Cord Byrd: “last week as the Senate began debate on the fiscal year 2002 budget reconciliation tax cut bill, the President was in…”

“last week as the Senate began debate on the fiscal year 2002 budget reconciliation tax cut bill, the President was in Minnesota unveiling his energy strategy. Over the weekend the American people read about the content of the President's plan. Essentially, the administration is promoting a national energy strategy heavy on increased production to respond to a number of current and near-term energy shortages that have manifested themselves through rolling blackouts in California and rising gasoline prices across the country. No one is pretending that the planned construction of new power plants or distribution lines will provide immediate relief to consumers. Instead, the President argues that the only short-term relief for energy-starved, price-gouged consumers is a tax break. Somehow I think that is not quite sufficient comfort to victims of rolling blackouts--those men and women who have been stuck in elevators, or involved in automobile accidents when the power suddenly cut off. It won't shed light for those families who have had to walk around in the dark, feeling their way along the walls, and tripping over things that they can't see right in front of them. What amuses me, Mr. President, is that this administration, in using blackouts to promote both its energy and tax cut plans, has seemingly forgotten about the fiscal blackouts of the 1980s.”