Feinstein warns of action if oil firms don't show restraint

[davidinalameda]

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2005/09/07/MNGVDEJCL71.DTL

West Coast senators blasted the oil industry Tuesday for allegedly using Hurricane Katrina as an excuse for jacking up gasoline prices in California and Oregon.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., warned oil companies, which she said were already enjoying bloated profits before last week's destructive storm struck the Gulf Coast, that if they didn't show voluntary gas price restraint, Congress might act.

Sen. Gordon Smith, R-Ore., argued that the Federal Trade Commission had been toothless in investigating allegations of price gouging, and Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., said the post-hurricane increase in West Coast prices showed the fallacy of the industry's longtime contention that the West Coast was a special market where prices were higher because of tough environmental rules.

it's good to see DiFi getting tough

[Raster]

1. Damnit!!! I am tired of the hissin' and spittin'. DO SOMETHING!!!

It's well past time to take the oil companies to task for their greed and price gouging. It's time to slap the snot out of the oil companies, and if they don't like it, threaten to NATIONALIZE. Don't you fucking congresspeople get it? The good ol' white boy texas petroleum mafia is sucking this country dry. Couple that with their puppet pResident and you've got a recipe for disaster. No more talk! Act!

[Betsy Ross]

2. Nice to see DiFi saying something useful.

Here in Northern CA we tend to think of Barbara Boxer as our Senator. Feinstein has abandoned the liberal cause.

[Occulus]

3. .

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x1760219

[bemildred]

4. That should wake them up.

DiFi is a card carrying member of the ruling Junta.
If anyone can take a club to the oil companies it's DiFi
and her cronies.

[davidinalameda]

5. amen to that

I was sort of surprised when I saw this--maybe she's waking up to the reality that some of her usual stands are WRONG

[bemildred]

9. When the Junta speaks up, it is usually to protect themselves.

They prefer a low profile and the illusion of limited power.
It is no accident that they are happy with the imperial presidency.
It shields them from accountability for their actions and the lack
of actions. This current situation however is dangerous, Bush has
screwed the pooch badly enough to awake the public to government
mis-rule and mal-rule. Hence we are starting to see concessions made,
expressions of concern offered, powerful Senators suddenly feeling
compelled to abort their normal fund-raising activities to pour oil
on the tempestuous waters.

[IndyJones]

14. Really? Then what's stopping her from taking action now?

[bemildred]

18. Well, it's not "she", it's "they", but nothing is stopping them.

On the other hand they don't want to.

[lateo]

6. What is she going to do...fart in their general direction?

Fuck off Feinstein...they haven't shown restraint now why would they start?

[saigon68]

10. Especially since the Bush Criminals are feeding deeply at the trough

DINOs ( Like Limpmann) will get nothing done.

[MindPilot]

7. ohhhhhh, "congress might act" -- stop it or we'll form a committee!

I'm sure those oil company execs are just quaking in their boots.

[IndyJones]

15. The dems have such an opportunity to step up to the plate right now.

Why the hell threaten action? Who cares about threats? The American public is angry right now. IMO, angrier than we've ever been at Bush. Why not strike while the iron is hot? They've even got Republicans pissed off right now.

They need to step up to the plate and push action now. Don't talk about it, do it.

[RJRoss]

22. MindPilot!

"Stop it or we'll form a committee!" - that is freaking classic!

[MindPilot]

24. Thanks!! And Welcome to DU!!

[Gregorian]

8. How about legislation to provide for renewable.....

[Kokonoe]

11. Yeah, standard blather.

Might act blah blah.. If someone complains blah blah.. And you can
prove blah blah.. And they price gouge on purpose..blah.

[yorgatron]

12. she has to pretend she's doing her job,at least occasionally.

i swear,i'd vote for Bruce McPherson if he ran against her.

[Zhade]

19. She has to take a break from counting the money...

...her husband makes off the war in Iraq SOMETIME.

[IndyJones]

13. Feinstein actually DO SOMETHING about it? Wow, I'd love to see that!

It's nice to talk about it, honey, but what the American public wants to see is ACTION.

What they are doing is nothing but gauging. Why the hell isn't Congress already putting a stop to it?

Stop complaining and do something now!

[ecoalex]

16. So the old cow can bawl, so what?

[Zynx]

17. Nationalize them

[Riverman]

20. Yes and I said so in a statement to Feinstein, Boxer, Reed,

Landreiu and Congressman Conyers earlier in the week, among other things including demanding that the ENTIRE BUSH ADMDINISTRATION RESIGN, Now

[Pithy Cherub]

21. DiFi's broom now has a loudspeaker...

:eyes: Lookout she's got joementum and dammit, she's gonna use it...

[Buns_of_Fire]

23. We DEMAND the oil companies show some restraint.

And if they don't...

Well, we'll DEMAND it again.

That'll teach 'em.

[tinfoilinfor2005]

25. And when she shoe shops with her good friend condi

they spend hours at lunch talking about it. She hasn't done anything in a long time that has convinced me that she is on our side.