Gas prices up, congressional morons preen

From The Washington Post:

A week after U.S. gasoline prices hit a near-record $3.05 a gallon, Democrats in Congress are promoting legislation taking aim at the big oil companies, although industry experts say that the efforts aren't likely to have any effect.

Standing in front of an Exxon station near the Capitol on Wednesday with the posted $3.05-a-gallon price for unleaded regular in the background, half a dozen senators railed against the oil industry.

Sen. Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) said Congress would look into breaking up the giant companies. Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) promoted her anti-price-gouging bill, which the Senate Commerce Committee adopted on Tuesday. And Sen. Bernard Sanders (I-Vt.) backed a windfall profits tax, pointing to $440 billion in profits over the past six years for the nation's five biggest oil companies.

"I think it's time to say to these people, 'Stop ripping off the American people,' " Sanders said.

The rise in gas prices couldn't possibly have anything to do with supply and demand. It couldn't possibly have anything to do with the fact that the Democrats have pandered to their environmentalist wacko constituents by blocking new domestic oil drilling in Alaska and in the Gulf of Mexico and by preventing the construction of any new oil refineries for decades.

It couldn't possibly have anything to do with the fact that our overburdened refineries have to stop producing heating oil and gear up to produce gasoline for the summer driving season at this time of the year.

It couldn't possibly have anything to do with the fact that economically booming China and India are consuming higher and higher shares of the world's oil production.

It couldn't possibly have anything to do with the fact that over 40 cents of every gallon's pump price doesn't go to the oil company or to the service station operator but to the government in taxes.

It couldn't possibly have anything to do with the fact that the price you pay for every gallon of gas has built into it the taxes paid by the people who drill for the oil, the people who operate the pipelines that the oil flows through, the taxes paid by the people who refine the oil, the people who truck the gas to the local filling station and the people who own the gas station you buy it from plus the taxes paid by the advertising company that helps convince you to buy that brand instead of another and the newspapers and radio and television stations that run the ads.

No, it just HAS to be gouging by the evil oil companies. Oil companies whose profits are lower than companies like Nike which makes shoes and companies like Sony which makes electronics.

If Democrats like Schumer and Cantwell and socialists (that's what he calls himself) like Sanders really believed what they were saying I would feel sorry for them. The mentally retarded can't help being retarded and we should pity them.

If they really believe what they were saying then gentle hands should lead them away from congress where they can unwittingly do great harm and take them to jobs more in line with their limited ability to understand the world, like sweeping, mowing grass and washing dishes. Good honest useful labor which will allow them to support themselves and make a positive contribution to their society.

However, as we all know, they do not believe what they are saying. A fact which makes them liars and utterly beneath contempt. Beneath contempt because their lies are destructive. They have already successfully crippled our ability to produce and refine additional oil; now they want to cripple our existing supplies by crushing the suppliers under even more malicious taxation.

They want to drag oil company executives before their committees and hold televised hearings so that they can mug for the cameras and bloviate about how much they're doing to help "the little guy" when they are only loading down the "little guys" with unbearable burdens by sending hither swarms of Officers to harass them and eat out their substance through ever increasing taxation and regulation.

This nation made a desperate error last November. Yes it is true that the Republicans did not deserve to win, but this nation did not deserve the consequences of their loss either.