Florida’s Republican House Speaker calls McCain ‘disingenuous’ for linking drilling to gas prices.
Filed Under: Energy
By on Jun 19th, 2008 at 10:50 pm
Florida’s Republican House Speaker calls McCain ‘disingenuous’ for linking drilling to gas prices.
Though he supports offshore drilling, Florida House Speaker Marco Rubio (R) “challenged Gov. Charlie Crist and John McCain’s implication that drilling could lower gas prices anytime soon.” Rubio told the Miami Herald today that Crist and McCain are making a “disingenuous” and “flawed” argument:
“For anyone to represent that someone drilling off the coast in Florida is going to lower gas prices here or anywhere in this country is disingenuous and a flawed argument,” he said. “Oil drilling could take 10 years before any oil is pulled out of the ground, and there are a large number of leases held by oil companies that are not being exploited now. We can’t say we need more until we’ve exploited those.”
(HT: Ben Smith)
View Most Popular
Advertisement
Visit Our Affiliated Site
What We're About
What We're Fighting For
What We're Fighting Against
Featured
Subscribe to the Progress Report
Got a hot tip?
Have a hot news tip? We'd love to hear from you. Use the form below to send us the latest.
Reports
In depth studies on select topics
Topic CloudView topics sorted by popularity
Afghanistan
Beck
Big Oil
Bolton
Bush
Cheney
Civil Rights
Congress
Drudge
Economy
Energy
Environment
Ethics
Feith
Fox News
GI Bill
Global Warming
Guantanamo
Hagee
Health Care
Immigration
Impeachment
Iran
Iraq
Justice
Kristol
LGBT
Lieberman
McCain
McClellan
Media
Military
O'Hanlon
O'Reilly
Obama
Politics
Race
Radical Right
Rove
Surveillance
Terrorism
Torture
Veterans
Wiretapping
Women's Rights
ArchivesBlog Roll
McIIIrd ~ a disingenuous and flawed candidacy. Yes.
June 19th, 2008 at 10:52 pmI was going to express some amazement that a Republican was making sense, then I saw he was a Florida state rep. and certainly must know how much his constituents are against drilling off their coast.
http://progressiveworldreview.com
June 19th, 2008 at 10:58 pmIf Rubio had any balls, he’d call McCain a liar.
June 19th, 2008 at 10:59 pmMarco A. Rubio is Of Counsel in the Miami office of Broad and Cassel. He is a member of the Firm’s Real Estate and Land Use Practice Groups.
http://www.broadandcassel.com/attybio.asp?ID=14430
His professional interests support his making such a statement.
June 19th, 2008 at 11:00 pmThe original story came from the Miami Herald:
http://miamiherald.typepad.com/ nakedpolitics/ 2008/ 06/ rubio-linking-d.html?cid=119521632#comment-119521632
June 19th, 2008 at 11:04 pmI don’t care what Rubio’s motives are. The more republicans who point out that McCains’s insane in the membrane, the better.
June 19th, 2008 at 11:15 pmI keep hearing them linking new nuclear facilities to the price of gas—as if we get gasoline from nuclear power!!! Kay Bailey Hutchinson (R-Sen_Texas) definitely said this.
June 19th, 2008 at 11:34 pmSo, McCain is spouting disingenuous and flawed arguments?
Well, he is Bush The Sequel after all…
June 19th, 2008 at 11:39 pmAnytime a Republican says that drilling would lower gas prices, say, “Are you suggesting that we nationalize the oil companies?”
Whatever oil is pumped out of the ground (or from under the seabeds) is going to be sold for whatever the market will bear. Whoever has the money, will get the gas.
June 19th, 2008 at 11:43 pmI wish the democratic leadership could frame the argument as well as Rubio did. They should say, “Sure, we’ll consider drilling when and if the oil companies actually drill at the X million acres they already have leases for, including the Naval Reserve.”
I’m afraid if the Dems don’t frame their response right, and keep repeating it, the repubs may win by using the 4.00 gas, “we must drill tactic” versus the fear tactic this year.
June 19th, 2008 at 11:46 pmGood for Rubio
June 19th, 2008 at 11:48 pmOMG! An honest Repub!
June 20th, 2008 at 12:02 amOf course McCain is being disingenuous.
This is a new-found wedge issue, that has nothing or little to do with any economic reality.
It is the kool-aid that he expects the loyal GOP base will drink without thinking how McCain’s so-called plan translates into lower gas prices.
And I bet they will drink it. Happily so.
June 20th, 2008 at 12:10 amSo, drilling rigs are booked for a solid five years - and we’re told that any oil discovered will take ten years to bring it online. That’s fifteen years before a drop of oil reaches the pump.
June 20th, 2008 at 1:09 amNo matter where anyone is allowed to drill, everyone must realize that oil companies will sell to the buyer willing to pay the highest price.
If China or India is willing to pay the highest price, they will get the oil, whether it comes out of ANWAR, the Gulf Coast, Texas or Colorado . . . doesn’t matter. Allow drilling in America in no way means that Americans will receive that oil.
Unbid contracts in Iraq are going to Exxon, BP, Shell, Total, it isn’t because that oil is coming America’s way. Those companies are now being deprived of their contracts in Venezueal, Kazackstan, China and other countries that now value their recources and are saying, “Thank you very much Exxon, BP, Shell, Total et al for providing us with equipment, technological know-how, and access to Western markets, now, get lost. Those companies have lost access to their most valuable supplies. They need new supplies.
Americans are ill-informed to believe that the rape and pillage of our national gems will result in either more supply or more money here. China and India need those supplies and are willing to pay a premium, particularly if it weakens the US and makes us more beholden to them.
Saudia Arabia has already made clear, it fears American energy independence.
This is a terrible plan. It weakens us while destroying us.
June 20th, 2008 at 1:13 amIt’s easy to understand if you don’t actually think about it
June 20th, 2008 at 1:13 amOld saying in journalism, confirmed by Woodward and Bernstein in Watergate: Follow the money.
The Bush/Cheney/McCain money trail fires directly to war and Iraq, Halliburton, Blackwater and a bunch of other slick souls with oil on their hands . . . as does every economic and environmental disaster facing America today. Journalists and patriotic politicians have definitely not been doing their jobs.
FIRST, before any legislation is even considered, Congress must get to the bottom of those Cheney energy policy discussions with silk-stockinged lobbyists who met behind closed doors back in 2002ish to determine America’s “energy policy.” America is in a devestated state, most likely as an outcome of those discussions. We need to know: WHO ATTENDED CHENEY’S ENERGY POLICY DISCUSSIONS, WHAT WAS DISCUSSED, WHAT POLICIES RESULTED!
Nothing should be done by either the Administration or Congress until the American public is informed.
June 20th, 2008 at 1:29 amHell,
Every mother, father, child, sister, brother, lover and
friend knowns where those conversations led us . . . unfortunately, every one of us who did not have one of you in our immediate family were deprived of the honor of seeing the caskets and injuries, and in some cases, not knowing the truths about their deaths,dismemberments and dehabilitations. Even those of us that don’t support the war cry at the losses you have suffered.
Even though I respect your losses and believe strongly in your privacy, the lack of transparency the Administration has enforced serves neither you nor your loved ones.
Truth is the bedrock upon which America is based. Americans must be informed. Information is freedom. Tell your truth, whatever it may be. . .
June 20th, 2008 at 2:13 amTo clarify: No honor in seeing suffering, deaths and caskets, but we know that those who died or suffered to protect our country, did it for us . . .
We just want to say thanks to real people . . . not to statistics.
Appreciation and sorrow are hard to capture with appropriate words. Sorry if these words blunder.
June 20th, 2008 at 2:26 amObama should run commercials in Florida with McCain explaining how he wants offshore oil rigs everywhere. I’m sure people in Florida would be happy to know what McSame will do to their beaches & ocean views.
June 20th, 2008 at 2:42 amWhen Jeb was Florida Gov, Florida was exempt from dubya’s policies. Dubya still granted, or fought for those off-shore permits, on every coastline but that of Florida.
Florida received special treatment. Jeb’s no longer gov, Florida’s no longer out of bounds. Florida’s only protection was the Bush dynasty.
It’s no longer about Florida’s pristine coastlines . . . see above. . . it’s about money. . . follow the money . . .
Americans won’t benefit at all.
For evidence of hyprocicy, (even during Katrina, oil rigs posed no threat and remained intact) see that NASA photos of the Gulf Coast where oil spills were seen from space..
Yeah, “Not to the Everglades while I’m on watch”, yeah, Jeb! You protect those Florida Everglades, there’s oil in them there swamps.
Obama, you must save us . . . oil sure won’t.
June 20th, 2008 at 3:57 amEverglades are inland, not offshore (for now). Point being, Jeb told dubya to leave the Florida coast alone, he told dubya that although a Bush was Gov in the state, the state was not open season . . . just wait.
“Who knows what the repercussions might be? politically, economically, environmentally? What if we were to get hit and another Homestead happened, but happened in an Everglades “Homestead”?
This state would be devistated. What if we were hit with a Rita and a Katrina simultaneously? Hell, we’d be a New Orleans . . . opportunity knocks!
Add Iowa to that calculation. What if you had a dozen oil rigs that went down on your Gulf Coast, an Atlantic hummer on your East Coast?”
Would dubya attribute that to FEMA’s great job (medal of honor - Jeb never served, but either did me, Rumy or Dick) or to the global warming that he denies so feverishly?
Poor Jeb . . . but no! Jeb did such a great job in Florida that dubya wants to float him for the White House . . . after this black guy fails to correct all of the problems that I’ve created, who better but another Bush to set sail for the White House than you Jeb? I’ve laid the ground work.
If only the residents of the Gulf Coast had such a floatilla.
As the country drowns. . . . memos from Paraguay.
June 20th, 2008 at 4:33 amJust came across this website which is providing CMS based Free Campaign websites for Contesting Candidates
http://www.ezcampaigns.com/free-campaigns-sites.html
June 20th, 2008 at 6:31 amgooderservice Says:
I wish the democratic leadership could frame the argument as well as Rubio did. They should say, “Sure, we’ll consider drilling when and if the oil companies actually drill at the X million acres they already have leases for, including the Naval Reserve.”
It is 68 MILLION acres of leased land ready to be pillaged, oh sorry, drilled. ANd tens of thousands of permits ALREADY given for said pillaging, oh sorry, driling.
#15 Rockyroad has it totally correct. And I quote here again just for good measure.
rockyroad Says:
No matter where anyone is allowed to drill, everyone must realize that oil companies will sell to the buyer willing to pay the highest price.
If China or India is willing to pay the highest price, they will get the oil, whether it comes out of ANWAR, the Gulf Coast, Texas or Colorado . . . doesn’t matter. Allow drilling in America in no way means that Americans will receive that oil.
Unbid contracts in Iraq are going to Exxon, BP, Shell, Total, it isn’t because that oil is coming America’s way. Those companies are now being deprived of their contracts in Venezueal, Kazackstan, China and other countries that now value their recources and are saying, “Thank you very much Exxon, BP, Shell, Total et al for providing us with equipment, technological know-how, and access to Western markets, now, get lost. Those companies have lost access to their most valuable supplies. They need new supplies.
Americans are ill-informed to believe that the rape and pillage of our national gems will result in either more supply or more money here. China and India need those supplies and are willing to pay a premium, particularly if it weakens the US and makes us more beholden to them.
Saudia Arabia has already made clear, it fears American energy independence.
This is a terrible plan. It weakens us while destroying us.
June 20th, 2008 at 8:02 amI love it when the Repugs start to eat their own, Heh heh.
And it also looks like Johnny Boy may have to name Crist as his VeeP, just to try and salvage FL. Would be a purely defensive move.
June 20th, 2008 at 9:24 amstateofthedivision Says:
His professional interests support his making such a statement.
June 19th, 2008 at 11:00 pm
______
Perhaps. However, so do the facts.
June 20th, 2008 at 9:24 amThey do, and often. Problem is, the “liberal media” pays no attention, or hosts wintgnut bobbleheads to spew opposing talking points.
That doesn’t work so well when it’s a Republican shooting ‘em down.
June 20th, 2008 at 9:42 amI am so irritated right now - I have several comments “awaiting moderation.” My comments are completely unobjectionable. 3 of my comments were “flagged” yesterday and are STILL “awaiting moderation.”
Can any of you long-time posters help me out here? I have sent my question to TP, and still waiting for any response but losing patience.
TIA,
June 20th, 2008 at 9:51 amKira
The Republican do not have a solution to the current oil crises but they have no problem exploiting this crises to help their oil buddies out….just like the invasion of Iraq, using the emotions after 9/11. These two situations easily parallel each other.
I keep asking these pseudo-conservatives how it will lower prices at the moment and no one can answer me, they just tell me that prices will fall because drilling is allowed (ha, sure) and they even go so far as to blame Bill Clinton for the current crisis, lol. The reality is these drill sites won’t become active for 10 years so more….so essentially, what solution do the Republicans have to lower prices NOW??? I also ask these pseudo-conservatives, why would oil companies drill to lower the price of oil??? I mean, why in the world would a company volunteer to lower their profit margin?? Ever heard of a company that actually does this!?? Pseudo-conservatives can’t give you a straight answer on this because they are fed the talking points from pseudo-conservatives like Sean Hannity and Fox news and then go and repeat them to other people, without thinking for themselves. It’s propaganda for the masses, and these fools are sucking it up to help the oil companies become even richer. I mean, it’s like these pseudo-con’s WANT to pay more for gas.
The real, immediate solution to all this is CONSERVATION, which the democrats are advocating and which they will implement policies to help Americans use less oil. They are actually trying to help the American people, unlike the Republicans who exploit the situation for their own gain.
It’s such an obvious issue….but what irks me is that so many people are uninformed! (end of rant).
June 20th, 2008 at 12:39 pmI suppose not every (R) can be slime…
June 20th, 2008 at 2:14 pm#28 good question.
June 20th, 2008 at 2:16 pmi get messages ‘awaiting moderation’, i assume, becausei occasionally forget to encrypt my s- and f-bombs. funny thing is, i occasionally see them in other posts!
Thanks for answering, octamethyl. I dunno - there were NO s- or f-bombs in my posts. Could it be the length?
Whatever - it seems once they are labeled “awaiting moderation” they are doomed to never-never-land forever.
I’m still waiting for TP to respond to my email. Wonder if I’ll ever hear back.
It’s frustrating when you have good & timely info to contribute. Grrrrr. :(
June 20th, 2008 at 2:20 pmYou didn’t employ that dangerous word a knoll eyes did you?
June 20th, 2008 at 2:25 pmdbadass - a What?
June 20th, 2008 at 2:52 pman*lyze. I very dangerous word that will get you jammed up in any and all forms
June 20th, 2008 at 3:22 pmthe price of oil has everything to do with the dwindling dollar. the impending attack on iran has everything to do with the collapsing dollar and nothing to do with nuclear weapons.
there’s is a reason the american public is so confused . . that’s the plan
June 21st, 2008 at 11:51 am