Rick Goddard to represent Big Oil

Commentary By: Ronald L. Cain

August 16, 2008

Rick Goddard officially announced his candidacy to represent Big Oil.

In a recent news conference, Goddard said that Congressman Marshall had voted against off shore drilling and exploring for oil in the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge, ANWR. "Mr. Marshall has voted time and time again against drilling in ANWR. He's voted a number of times against drilling off shore. He's voted consistently to block legislation from coming to the floor for consideration," Goddard said.

Our nation is facing an energy crisis not an oil well crisis. Goddard advocating drill here, drill now, drill everywhere indicated that Goddard will represent special interest -- Big Oil -- over the interest of the country.

President Carter, in his “Crisis of Confidence” speech of July 15, 1979, outlined a program for achieving energy independence. Republicans in Congress have continuously opposed and / or block every initiative to develop a comprehensive energy policy based on clean, sustainable energy sources. Instead, have continuously supported Big Oil over the interest of the country and the people.

Had we listened to Carter, we would not be in the current energy fix. Clearly, today’s energy crisis and high gasoline prices are the fault of the Republicans that have refused, for over 30 years, to address the energy needs of our nation. And continue today to opposed and / or block the development of a comprehensive energy policy. (See “Republicans Master Obstruction” below.)

As Rick Goddard indicated in his news conference, if elected he will continue to support special interest -- Big Oil -- rather than work to develop a comprehensive energy policy for our country.

Goddard’s spin doctor, with the handle “goodbyemarshall,” continues to focus attention on drilling oil wells rather than today’s energy crisis -- created by the Republicans because they have refused to address our nation’s energy needs. And “goodbye” counters any negative comments made toward Goddard, how Goddard supports special interest -- Big Oil -- over the interest of our country. Of course that is what spin doctors do.

“goodbye” accused Marshall of lying about his voting record. Is not Goddard lying when he alleges (or insinuates) that drilling an oil well will solve our nation’s energy crisis?

Senator John McCain was aware that drilling another oil well would not alleviate the energy crisis. Big Oil gave McCain $2 million and he flipped flopped and is now supporting Big Oil. How much has Big Oil given Rick Goddard?

This face it: Rick Goddard is in the pocket of special interest -- Big Oil. Is this who you want to represent you in Congress?

The Republican plan for more drilling will only add more billions to Exxon Mobile’s profit margin and we will still not have an energy policy. “Every time you fill your tank, the oil companies fill their pockets,” But we will continue to have an energy crisis.A bureaucratic oversight has allowed 24 oil companies to avoid more than $1.3 billion in royalties for the privilege of extracting oil and natural gas from U.S. territory in the Gulf of Mexico - with foreign companies responsible for 55 percent of that total. But this $1.3 billion in forgone royalties pale in comparison to the $60 billion that Americans stand to lose in royalty revenue over the life of these leases. And if Congress repeals the moratorium on Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) drilling that has existed since 1982, these freeloading oil companies will be eligible to bid on new leases, providing them with more record profits while American families are left holding the bag. These 24 companies have posted a combined $365 billion in profits since 2006.

Recapping, let me review some reasons offshore drilling is such a dumb idea:

* Offshore oil drilling will not impact gas prices today, and it will not have a significant impact on gas prices in the future.

* This is nothing more than a money grab by the oil companies - who are already making record-breaking profits. (Reference Exxon Mobile’s announced record 2nd quarter profits.)

* We burn 25% of the world's oil here in the U.S., but we have only 3% of the world's oil reserves. So even if all offshore oil magically came to market today, the vast majority of our oil would continue to be imported, and we would not see price relief at the pump.

* Oil prices are set on the global oil market, so American oil is no cheaper than Saudi oil. We would not get a discount for oil drilled in the U.S.

* We cannot solve the world's energy problems with the same drilling that created them.

* Renewable energy is available now, so it's time to walk away from fossil fuels and toward a clean energy future.

Let's face it, there is really no good reason to drill offshore. More drilling is good for Big Oil, not for you and your family. We cannot drill our way out of this mess - oil drilling is already at an all-time high and prices are still skyrocketing.

Yesterday, Senate Republicans continued their stated strategy of "making political points" by obstructing legislation meant to address America's energy and environmental challenges. First, in a 51-43 vote, Republicans successfully used the threat of a filibuster to block the Consumer-First Energy Act, which would have "levied a 25 percent tax on 'windfall profits' of major oil companies" that don't invest more in renewable energy.

Daniel J. Weiss, the Center for American Progress's Director of Climate Strategy, says that such a tax would "spur investments in clean energy alternatives." The bill would also have "given the government more power to address oil market speculation, opened the way for antitrust actions against countries belonging to the OPEC oil cartel, and made energy price gouging a federal crime." The second bill blocked by Republicans, the

Renewable Energy and Job Creation Act of 2008, failed by a vote of 50-44. It would have extended popular tax breaks for renewable energy that are set to expire at the end of this year. The failure to pass the tax breaks is worrisome to the renewables industry, which is "already seeing a slowing of growth in the sector because companies are hesitant to start new projects without the assurance that these credits will be available." Yesterday's obstructionism is the third time in less than a week that Senate Republicans have used parliamentary tactics to block energy legislation. On Friday, Republicans blocked the Lieberman-Warner Climate Security Act after first shutting down the Senate by forcing the clerk to read the entire bill on the Senate floor.

A 'CYNICAL' STRATEGY OF OBSTRUCTION: A Republican strategy memo obtained last week by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) made clear that the obstructionist tactics employed by Republicans were aimed solely at "making political points" rather than "affecting policy." "You could not make up anything more cynical," said Reid when he revealed the memo on the Senate floor. As Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) noted on the Senate floor yesterday, conservatives in Congress have broken historical precedent by engaging in 75 filibusters this Congress. But the filibuster isn't the only obstructionist tactic employed by Senate Republicans. Yesterday, Senate Republicans used a rare maneuver to shut down a Judiciary Committee hearing on torture by forcing the Senate into recess. Reid called the maneuver by Sen. Thad Cochran (R-MS) "part of a pattern of obstruction." Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), who has been in the Senate since 1992, remarked that the shut down was "very, very unusual."

Republicans Want To Drill: At the same time they are blocking investment in alternative energy, Republicans, allied with Big Oil, are claiming that the cure to America's energy problems is simply "increasing domestic oil supplies by permitting new exploration in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and in the waters on the Outer Continental Shelf." Their mantra, in the words of former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, is to "drill here, drill now." The entire conservative noise machine is getting behind the call for increased domestic drilling. "We need to be drilling more and drilling now here at home," bellowed Rush Limbaugh on his radio show yesterday. Just yesterday, House Republicans filed a discharge petition to "force a floor vote on legislation on oil drilling in Alaska." The White House agrees with its conservatives allies. "Instead of populist votes that would do nothing for gas prices, we need to allow domestic oil production in environmentally sensitive ways," said spokesman Tony Fratto yesterday.

BUT DRILLING WON'T HELP: "More drilling. More drilling. More drilling. That is the Johnny One Note policy" of Republicans, charged House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) in response to the discharge petition. "Feeding that addiction by tapping another vein just drills us into a deeper hole," said Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ). Furthermore, opening up drilling domestically in places such as the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge wouldn't have the effect on gas prices that Republicans claim. The U.S. Geological Survey believes that drilling in the refuge would likely produce only 3.2 billion barrels of oil, which is "not even enough to satisfy six months' demand." Additionally, it would take 10 years for oil drilled in the Arctic to reach the market and another 40 years to extract the full amount of oil. Instead of making "long-term investments in affordable transportation alternatives that use significantly less gasoline or oil," Republicans want to double down on more and more domestic drilling.