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What Does Cheney Have Against the North Atlantic Right Whale?

April 30, 2008 11:17 AM

There are only about 300 of them alive today.  They are being killed off by collisions with ships and "fishing gear interactions."  The National Marine Fisheries Service says, "no mortality or serious injury for this whale can be considered insignificant" and adds the death of even a single whale, particularly of a breeding female, "MAY CONTRIBUTE TO THE EXTINCTION OF THE SPECIES."

FOUR YEARS ago the NMFS started a rulemaking process to protect the North Atlantic right whale from collisions with ships.  They came up with a plan to place SPEED LIMITS on all commercial shipping near American ports.  They submitted their plan to an office in OMB at the end of FEBRUARY 2007 for a review that was supposed to take 90 DAYS.  Now over a year later the review has not been completed and documents point to white house officials and the office of the Vice President as being a major reason why.  Cheney's office is questioning everything including whether reducing the speed of large ships will help save the whales.

Since NMFS started its rulemaking processing 7 more North Atlantic right whales have been KILLED by "vessel strikes" and 5 have been injured.

Rep. Henry Waxman has put all of this and much more in a letter.

April 30, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (3) | TrackBack (0)

Over Budget, Behind Schedule and Delivering Less Than Promised

April 29, 2008 11:22 AM

That's the conclusion of a GAO report that took a look at some of the most important and costly defense department acquisition projects.  Staffers working for Rep. Henry Waxman's Oversight and Government Reform Committee looked at just one project, the MARINE CORPS EFV amphibious tank.  They reviewed 55,000 pages of documents.  This what they found.

The Marine Corps EFV amphibious tank is supposed to carry up to "18 COMBAT-READY MARINES at high speeds on both land and sea, have advanced communications capabilities, provide increased armored protection against rocket-propelled grenades and improvised explosive devices, and deliver lethal firepower up to 2,000 meters."

But during crucial tests in November of 2006, the EFV could operate only 4.5 hours BETWEEN BREAKDOWNS, completed only TWO of ELEVEN amphibious tests, only ONE of TEN gunnery tests and because it was SO HEAVY, armor had to be removed from it and marines had to leave some of their equipment behind in order to make the vehicle work at high speeds in water.   The Waxman report says that during the 2006 tests, the EFV's weapons system failed "with the AMMUNITION FEED JAMMING and crews "UNABLE TO IDENTIFY ARMORED VEHICLE TARGETS."

Following the tests, the Defense Department gave EFV contractor GENERAL DYNAMICS another $143 MILLION for a redesign and told the committee just this month that taxpayers would have to spend another $700 MILLION to $800 MILLION to do another "system development and demonstration" test.

In 2000, DOD estimated that it would be able to buy 1,025 EFVs at a total cost of $8.4 BILLION.  Now the pentagon says it will buy only 593 vehicles at a cost of $13.2 BILLION.

April 29, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

"2 to 6 CENTS TICK OFF" BEFORE THE GAS PUMPS

April 28, 2008 7:15 AM

According to the ASSOCIATED PRESS, Bob Wolfram, a 54 year old engineer, paid for two more gallons of gasoline than his tank holds.  A test done later on that pump in Davenport Iowa showed it wasn't quite that bad, but Wolfram was the victim of an apparently common occurrence, a worn out gasoline pump "CHECK VALVE."  According to the article the "check valve" is supposed to "make sure the GAS FLOWS AT THE SAME TIME THE PRICE METER STARTS."  But worn out valves, or ones that work sporadically, are hard to catch because there aren't enough inspectors able to spend enough time at each station to make sure the pumps are working correctly.   

And even when the inspectors do there jobs, the AP says "TESTS BY LOCAL REGULATORS ALLOW A PUMP TO CHARGE AS MUCH AS 6 CENTS MORE THAN THE GAS DELIVERED IN A FIVE-GALLON TEST..."   

C. Todd Godlewski, the director of a New York county bureau of weights and measures told the AP, "EVEN ONE PENNY on the amount of petroleum pumped annually or weekly at a station would be SEVERAL THOUSAND GALLONS OF FUEL and add that up.  If you have a meter that is costing a customer, IT ADDS UP QUITE A BIT."  He goes on to say that he's found "PUMPS OFF BY AS MUCH AS 3 TIMES THE 6 CENT THRESHOLD."  His county will be tracking pump problems this year in an effort to learn just how bad they are.

April 28, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (3) | TrackBack (0)

'Today It Costs Approximately $1,200 to Refuel a Truck'

April 24, 2008 10:09 AM

Talk about filling up your car! How would you like to have a big rig to fill up every morning? According to Dave Berry, the Vice President of Swift Transportation, the average national price of DIESEL FUEL is now $4.14 PER GALLON, nearly double what it was in 2004. Berry says, based on current Department of Energy predictions, "the trucking industry will be forced to spend an INCREDIBLE $141.5 BILLION on fuel this year which is $29 BILLION more than in 2007, and MORE THAN DOUBLE THE AMOUNT SPENT 4 YEARS AGO. TODAY IT COSTS APPROXIMATELY $1,200 TO REFUEL A TRUCK."

Berry, who will testify before Rep. Markey's select energy committee this morning, says the American Trucking Association has asked the federal government to temporarily STOP FILLING the strategic petroleum reserve and consider releasing some of the oil it holds to help address the current fuel crisis. He says the reserve has just over 700 MILLION barrels of crude oil, which is "EQUIVALENT TO A 58 DAY SUPPLY OF IMPORTED OIL FOR OUR NATION, or a 9 DAY SUPPLY OF OIL CONSUMED GLOBALLY." Berry adds releasing some reserves would temporarily increase crude supplies and also "HOPEFULLY HELP RESTORE RATIONAL BEHAVIOR TO THE PETROLEUM MARKETS."

April 24, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (3) | TrackBack (0)

To Get Hillary and Barack Back, the Senate Will Not Start Its Day Till 5pm

April 23, 2008 10:15 AM

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid needs Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama.  He has scheduled a cloture vote so the senate can move to a bill that democrats badly want.  It corrects what they call blatant pay discrimination against women.  To move to the bill, Reid needs 60 votes.  To have any chance of getting 60 votes, Reid also needs Hillary and Barack.

Republican leader Mitch McConnell doesn't like the bill.  He says it will saddle small and big businesses with tons of law suits.  According to CQ TODAY Senate rules say the procedural vote to go to the pay discrimination bill has to take place AN HOUR AFTER the senate convenes.  Reid tried to get the Republicans to waive that rule so the senate could come in this morning and continue working on a veterans' bill.  The republicans objected.

So to get Hillary and Barack back by 6pm, the senate will come in at 5pm and do no business on the floor before then.   

April 23, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (3) | TrackBack (0)

Shot Five Times By Her Husband Then Denied Social Security Benefits

April 22, 2008 8:51 AM

She lived in Key West, Florida.  One day her husband shot her 5 times in the liver and abdomen and then killed himself.  In AUGUST 2004 she applied for social security disability benefits.  Her disabilities were caused by the 5 wounds and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.  After a delay, her claim was denied.  In APRIL 2006, she requested a hearing.  It took nearly two years, but in EARLY MARCH of 2008, she got her hearing.  In LATE MARCH of 2008 SHE DIED.  AFTER her death social security ruled in her favor.

He lived in Charlotte, North Carolina and worked for 15 years as a pipe insulator.  He usually also worked a second job.  At age 52 he was suffering from congestive heart failure, chronic atrial fibrillation, pneumonia, obesity and peripheral artery disease.  He applied for social security disability benefits in MARCH of 2006.  He was denied.  In NOVEMBER of 2006 he requested a hearing.  He DIED on AUGUST 21, 2007.  FOUR MONTHS LATER, on DECEMBER 27, 2007, social security RULED IN HIS FAVOR WITHOUT A HEARING.

Tomorrow, a group called the consortium for citizens with disabilities will testify before a house ways and means committee.  They have a lot of stories to tell.

According to committee staffers, currently more than 1.3 MILLION Americans are waiting for a decision on their application for disability benefits.  For those who APPEAL the wait for a decision can be as long as TWO to FOUR YEARS.

Severely under funded and understaffed, the Social Security Disability program has not been a priority for the President or most members of Congress. 

April 22, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (20) | TrackBack (0)

'Defrauding Medicare is Easy and Safe'

April 21, 2008 7:47 AM

An article in Sunday's PARADE magazine says " a whopping $70 BILLION out of an estimated $400 BILLION budgeted for Medicare in 2008 may disappear this year due to fraud and mismanagement."  PARADE says that is equivalent to $233 for EVERY AMERICAN.   Harvard professor Malcolm Sparrow, who studies Medicare fraud, told the Sunday insert that "defrauding Medicare is EASY and SAFE, the SPENDING is HUGE, the SPENDING on CONTROLS is MINIMAL and the bills are paid and processed by COMPUTERS and no human sees them."

PARADE says recent examples of fraud include $5 MILLION spent on a SINGLE WHEELCHAIR because of repeat invoicing and $170 MILLION billed by one firm for FAKE HIV DRUG INFUSIONS.  Kimberly Brandt of the Center for Medicare and Medicaid services told PARADE that they have stopped $2 BILLION in improper payments in the last two years.  She says 1.2 BILLION claims are processed each year and adds, "we can't look at all of them."   

April 21, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)

'Arrested'

April 21, 2008 7:47 AM

Journalism grad student James Karl Buck was in Egypt taking pictures at a Labor rally near a textile mill last week when he was arrested.  According to WASHINGTON POST reporter Mike Musgrove, Buck got out his cell phone and used something called "TWITTER" to send a "TWEET" alerting his friends back in the United States and bloggers in Egypt that he was being detained.

His friends contacted the U.S. embassy in Egypt and his school, the University of California at Berkeley, and they sent a lawyer to get him out of jail. 

The article says "TWITTER" is a free "micro-blogging site" that allows its users to contact and update friends with brief entries limited to 140 characters and is most often used to text message "mundane" things like  "working late," "heading to the library," and "feeling sad."

But for Buck "TWITTER" might just have "SAVED HIM FROM FALLING INTO A BLACK HOLE."

April 21, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Lead Dangers in Artificial Turf?

April 17, 2008 8:39 AM

USA TODAY reports on the front page of its sports section that the U.S. PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION, which has had its hands full testing for lead in toys made in China, has now begun to investigate whether there are "potential hazards from lead in some artificial turf sports fields across the country."

According to the article written by Michael McCarthy and Steve Berkowitz, California State Senator Abel Maldonado hopes the CPSC investigation will help him gather support for his bill calling for California to take a serious look at potential dangers.  He told the paper, "THESE FIELDS ARE A PROBLEM."   

USA TODAY says TWO FIELDS in NEW JERSEY were closed this week when state health officials discovered high levels of lead in fiber samples.  Eddy Bresnitz, New jersey's deputy health commissioner says users of such fields "COULD POTENTIALLY INHALE OR INGEST DUST CONTAMINATED WITH LEAD," and Gil Lemmon, associate commissioner of the California Interscholastic Federation's North Coast Section said a CPSC study could cause "HUGE CONCERN...ANYTHING THAT OUR CHILDREN PLAY ON, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE IT'S SAFE FOR THEM."

According to the article, the Synthetic Turf Council estimates there are 3,500 artificial fields in the USA and about 900 to 1,000 are installed each year.

April 17, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

The States Get It, Congress Doesn't

April 16, 2008 7:33 AM

A couple of weeks ago Senate Democrats and Republicans united to pass something they called the FORECLOSURE PREVENTION ACT.  First of all the name is deceptive.  As today's front page NEW YORK TIMES article points out, the bill is loaded with goodies for big business but has little in it that can actually help distressed homeowners prevent foreclosure.

In stark contrast to Congress, STATES like OHIO have taken real action on their own that just might help homeowners.  On the front page of this morning's WASHINGTON POST there is an article by Dina ElBoghdady and Renae Merle that talks about States and cities springing into action because they know they can't count on their elected officials back in Washington. 

One such state is Ohio.  According to the article Ohio requires lenders who want to foreclose to FIRST attempt to work out a payment plan with homeowners.  Only after that can lenders get the court documents they need to sell the homes.   Ohio's treasurer, Richard Cordray told the paper, "That gives us leverage.  To get what they need from our courts, THEY HAVE TO SIT DOWN AND GO THROUGH A MEDIATION PROCESS AS IN ALL OTHER CIVIL CASES.  IT SLOWS DOWN THE PROCESS AND GETS EVERYONE TO THE TABLE."

Back in Washington, in the spirit of working together, Senate Democrats stripped from the FORECLOSURE PREVENTION ACT a provision that would have allowed bankruptcy judges to intervene to help struggling homeowners.  That move was key in getting the support of Senate Republicans to pass the bill.            

April 16, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (14) | TrackBack (0)

'Kids' 15 Megabytes of Fame'

April 14, 2008 9:54 AM

That's what Parry Aftab, the executive director of WIRED SAFETY calls the attacks, beatings and torture taped so they can be posted on MySpace and YouTube.  The CDC calls them "ELECTRONIC AGGRESSION."

According to an article written by BALTIMORE SUN reporter Jill Rosen, Parry Aftab wants to do something about them.  Her plan is to enlist a "CYBER ARMY" that would do nothing "but troll the Internet, find offensive material and then force the sites to remove it."  In the article Aftab says "They're making money.  Every time they post a fight video, they get more eyeballs.  IF THERE'S A FIGHT VIDEO, IT'S LOTS OF MONEY FOR RUPERT MURDOCH."  Aftab believes if the popular sites refuse to post the videos, kids will stop making them.   

April 14, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

He Went Back So His Wife Wouldn't Have To

April 14, 2008 9:52 AM

Tucked in the B section of Saturday's WASHINGTON POST was a small article by reporter Kristen Mack.  Mack told the story of 28 year old Sgt. Jesse A. Ault, recently married, with a 4 month old daughter.  According to the article Ault joined the army before high school graduation, spent 4 years on active duty, and then  joined the National Guard after that.  It was while he was training in the National Guard that he met his future wife and both deployed to Iraq in 2004.  After Iraq the two got married.

But early in 2007, Ault's wife, Betsy, received word that she would have to go back to Iraq.  Jesse decided to reenlist and take her place.  Last Wednesday Sgt. Jesse Ault was riding in his vehicle when it hit a bomb.  He was killed.

April 14, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (5) | TrackBack (0)

For These Two Women, Iraq was a Horrible, Bloody Nightmare

April 09, 2008 9:45 AM

At 9:00am General Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker will appear before the House Armed Services Committee to talk about Iraq.

At 9:30am on the other side of the Hill, two women contractors will appear before Senator Bill Nelson's Foreign Relations Subcommittee also to talk about Iraq.

But the stories these two committees will hear couldn't be more different.

One witness, a paramedic for a defense contractor, recently told her story to Karen Houppert of THE NATION recounting how early one morning last January she woke up in southern Iraq naked, bleeding and hurting badly.  Beside her was a u.s. soldier also naked, his gun on the floor next to the bed.  She says she remembers screaming as she was being raped not only by the soldier but also by a colleague who worked for defense contractor KBR, a colleague she thought had come to rescue her. 

Mary Beth Kineston who took a job with KBR working as a truck driver hauling water in Iraq will tell Senator Nelson that one day while waiting in line she was raped in the cab of her truck by a third party national and later sexually assaulted by a co-worker who found out about the rape. In her written testimony she says female drivers were subjected to the worst type of harassment when they needed a restroom break and often had to wait in long lines for hours to get food and water in the 120 degree heat while the men got both quickly. 

Both women tried to get help from the military and their contractor bosses but what both got instead were warnings to keep quiet and retaliation for their attempts to report the attacks and seek justice.   

In his opening statement, Senator Nelson, says "There apparently is quite simply a lack of determination or desire on the part of the Justice Department to seek criminal prosecution of these crimes.  I am told that together the departments of defense and state have referred NUMEROUS CASES to the justice department, but to this day NOT A SINGLE ONE OF THESE CASES HAS BEEN PROSECUTED."  Nelson says there is a law on the books, the MILITARY EXTRATERRITORIAL JURISDICTION ACT that was passed by Congress in 2000, that gives Justice the power it needs to go after the attackers.

Though the Justice Department has declined to testify at previous hearings on this issue, they will show up at Senator Bill Nelson's hearing today along with state and defense department witnesses.   

April 9, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)

Rep. Wynn's Lost, Now It's Time for the Voters to Lose

April 07, 2008 10:27 AM

Maryland Democrat Albert Wynn recently lost to a primary challenger.  Now it's time for the voters in his district to lose.  Wynn has announced he will leave congress in June so he can take a job with a powerful Washington lobbying firm.  That will leave voters in his district WITHOUT representation in Congress for 6 MONTHS unless the state decides to spend a lot of money to hold a special election.

Wynn's generosity to himself has earned him some national attention.  A NEW YORK TIMES editorial entitled "TROLLING FOR THE SPOILS OF OFFICE" tells his story.

April 7, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (9) | TrackBack (0)

Seattle's Green Fee

April 07, 2008 10:20 AM

San Francisco has already banned plastic grocery bags but allows paper. 

Next year, according to NEW YORK TIMES reporter William Yardley, SEATTLE could become the FIRST city in the nation to impose a "GREEN FEE" on BOTH plastic and paper bags.  Yardley says Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels has proposed a bill that would require shoppers to pay a 20 CENT "GREEN FEE" on each NEW paper and plastic bag they use when they shop at grocery stores, drug stores and convenience shops. 

Paper bags were included in the "GREEN FEE" because a local study showed that the "PRODUCTION and SHIPPING COSTS of PAPER BAGS made them ACTUALLY WORSE FOR THE PLANET than PLASTIC BAGS." 

April 7, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (10) | TrackBack (0)

WHEN DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS WORK TOGETHER

April 07, 2008 8:10 AM

When Senate Democrats and Senate Republicans work together you get a housing bill that helps just about everyone BUT those losing their homes.

When Democrats and Republicans work together you get an Economic Stimulus package that helps just about everyone BUT those who need it the most and would spend it the quickest, the Unemployed.

When Democrats and Republicans work together you get a government that spends nearly $45 MILLION of your taxes to send you a letter that pats itself on the back and says soon the economic stimulus checks will be in the mail IF you qualify.

House speaker Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat, says she now wants a second economic stimulus package and some help for those out of work.

Senate banking chair, Democrat Chris Dodd, says he now wants another housing bill that just might help those losing their homes.

But when Democrats and Republicans work together...

April 7, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (7) | TrackBack (0)

Unfounded Rumors and Conjecture Brought Down Bear Stearns

April 03, 2008 10:18 AM

Alan Schwartz, the president and CEO of Bear Stearns says several times in his 3 page written testimony before the Senate Banking Committee that during the week of MARCH 10th Bear Stearns "WAS ADEQUATELY CAPITALIZED and HAD A SUBSTANTIAL LIQUIDITY CUSHION..." 

But he adds that "due to the stressed condition of the CREDIT MARKET as a whole and the UNPRECEDENTED SPEED at which RUMORS and SPECULATION TRAVEL and ECHO THROUGH the MODERN FINANCIAL MEDIA ENVIRONMENT, the RUMORS and SPECULATION became a SELF-FULFILLING PROPHECY..."   

He starts the very next paragraph "I WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT THE IMPETUS FOR THE RUN ON BEAR STEARNS was in the FIRST INSTANCE the RESULT OF A LACK OF CONFIDENCE NOT a LACK OF CAPITAL or LIQUIDITY.  Throughout this period, BEAR STEARNS had a CAPITAL CUSHION WELL ABOVE WHAT WAS REQUIRED TO MEET REGULATORY STANDARDS.  However, by Thursday of that week a tipping point was reached on liquidity.  THE MARKET RUMORS BECAME SELF-FULFILLING and BEAR STEARNs' LIQUIDITY POOL BEGAN TO FALL SHARPLY."

April 3, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)

The Secret Service: This is Their Story

April 03, 2008 10:00 AM

This morning, the Director of the U.S. Secret Service, Mark Sullivan, will go to Capitol Hill to ask for $1.4 BILLION to cover salaries and expenses for his agency in FY 2009.  This is an increase of $28.9 MILLION over last year.

He will tell members of congress that as of February 29, 2008, the Secret Service has developed and implemented security plans for presidential candidates at NEARLY 900 separate events, including 444 for SENATOR OBAMA and 418 FOR SENATOR CLINTON. 

He will say since January of this year his agents have provided protection for the President's travels to 10 countries, 6 Middle Eastern, and 4 African as well as protection for the Vice President's visit to 8 countries in the Middle East last month.

Sullivan will say in addition to protecting presidential candidates, the Secret Service in APRIL is preparing and implementing plans for protectee travel on 5 CONTINENTS to 20 DIFFERENT COUNTRIES.  "In the United States, the Service is currently executing its plan for 8 VISITING FOREIGN HEADS OF STATE attending the World Leaders Forum in Miami, and planning for the upcoming North Americas Leaders Summit in New Orleans and the International Monetary Fund World Bank meetings in Washington, D.C."

"Especially noteworthy this month is the first visit of POPE BENEDICT XVI to the United States."  The Secret Service will be the LEAD FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY responsible to protect the pontiff as he visits Washington, D.C. and New York and offers Mass at the Nationals Baseball park and Yankee Stadium.

He says the Secret Service is currently conducting several UNDERCOVER CYBER INVESTIGATIONS based in EASTERN EUROPE including one that involves "hacking that has resulted in large scale data breaches and the associated TRAFFICKING and SALE of HUNDREDS of THOUSANDS of STOLEN CREDIT CARD NUMBERS," and he adds that last year the Secret Service arrested more than 2,200 suspects for counterfeiting offenses and helped remove over $147 MILLION in counterfeit U.S. currency from circulation."

Sullivan wants to hire 15 special agents to perform "HAMMER" duties.  He says the primary function of HAMMER agents, who are certified emergency medical technicians, is to provide immediate emergency life saving interventions, "including decontamination procedures," for protectees during incidents that involve chemical, biological, radiological, and industrial hazardous materials.

He says he needs $4.5 MILLION for PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH's POST-PRESIDENCY DETAIL.

Still to come, the Democratic and Republican National Conventions, the Presidential Debates which the Secret Service has been meeting on since last November and the general election.

April 3, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)

The 7-Year-Old Brought a 9-mm Pistol and a .40 Caliber Glock Handgun to School

April 02, 2008 7:41 AM

One of the guns "tumbled from the boy's pocket and onto the classroom floor," according to reporter Jennifer McMenamin who wrote the front page story for today's BALTIMORE SUN.

McMenamin says the first-grader got the weapons from his uncle's house and brought them to class at Randallstown Elementary school in Maryland. Though he was suspended and faces possible expulsion from school, Baltimore County police spokesman, Cpl. Michael Hill, told the paper that the child would not be charged with a crime.  "IT'S A TOY TO HIM."

They may have seemed like a toys to him, but McMenamin says "BOTH WERE LOADED WITH BULLETS IN THE CHAMBER, READY TO FIRE." The school principal immediately sent out automated phone messages to parents assuring them that this was an isolated incident and adding that the weapons had been confiscated by the police and there was no threat to the school.  But some parents like Sylvester Graham who has a 6 year old and 9 year old at Randallstown Elementary told the paper he was shocked when he got the phone message.  " I was surprised that a first-grader would do something like that.  It makes it even more dangerous."

McMenamin says 15 Maryland students were expelled last year for firearms violations and 29 were suspended.

April 2, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (4) | TrackBack (0)

'We Are Currently in an Up Cycle...'

April 01, 2008 12:34 PM

That's the way J.S. Simon, the senior Vice President of Exxon Mobil Corporation explains the industry's gargantuan profits last year, OVER $100 BILLION according to Rep. Edward Markey who will host the oil giants at a 12 noon hearing today.

Simon says the good times could one day end for big oil reminding congress that back in 1980, "crude oil prices reached record levels approaching the equivalent of over $100 a barrel in today's dollars" and he adds that many back then were predicting that oil prices would soar to over $250 a barrel in today's dollars. "But those predictions were wrong and by the mid-1980s prices had fallen dramatically and the industry was in dire straits."

It's clearly not the oil industry that is in dire straights these days. John Hofmeister, the President of SHELL OIL COMPANY admits that during an 18 month "National Dialogue on Energy Security" which Shell just completed, he heard what Congress has been hearing: "Americans are very worried about the rising price of energy--the cost to fill their cars, as well as the cost to heat, cool and light their homes and businesses. THESE COST INCREASES ARE HITTING CONSUMERS HARD, PARTICULARLY THE POOR AND THOSE ON FIXED INCOMES."

But Hofmeister says "Americans use 10,000 gallon of oil---enough to fill a backyard swimming pool---EVERY SECOND OF EVERY DAY and 20 railcars of COAL EVERY MINUTE" and providing all that energy is very expensive.

Given their huge profits and the misery of the American consumer, Markey wants to know how the oil men can continue to demand $18 BILLION IN TAX BREAKS which he says should instead be "shifted to developing renewable energy like wind, solar, biomass and other climate-friendly sources."

April 1, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (4) | TrackBack (0)