Oil Prices -- Bush then and now

[Crabtownboy]

Gas Prices

Mr. Bush was critical of Al Gore in the 2000 campaign for being part of “the administration that's been in charge” while the “price of gasoline has gone steadily upward.” In December 1999, in the first Republican primary debate, Mr. Bush said President Clinton “must jawbone OPEC members to lower prices.”

As gas topped a record level of $50 a barrel this week, Mr. Bush has shown no propensity to personally pressure, or “jawbone,” Mideast oil producers to increase output.

A spokesman for the president reportedly said in March that Mr. Bush will not personally lobby oil cartel leaders to change their minds.

http://64.233.183.104/search?q=cache:MFiQMPyIhoYJ:www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/09/28/politics/main646142.shtml+bush+flip+flops&hl=cs&ct=clnk&cd=1&gl=cz

 

[carpro]

Originally Posted by carpro

But then, every effort made by the Bush administration to increase production was killed by democrats.

Not positive here so am open to correction, but did Bush not have a Republican Congress from 2002-2006? I think he also had the House for a couple more years.

Yes.

But it takes 60 Senators to control the Senate.

My earlier statement stands.

 

[NaasPreacher (C4K)]

Yes.

But it takes 60 Senators to control the Senate.

My earlier statement stands.

I thought in most votes a simple majority was enough. If so, how did the Dems stop Bush?

 

[carpro]

I thought in most votes a simple majority was enough. If so, how did the Dems stop Bush?

It takes 60 votes to control the Senate.

Bush never had them.

 

[Crabtownboy]

It takes 60 votes to control the Senate.

Bush never had them.

Actually it takes 2/3rds majority by both houses, separate votes of course, to over-ride a presidental veto. If either house cannot come up with the 2/3rds majority the over-ride fails.

 

[KeithS]

Actually it takes 2/3rds majority by both houses, separate votes of course, to over-ride a presidental veto. If either house cannot come up with the 2/3rds majority the over-ride fails.

I assume Carpro is referring to the votes needed to break a filibuster, not override a veto. A filibuster will prevent a measure from ever coming to a vote. No vote, no veto (or bill signing) is necessary. 3/5 of the senate brings debate on a bill to a close by invoking cloture.

 

[NaasPreacher (C4K)]

I assume Carpro is referring to the votes needed to break a filibuster, not override a veto. A filibuster will prevent a measure from ever coming to a vote. No vote, no veto (or bill signing) is necessary. 3/5 of the senate brings debate on a bill to a close by invoking cloture.

No matter what - it is still a stretch to say that Bush has done nothing on oil because of Congress. I can't think of many times any president has had a rubber stamp Congress.

And still, he had it all figured out in 2000. And yet he has done nothing.

 

[Bro. Curtis]

I think dragonfly had it most correct, he was being a politician. A president cannot control the price of oil, and shouldn't.

But I stand corrected, as far as that goes.

 

[Crabtownboy]

No matter what - it is still a stretch to say that Bush has done nothing on oil because of Congress. I can't think of many times any president has had a rubber stamp Congress.

And still, he had it all figured out in 2000. And yet he has done nothing.

I agree with your post. But in reality his policies have made the problem worse. As you so well know one of the results of the Bush policies has been the weak dollar. In the last 8 years the value of the dollar has dropped at least 40%. Actually it has been more than that number, but I'm being conservative. That alone guarantees that the price of oil and gas would increase by at least that amount.

Eleven years ago the exchange rate in the Czech Republic was 40 Czech Krowns for one dollar. It is now hovering between 15 and 17. That is over a 50% drop in the value of the dollar.

An example: Eleven years ago an item that cost 20 Krowns was equal to 50 cents. That same item, assuming it has not gone up in price now costs over a dollar.

So, his policies have hurt and this is only one example. The weak dollar.

 

[NiteShift]

No matter what - it is still a stretch to say that Bush has done nothing on oil because of Congress. I can't think of many times any president has had a rubber stamp Congress.

And still, he had it all figured out in 2000. And yet he has done nothing.

It is no stretch to say that Bush has been blocked by Congress from opening any new areas to drilling.

Just one example from 2006 -

"Earlier, the Senate rejected, 56-42, a broader Republican energy plan that called for opening the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska and some offshore waters that are now off limits to oil development.

Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky said more domestic oil production is needed to keep prices in check and to reduce U.S. dependence on oil imports. But opponents said the Alaska wildlife refuge and coastal waters that have been off limits to drilling for 25 years ought to remain out of bounds to oil companies.

"We can't drill our way to lower prices," said Sen. Richard Durbin, D-Ill."

 

[Revmitchell]

The dollar has fallen 3.1 percent against the euro and 1.8 percent compared with the pound this year. The euro is worth $1.3617 and the pound bought $1.9947 at 11:52 a.m. in New York, from $1.3591 and $1.9922, respectively, on May 4. The dollar touched $2.0133 per pound last month, the weakest since June 1981.

Many analysts forecast the dollar will rebound next year along with the U.S. economy. The dollar will strengthen to $1.30 by the end of 2008, according to the median forecast of 47 analysts surveyed by Bloomberg News through May 4. The U.S. economy will accelerate to a 3 percent growth rate in the first half of 2008, according to the median forecast in a Bloomberg survey on April 10.

The decline in the dollar has helped trim the U.S. trade deficit. The shortfall in the current account, the broadest measure of trade, has shrunk to $195.8 billion in the fourth quarter, equivalent to about 6 percent of the economy, from a record 7 percent in 2005.



Read Here

 

[Revmitchell]

Prove I am wrong.:BangHead:

You can't so you won't. :laugh:

 

[carpro]

No matter what - it is still a stretch to say that Bush has done nothing on oil because of Congress. I can't think of many times any president has had a rubber stamp Congress.

And still, he had it all figured out in 2000. And yet he has done nothing.

Democrats have been blocking measures for decades to lessen our dependence on foreign oil.

I can't believe you don't know this. :BangHead:

 

[NaasPreacher (C4K)]

Democrats have been blocking measures for decades to lessen our dependence on foreign oil.

I can't believe you don't know this. :BangHead:

Of course - it is ALWAYS the Democrats fault.

What did the Republican congresses under Clinton do?

 

[carpro]

Of course - it is ALWAYS the Democrats fault.

What did the Republican congresses under Clinton do?

Roger.

If you can't see what has been going on in Congress to halt our efforts to lessen our energy dependence for the last 30 years and who's behind it...

I simply can't help you.

It's called denial.

 

[NaasPreacher (C4K)]

Roger.

If you can't see what has been going on in Congress to halt our efforts to lessen our energy dependence for the last 30 years and who's behind it...

I simply can't help you.

It's called denial.

I don't disagree, but the Democrats are not alone to blame. Republicans controlled Congress for most of the 90s, then again from 2003-2007. None of those congresses did anything. Both parties are to blame.