Steve Watkins: “what is wrong with this picture? Today in America there is a total collapse, a crisis of survival for the oil industry.…”

“what is wrong with this picture? Today in America there is a total collapse, a crisis of survival for the oil industry. The small independent producers are going bankrupt every day bringing pain and hurt in oil patch. What is wrong with this picture? American family farms are being destroyed. The families are having to leave because of low pricing and farm bankruptcies. Wheat just dropped to $2.20 a bushel. What is wrong with this picture? Today we are bombing Iraq but, at the same time, they are increasing by over 2 million barrels a day their oil sales which is helping destroy our domestic oil industry. Our small independent producers are dying in this country. They have also threatened and said they will not buy America's wheat with those funds from selling oil, again contributing to the collapse of the American farm. I agree with my colleague from Ohio (Mr. Traficant) when he says, ``Beam me up, Mr. President.'' What is wrong with this picture is Iraq is benefitting and our American farmers and independent producers are dying under the policy.”