Blagojevich To Bush: Release Reserve Oil / Dems rally behind governor

[truthpusher]

http://cbs2chicago.com/topstories/local_story_229190123.html

Blagojevich To Bush: Release Reserve Oil
White House Rejects Plan
-----------------------
Mike Flannery
Reporting
-----------------------
(CBS) SPRINGFIELD Governor Rod Blagojevich issued a presidential challenge Wednesday asking to release oil from the strategic petroleum reserve to offer everyone relief from expensive gasoline.

“It’s out of control, and we can’t just sit back and not try to do something to help the working people of Illinois,” Blagojevich said.

(snip)

President Bush is balking at the governor's request. A White House spokesperson said Wednesday that the president does not agree with the governor's claim that $3 a gallon gasoline is a national emergency and that is not what the petroleum reserve is all about.

(snip)

“I feel like I am throwing away money because you can put it in the gas tank, and what took $20 to do, now takes $40,” said David Benton of Chicago.

Responding to that, Blagojevich sent a letter to President Bush urging the White House to release oil from the petroleum reserve -- a move the governor said would reduce gasoline prices nationwide.

complete story: http://cbs2chicago.com/topstories/local_story_229190123.html

http://abclocal.go.com/wls/news/081705_ns_governor_support.html

Democrats rally behind governor at state fair
-----------------
By Andy Shaw
-----------------
August 17, 2005 — Governor Blagojevich called on President Bush Wednesday to tap into the nation's oil reserve in hopes of offering some relief at the gas pump. The last time a president did that was President Clinton in 2000. Governor Blagojevich wants President Bush to release about 30 million barrels of oil. The governor made the statement at the state fair in Springfield as Democrats put differences aside and rallied around the incumbent.

(snip)

"We have had our own share of family squabbles in the Democratic party. There isn't a Democrat on this stage or probably a Democrat in this audience that at one point or another I didn't have some kind of disagreement with," said Governor Blagojevich.

(snip)

"We have one of the outstanding governors in the country in Rod Blagojevich, and we're all going to be behind him," said Senator Barack Obama, (D)-Illinois.

"We're going to keep our governor in so he do another great job for another four years," said Senate President Emil Jones, (D)-Chicago.

(snip)

"The question is going to be: Do you want to continue to move forward and make the kind of progress we have been making or do you want to turn the clock back and go back to the old day of misplaced priorities, of cynicism, of corruption, of scandal and of sticking it to the working families of the state. I really believe that is going to be their choice. It doesn't matter who the candidate is," said the governor.

The Republican party, for the record, has a lot of gubernatorial candidates and potential candidates, including Jim Edgar, who say unanimously that Rod Blagojevich has been a disaster for the state. That will be their mantra Thursday, which is their political day at the state fair.


complete story: http://abclocal.go.com/wls/news/081705_ns_governor_support.html

[bemildred]

1. What a posturing, preening moron.

This is far from an emergency.
:puke:

[ChairmanAgnostic]

what a tool. This guy - well he is running for president.

The reserve is for emergencies. High prices are not emergencies.

OK we waste our reserves, and still pay through the nose. And what did it get us?

nothing.

Bloggo has been a real disappointment. Even before his election he was plotting his next campaign. he ignored Illinois in the meantime. Just like his medicine import plan, or his purchase of flu vaccine from europe ( millions wasted and the vaccine is now useless and stale) this is nothing more than an attempt to get press.

[TheFarseer]

2. I have to go with the president on this one

If they release the petroleum reserve, then gas will go down a little for a couple weeks and then it will just go right back up. The only difference will be we won't have that strategic reserve anymore AND stupid short-sighted people will probably go out and buy Hummers and Yukons thinking everything is back to normal.

[goforit]

3. Total Arrogance!!!!!!!

:argh:

[SpiralHawk]

4. Hell, of course its not an emergency

if you are a filthy rich Oil Republican toady. It's payday in BushCo land.

[bluestateguy]

5. This is a bad idea

I'm sure Bush has his less than virtuous motives for keeping the SPR locked up, but I still think releasing that oil would be a mistake at this time.

It's long-term effect on prices would be minimal, and OPEC would still have the ability to simply cut back production accordingly and keep prices where they are right now.

Also, that oil is there for an emergency, like a terrorist attack that disrupts supply or if Bush pisses off Hugo Chavez so much that he cuts us off. It is not an emergency that Mrs. Soccer Mommy has to pay $80 to fill up her SUV. Boo freaking hoo!

The real solution to get us lower prices is to stop starting wars in the Middle East, make up with Hugo Chavez and promote alternative sources of energy.

[mike_c]

6. the world is running out of oil....

This is not something that market manipulation can fix for any length of time!

[despairing optimist]

7. Like putting a Band-Aid on a gushing artery wound

China is filling its strategic reserve, and this guy wants * to drain ours. Windy City, give him all you've got and blow him into the lake!

[earthside]

8. Doesn't Matter

Release ALL the oil in the reserve and you just lull Americans into thinking that there never will be a Peak Oil problem.

This is the kind of political posturing that really is bad for the country. We've got to get our fellow citizens out of their total denial about petroleum or we risk a sudden, violent catastrophe.

Since there isn't a magic technological bullet that is going to solve the energy problem, we need to begin strict conservation and energy efficiency measures NOW! (Actually, in my opinion, we're probably already too late.)

[Strelnikov_]

11. "Get Our Fellow Citizens Out Of Their Total Denial About Petroleum"

Couldn't agree more.

Gonna need that SPR oil to stave off starvation when Iran shuts down the Strait of Hormuz.

[theshadow]

9. Ho hum, the old playbook comes out again.

This was the first step: yammer about the strategic reserve. Next will be the usual demand for a congressional investigation into price gouging and unfair profiteering by Big Oil. Then they'll throw around empty pledges to free us from dependence on foreign oil (without conserving, of course). All empty, all hot air.

[laylah]

10. He is a definite

posure! If you only knew what he has allowed to go on the IDOC, with knowledge, and turning a blind eye! This man SUCKS on many levels!

Jenn

[HadItUpToHere]

12. blago is a real piece of work-

the repukes self-destructed in scandal and corruption in Illinois- and the Dems got the governorship for the first time in MANY years- and now Blago is SUCH a one-termer of a tool, that the pugs will probably be back in charge again after the next election.

[Placebo]

13. I hate Blagojevich.

The other option he's proposing is eliminating the state tax on oil, which when done in the past, has only caused major state budget problems. And didn't effect the price of oil more than a few cents, and only for a short time.

Ugh. Blagojevich is such an embarrassment to Illinois. I hope the Democrats here choose someone else in the primary.

PS, he also just vetoed a bill which was passed by the house and senate here, that would have lowered the age when you could get a tattoo from the currently outrageous 21 to a more reasonable 18. He cited his own daughter and not wanting her getting one at that age, and then went on to talk about how 18 years olds can't really make decisions that they'll have to live with for the rest of their life yet. :eyes:

[madmark]

14. As Prices Go Up Substitutes Become Economical

We will never get off oil by continuing to artificially keep down the price of gas by releasing emergency reserves or fighting wars in the middle east to provide for a stable world supply or any other external action. When prices get high enough, substitutes will be resorted to, such as electricity from non-fossil fuel sources like wind and solar. And as substitutes are restorted to economies of scale will kick in and the net energy costs will go down. But only then.

[Cha]

15. Disin-freakin'-genous as this is..

it is still galvinizing national attention to the Price of Petrol!

And putting the bushtard on the defensive.