Kings of Non Sequiturs

Why doesn't any journalist ever call the Democrats and environmentalists on the non sequitur they continue to use by comparing total oil reserves to total usage?

"We can't drill our way out of this, we only have 2% of the known reserves yet we use 25% or the worlds oil!"

Ah, yes. Forget for a minute that you can't increase your known (proven) reserves without exploring for more oil (see Brazil 1995 vs Brazil 2011), the comparison is completely apples to oranges.

Untapped oil under ground /= (is not equal to) oil in the pipeline!

It is like saying that it won't do any good for the electric company to produce any more electricity because the factory down the road, where everyone in the town works (see how I did that), uses 25% of the electric company's power, despite the fact that the company has unused generating capacity equal to 2% of the world's generators AND they can always find more if the market were to call for it.

Thoughts of a Feebled Mind* -- Dems Plan Will Leave World Wanting

If Pelosi, Reid, and Obama get their way we will not drill another hole and will will deal with the consequences including financial for the poor here.

But how can they justify what their actions would do to the rest of the world we can't afford the cost of changing the third world over to tech.

But our Democrats don't seem to understand that fertilizer and everything else included in modern life cannot be replaced immediately -- the world will suffer.

* Random thoughts from the past few weeks that made it to the "draft" section but never made it to a post because of the downward swing in my health.

Double Down On Democrat Win -- Democrats Major Sponsor George Soros Enriched By Democrats Energy Policy

Billionaire investor George Soros bought an $811 million stake in Petroleo Brasileiro (Petrobras) in the second quarter, making the Brazilian state-controlled oil company his investment fund's largest holding.

As of June 30, the stake in Petrobras, as the Rio de Janeiro-based oil producer is known, made up 22 per cent of the $3.68 billion of stocks and American depositary receipts held by Soros Fund Management, according to a filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission. Petrobras has since slumped 28 per cent.

Soros has increased his mining and commodities holdings, a move that accelerated in the first quarter with purchases of such companies as Cia. Vale do Rio Doce, the world's largest iron-ore producer, and Talisman Energy, a Canadian oil and gas company. In November, Petrobras announced the discovery of Tupi, a field with as much as 8 billion barrels of reserves, making it the largest find in the Americas since 1976.

"Petrobras has something that other oil companies don't have: oil - lots of it and they're going to find more," said Ricardo Kob-ayashi, equity fund manager with UBS Pactual in Rio de Janeiro.

"If you can buy now and hang on, if you have the staying power, it's great."

Tupi is part of a new deepwater offshore region known as the pre-salt that may contain as much as 50 billion barrels, according to Peter Wells, oil analyst with the UK's Neftex Petroleum Consultants.

 Fine, Soros can invest in evil oil, I don't have a single problem with that!  I appreciate that, it reduces the cost of my gas!

Here's what I have a problem with:

• Soros has already been convicted in France of insider trading -- INSIDER TRADING, AKA; buying a security with info not available to the general public so that you can cash in on the security.
• Soros has invested in a Brazilian company that drills for oil off of Brazil.  They have made huge discoveries in oil that no one suspected might be there!  That company makes more money when the price of oil goes up and stays up.
  
• Soros is funding the Democrats to the tune of millions and the Democrats have dug in their heels on the "All Of The Above," energy plan because it includes drilling.  
• Because of this the price of oil goes up and stays up because we aren't allowed to drill off our own shores or in many places in the US.  
• Circle complete -- Money for money!  International insider trading to the max!  The man knows how to run an investment!
  

He is the perfect example of the culmination of every socialist society so far.  The rich and powerful take advantage of the system for their own enrichment.

So what if you can't afford food or gas, he has important things to do with his money like getting guns off the street and electing Barack and he needs that oil to continue his good works!

Soros  is the major sponsor of the nutroots who bragged that the Democratic party was theirs because they had bought and paid for it!  Every time they block an all of the above energy plan they pay him dividends on that investment!

This man is really a slimy individual!
DKK
Gulfnews

Edwards Admits Affair -- Stabs Media And Wife In The Back -- Media Forced To Finally Cover Story!

Former Sen. John Edwards has admitted having an extramarital affair in 2006. In a written statement today, the former Democratic presidential candidate said he "made a serious error in judgment and conducted myself in a way that was disloyal to my family and to my core beliefs." 

National Enquirer was right and the media covered it up, until they couldn't any longer.   This was really a disgraceful display by the media.
CNN

Update:  Hot Air -- David Shuster: You know who else deserves an apology from Edwards? The media

After all they did to suppress the story for him, it’s really the least he can do. Tip via TV Newser, which neglects to mention the punchline here: Upon pronouncing the media a hapless victim whose blind trust was so cruelly exploited by Edwards’s aides, Shuster then turned around and pulled rank on the one press outfit that actually bothered to do some reporting. This one’s for you, Kaus.

If David Schuster knows politics more then all the people at MSNBC then they are really in trouble!
DKK

Vacationing 'Son Of A Beach!'

DKK

Democrats Willing To Force A Recession For Political Gain -- Hope For Bigger Majorities So They Can Vote For Energy Driven Depression!

Nancy Pelosi and the Democrats are holding Americans hostage on energy prices all so they can run out the clock in the hopes that they will have a larger majority next year that will allow them to pass an energy plan that will be, "heavy on conservation and alternative fuels."

Here is what that means for each and every voter:

You are currently being forced to pay higher gas prices all for the hopes of political gain by the Democrats!

Even worse then the prices is the fact that any plan with conservation as it's centerpiece requires, by it's very definition, that there be restraint or forced suppression and since energy drives the economy that is what will be suppressed!  That is a recipe for a forced depression!

So, if Pelosi gets her wish for more power then next January you can look forward a huge lack of control over your own life -- less choices in cars, homes, heating, air conditioning, food, medicine, employment and every other aspect of your life that is impacted by energy.

That power Pelosi wants will come directly from each and every voter in America!  As government becomes more powerful the citizens become less powerful!

Shortages, rationing, and long lines are all historically part of systems that are centrally planned by governments --  and fool hardy politicians that strive for power on the backs of Americans are nothing but slime.

Nancy, Harry, and Barack need a good lesson in arrogance and playing Americans for fools!
DKK

‘Drive small cars and wait for the wind,’ -- Brave Democrats Long Awaited Energy Plan

Democrats in Congress promised to make energy policy a high priority when they returned after the Independence Day break.  Instead, they have quietly scrubbed the schedule of any votes on their energy bill, afraid Republicans will make them vote on increased domestic oil production and force them to choose between popular sentiment for drilling and their environmentalist allies.  Their strategy?  Well, the Hill chooses a good quote:

“Right now, our strategy on gas prices is ‘Drive small cars and wait for the wind,’ ” said a Democratic aide.

DKK
Hot Air -- Dems Retreat On Energy, Wait For The Wind

FARC Terrorists -- Nancy Peloicy And The Dems -- NGO's

New information reveals that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was indirectly sending messages to the FARC. The Marxist Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) is designated as a terrorist group by the US government. Speaker Pelosi was doing this while at the same time she refused to bring a free trade agreement with Colombia up for a vote in the US House. In fact, Pelosi took extraordinary steps to block this trade agreement with America's closest ally in South America.

Gateway Pundit -- DEM SHOCKER!!... Speaker Pelosi Was Sending Messages to FARC Terrorists While Undermining Colombian Government!

As we learn more about the Colombian military's daring hostage rescue last week, one detail stands out: In tricking FARC rebels into putting the hostages aboard a helicopter, undercover special forces simply told the comandantes that the aircraft was being loaned to them by a fictitious nongovernmental organization sympathetic to their cause called the International Humanitarian Mission.
It may have taken years for army intelligence to infiltrate the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, and it may have been tough to convincingly impersonate rebels. But what seems to have been a walk in the park was getting the FARC to believe that an NGO was providing resources to help it in the dirty work of ferrying captives to a new location.

WSJ
DKK

Why Would You Democrats Vote To Eliminate Workplace Choice?

 

Coalition For A Democratic Workplace.
DKK

Seriously, We Can Drill Our Way Out Of This!

Jed Babbin: “Democrats have voted three times against increased oil production in the last year. They are content with rising prices.”

Babbin has a simple response to the Democratic Party line of “We can’t drill our way out of this problem.”

Babbin: Yes We Can.

“More than three times the oil reserves of Saudi Arabia are embedded in Western states’ oil shale, estimated at 800 billion to 2 trillion barrels of recoverable oil,” Babbin wrote.

As long as it's not all we do we can too drill our way out of this mess, I have said this repeatedly!   What we can't do is conserve our way out of this.  Our society is 50% more efficient now then we were 30 years ago, yet we are using nearly 3 billion barrels more oil today then we did then.

DKK

Don Surber -- Gasoline Wars 

One More Time -- We Are At War, Not Just Out To Capture One Man!

I can't believe anyone has to say this again.

I am amazed that the Democrats don't get it and disgusted that the media refuses to reinforce it.

Here goes:

We are fighting all terrorism.  We are intent on eliminating international terrorism by eliminating the willingness of any nation to host the terrorists and fracturing the command and control of current terror operations.

Bin Laden doesn't matter in the war, just as the capture of a single general didn't halt WWII Bin Laden's capture won't halt this war (it would however be a PR coup and demonstrate the futility of al Qaeda).

It is frightening that Democrats are so limited in their strategic thinking.  They appear to be so set on vengeance that Bin Laden is their only focus in the war, or is it merely the belief that his capture is the end all, final goal?  (Bush initially had the desire for revenge but quickly realized that he had to address the illness and the symptom.)


President Bush has failed by not pounding this home each and every day, but the Democrats and the MSM have completely blanked on this simply because it isn't their goal.  They seemed to understand early on, but for them to remember they would have to admit that Iraq was part of the same war, and they can't do that or they would lose any political advantage they might have.
DKK

About Those "Unused" Oil Leases -- A Lie By Any Other Name

To deflect the GOP effort to relax the offshore-drilling ban – and thus boost supply while demand will remain strong – Democrats also say that most of the current leases are "nonproducing." The idea comes from a "special report" prepared by the Democratic staff of the House Resources Committee, chaired by Mr. Rahall. "If we extrapolate from today's production rates on federal lands and waters," the authors write, the oil companies could "nearly double total U.S. oil production" (their emphasis).

In other words, these whiz kids assume that every acre of every lease holds the same amount of oil and gas. Yet the existence of a lease does not guarantee that the geology holds recoverable resources. Brian Kennedy of the Institute for Energy Research quips that, using the same extrapolation, the 9.4 billion acres of the currently nonproducing moon should yield 654 million barrels of oil per day.

Nonetheless, the House still went through with a gesture called the "use it or lose it" bill, which passed on Thursday 223-195. It would be pointless even if it had a chance of becoming law. Oil companies acquire leases in the expectation that some of them contain sufficient oil and gas to cover the total costs. Yet it takes years to move through federal permitting, exploration and development. The U.S. Minerals Management Service notes that only one of three wells results in a discovery of oil that can be recovered economically. In deeper water, it's one of five. All this involves huge risks, capital investment – and time.

If anything, the Democrats ought to be dancing in the streets about "idle" leases. It means fewer rigs. The days of hit-or-miss wildcatting have been relegated to the past by new, more efficient technologies, such as seismic imaging, directional drilling (wells that are "steered" underground) and multilateral drilling (multiple underground offshoots from a single wellbore).

At the same time, finding new reservoirs has become far more complex. Except for a few very large fields discovered decades ago like Prudhoe Bay, most recent discoveries have been smaller, deeper and less concentrated. The U.S. needs a continuous supply of discoveries to replace declining wells.

Yet companies are not allowed to explore where the biggest prospects for oil and gas may exist – especially on the Outer Continental Shelf. Seven of the top 20 U.S. oil fields are now located in analogous deepwater areas (greater than 1,000 feet) in the Gulf of Mexico. In 2006, Chevron discovered what is likely to be the largest American oil find since Prudhoe, drilled in 7,000 feet of water and more than 20,000 feet under the sea floor. The Wilcox formation may have an upper end of 15 billion barrels of recoverable oil and should begin producing by 2014 – perhaps ushering in a new ultradeepwater frontier.

Likewise, in April, the U.S. Geological Survey revised its estimate for the Bakken Shale, underneath the badlands of North Dakota and Montana. The new assessment – as much as 4.3 billion barrels of oil – is a 25-fold increase over what the Survey believed in 1995. Such breakthroughs confirm that very large reserves exist, if only Congress would let business get at them.

All of which has Democrats sweating bullets. The leadership is desperate to avoid debating a Department of Interior spending bill, because they know Republicans will offer amendments lifting the drilling moratorium that may peel off some Democrats. Last week, Chairman David Obey shut down the Appropriations Committee rather than countenance more domestic energy production. Given Democratic energy illiteracy, this is a fight the GOP can win if it keeps up the pressure.

DKK
WSJ -- Obama's Dry Hole

So Nancy, How's That Energy Plan Going? What, Still Nothing But Roadblocks, Typical.

In May 2007, Nancy Pelosi announced amid great fanfare that the Democrats had made July 4, 2007 Energy Independence Day.  Castigating George Bush for his inaction on energy policy, Pelosi noted that gas prices had reached record levels and that the newly-enacted Democratic majority would take charge of energy policy to take back the leadership from “Big Oil”.  Pay close attention to the chart behind Pelosi at the beginning:

Their stated accomplishment was the ethanol debacle and the elimination of drilling tax credits.   Nothing that, in the real world, would help.

Since then gas has risen 60%.

See the video at Hot Air.
DKK

Who Is Ultimately Responsible For High Gas Prices -- So That's Why We Can't Get A Compromise

Bottom line:

Democrats blame YOU!

Hence their solutions are designed to punish and rehabilitate each and every one of us!
"It's your fault so you must pay and change!"

Republicans blame Government.

Hence their solutions are designed to get Government out of the way and let Americans
do what Americans do best!
"We can solve this problem without starving the world or some other stupid government run debacle if you just get out of the way!"

Extended explanation:

There is a fundamental difference between the belief of the Democrats and the Republicans in Washington about who is ultimately responsible for today's high gas prices and this difference is why a compromise is so hard to reach on this issue.

Democrats make noise about blaming the oil companies, the speculators, the Saudi's and of course the Republicans. But the Democrats underlying belief, deep down, is that the ultimate responsibility for our current energy situation falls squarely on the every single resident of the United States! (This should be no surprise to any observer of history over the last 45 years or so.)

That's right, you and I, your neighbor and even their infant child!

You use too much, don't conserve, are wasteful, and fat too -- if you would walk more you would use less energy and maybe loose some of that butt you have!

Barack Obama, Sunday, May 18, 2008,

"We can't drive our SUVs and eat as much as we want and keep our homes on 72 degrees at all times..."

That is why their solutions are all punitive. Tax increases, increased regulation, forced change, even outlawing incandescent light bulbs. These are all punishing roadblocks and attempts at social engineering.

On the other hand Republicans believe that the ultimate responsibility for high gas prices lies with Government.

In this present crisis, government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem.
Ronald Reagan, First Inaugural Address

Thus their solutions involve eliminating restrictions and getting government out of the way.

The American people need to send a message to the Democrats in congress, loud and clear, that we are not to blame -- THEY ARE. We can't afford to let this continue!

As Jean Kirkpatrick said back in 1984, "(T)hey always blame America first. The American people know better."

Until the Democrats understand this they will not allow the American people the freedom to do what Americans do best -- solve the problem using hard work and ingenuity.
DKK

Manzullo Calls On Democrats To Allow Vote On Common Sense Domestic Energy Increase

From Congressman Manzullo's house site:

Congressman Don Manzullo (R-Egan) today echoed calls for House leaders to schedule votes on bills that will allow more domestic production of oil to reduce gas prices in America and end our addiction to costly foreign oil.

More than 112 billion barrels of oil exist within our borders and along our shores – enough to power 60 million cars for 60 years – and Americans should be allowed to extract the oil as part of our plan to reduce surging gas prices in America.

Unfortunately, House Democratic leaders have refused to call for a vote any legislation that allows extraction for oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR – exploration would occur on 2,000 acres of the 19 million acre refuge), along the Outer Continental Shelf off our coasts (Congress banned drilling along the OCS in 1981), and on other federal lands in the United States. Manzullo added there are now more environmentally friendly and safer offshore oil and gas extraction methods today. Case in point – not a drop of oil was spilled from oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico when Hurricane Katrina passed over them nearly three years ago.

“The ultimate plan is for alternative energy – such as electricity, hydrogen or something not yet invented – to power our vehicles in the future, and I support comprehensive efforts to spur research and development on a host of alternative and renewable fuels. But the mass commercialization of those products could be many, many years away,” Manzullo said. “In the meantime, we must take additional steps to increase the supply of oil and gas in this country so we no longer have to rely on foreign countries that often don’t have our best interests at heart. Americans simply can’t afford to keep paying these surging gasoline costs at the pumps.”

Additional drilling was already part of Congress Manzullo's 12 point gas price reduction plan but this call for a vote is very welcome. Gas prices are hurting Northern Illinois particularly hard due to our regressive state sales tax and our higher then average unemployment rate.

So that no one is confused as to which party is the part of higher gas prices, the Republican controlled Congress approved drilling in ANWR in 1995 but Democratic President Clinton vetoed that measure. Every year thereafter until control of the house was lost to the Democrats in 2006 the house approved drilling in ANWR but were blocked by Senate Democrats. The Democrats mantra that the oil won't be available for years is amazingly short sighted and foolish -- does anyone really think we won't need that oil the minute it comes out of the ground years from now? (Not to mention the fact that we could have it by now if we had just taken action!) Not everyone will be able to get a new car in 5 or 10 years!

Congressman Manzullo's opponent, Robert Abboud would put party loyalty ahead of gas prices by bashing oil companies and hanging his hopes on alternative energy that ignores the reality of life for those of us who live in the 16th! Gas is not an option!

As an aside, as I have pointed out previously Manzullo's campaign site is really sad -- even his bio isn't on the bio page. It still says to check back later -- isn't there an election coming up? He has a bio on his congressional page that should be accurate, right?
DKK

Gore Still An Energy Hog -- 10% Increase, Now Equals 232 Homes!

In the year since Al Gore took steps to make his home more energy-efficient, the former Vice President’s home energy use surged more than 10%, according to the Tennessee Center for Policy Research.”A man’s commitment to his beliefs is best measured by what he does behind the closed doors of his own home,” said Drew Johnson, President of the Tennessee Center for Policy Research. “Al Gore is a hypocrite and a fraud when it comes to his commitment to the environment, judging by his home energy consumption.”

In the past year, Gore’s home burned through 213,210 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity, enough to power 232 average American households for a month.

DKK

Watts Up With That -- Giant Sucking Sound

WaPo -- What The Heck, Dems?

(T)he Iraqi prime minister was saying that his country does not want to become an Iranian satellite but an independent Arab state that would look to the United States to ensure its security.

This would seem to be an obvious U.S. gain in what, according to Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) as well as President Bush, is the urgent task of countering Iran's attempt to dominate the Middle East. It means that Iraq, a country with the world's second largest oil reserves and a strategic linchpin of the Middle East, just might emerge from the last five years of war and turmoil as an American ally, even if its relations with Iran remain warm.

So it's hard to fathom why Democrats in Congress have joined Ayatollah Khamenei in denouncing the U.S.-Iraqi agreements even before they are written. Critics such as Sen. James Webb (D-Va.) are professing to be outraged that the Bush administration might be forging a relationship with Iraq "that parallels the Korea-Japan history," as Mr. Webb put it. They claim to be shocked by the suggestions of Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) that U.S. forces might remain in Iraq for decades without controversy if they did not suffer casualties, as has happened in Japan and South Korea. Yet the U.S. alliances with Japan and South Korea have been among the most successful in this nation's history. While building a similar bond with Iraq may prove impossible, it's hard to understand why Democrats would oppose it in principle.

DKK

Washington Post -- A Partnership With Iraq

1 to 10 -- Democrats Responsible for Gas Prices

This started out as an attempt to create a light and humorous, Letterman-esque Top 10 list. But the items on the list, and the drain Americans are seeing in their pocketbooks because of Democrats' actions (sometimes inaction) are just too tragic for that.

Read and keep this one, it will come in handy during debates with Democrats in the future.
DKK
American Thinker -- Top 10 reasons to blame Democrats for soaring gasoline prices

Way To Stay Classy Democrats!

A stunning 20-something woman hooks up with a seemingly innocent guy at a rowdy singles bar. Hot foreplay starts on the cab ride home and progresses into the bedroom.

That is until, while searching for a condom in the bedside table, she sees a photo signed "Thanks for your support!" from Republican candidate John McCain.

Horrified, she bolts, dropping her bag and spilling a campaign button on the sidewalk: "I only sleep with Democrats." The camera quickly cuts to a cool, bespectacled man with a donkey pin on his lapel. The couple's eyes lovingly lock.

"Blue Balled" -- an edgy, video short distributed on YouTube and other Web sites this week -- has a simple message: If you vote Democrat, you are intellectual, hip and savvy. If you vote Republican, you are an untouchable -- bumbling, square and uptight.

This video does nothing but prove that Democrats are shallow, prejudiced, bigoted, hateful, elitists who can't accept anything that isn't like they are -- period.

It is supposed to demonstrate that you're hip if your a Democrat, but all it manages to do is elevate the partisan divide to levels way beyond politics. In their next video they'll be herding Republicans off to special camps and cities.

Way to keep it classy and uphold that new politics thing you faked people out with!

Video is at the link, I didn't embed it because I am kinda sorry I watched it and not really sure I want you to watch it!
DKK
ABC -- Dems Use Edgy Films to Rally Youth Voters

Dem's Prevent Drilling -- Again

GOP Rep. John Peterson’s latest bid to lift domestic offshore drilling restrictions, which I blogged earlier today here, was killed this afternoon by the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior and the Environment. It was a straight, party line vote.

DKK
Michelle Malkin -- Ofshore drilling bill killed