Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I submit for the Record an editorial from the Wall Street Journal by former Democratic Member Harold Ford. [From the Wall Street Journal, May 11, 2011] Washington vs. Energy Security (By Harold Ford, Jr.) Even former President Clinton calls the Obama administration's deep water drilling policy `ridiculous.' When President Obama introduced his energy plan in March, he pointed out that the U.S. keeps going ``from shock to trance on the issue of energy security, rushing to propose action when gas prices rise, then hitting the snooze button when they fall again.'' It's true that since the Nixon administration U.S. leaders have all made the same commitment to cutting our reliance on foreign oil, finding reliable sources of clean energy, and keeping energy prices low. Yet Americans keep hearing only short-term solutions and narrowly focused rules and regulations. The U.S. still imports more than half its oil, gasoline prices are at historic highs, and consumers are paying the price. One bipartisan policy tradition is to deny Americans the use of our own resources. President George H.W. Bush took aggressive steps to keep off-limits vast supplies of oil and gas along the coasts of California and Florida. Since then, the build-up of restrictions, limitations and bans on drilling (onshore and off) have cost the U.S. economy billions of dollars while increasing our dependence on foreign sources of energy.…”