D-NV).
Status: Motion Agreed to Y)60; N)39; NV)1
Reference: Motion to table the recommital; Bill S. 1186 ; vote number 1999-171 on Jun 16, 1999

http://www.govote.com/International/Mitch_McConnell_Energy_+_Oil.htm

Yes, its an election year and Mitch, you better save some of those few remaining brain cells, (and teeth) for the fight ahead. Democrats are fired up this time around and we aren't conceding in Kentucky anymore!!

Greg Fischer and Heather Ryan are two Awesome Democrats who truly understand renewable energy and energy independence:

America is home to the world’s greatest innovators. Greg Fischer is a Kentucky entrepreneur – a job creator who’s used new ideas and bold solutions based on his Kentucky know-how to create answers and solve problems. By ending our dependence on foreign oil and generating a path to energy independence, Greg will invest in the resources we have right here in Kentucky to deliver clean energy solutions. A real pursuit of clean coal, as well as renewable energy alternatives like wind, solar, hydroelectric and biofuels will help create thousands of green collar jobs for decades to come – right here in Kentucky. In doing so, we’ll also combat global warming and transition to a cleaner, greener and brighter economy.

http://www.gregfischer.com/index.php/issues/energy/

Here is Heather Ryan in her own words about making progress on Energy Independence in Western Kentucky:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUKzOHjrDds

Support Fischer here:

http://www.actblue.com/page/wkyditchmitch

And Heather Ryan here:

http://www.actblue.com/page/americansforryan

Lets Ditch Mitch!!!!!