Published: March 21, 2008 01:48 pm            

Inhofe suggests solutions

Prices rising, but outlook isn’t hopeless

DUNCAN — It’s no secret that consumer prices are on the rise. A quick stop at any gasoline pump or the grocery store will demonstrate that.

But for many, the central focus of the issue is what will be done about it, if anything?

To Sen. Jim Inhofe, the situation is not a hopeless one. In fact, to him, the solution may come following the results of the November presidential election.

“On the price of oil and gas, it really frustrates me when I listen to Obama and Hillary talk about our dependence on foreign countries. In fact, I chaired the committee called Environment and Public Works up until a year ago when we lost our majority. We tried to increase our production and exploration in Alaska and offshore,” he explained.

“It’s right down to supply and demand. And I said it on the senate floor as many as five years ago,” he said. “I said we’re going to have a day when the supply just gets overwhelmed by the demand and the price is going to go up.

“There is a way out. And that is to correct these two deficiencies, and, at the same time, do something about the generation of electricity.

“Electricity isn’t quite as detectable because you don’t see a big sign saying $3.15 a gallon. But home heating and the cost of energy — the cost of electricity— has increased by almost the same amount. And that is because those individuals, who are what I call the far left environmentalists, are dominating both houses in Washington.

“They don’t want oil and gas, they don’t want coal-fired plants. And you can’t operate the greatest, most sophisticated machine in all of mankind on just when the technology isn’t there yet. We passed an energy bill that didn’t have any energy in it. It’s all looking at standards for the future and renewables.

“Which we want to do, but what do you do for energy until you’re able to bring that into reality?” he asked.

“And when you have natural gas out there as the only way to generate electricity, since they’re trying to shut down the coal-generated plants, it gets back to supply and demand. And those two things are what’s causing prices to go up.

“Easily correctable, but not with, I’m afraid, the people we have in Congress today. I think it’s all going to change in the ’08 election because people are asking questions,” Inhofe said.

“Assuming that it changes, we can solve the energy crisis in America. But we can’t do it unless we win the election, have a majority and are able to start producing energy again for America,” he continued.

“And that also produces gasoline for cars, heating oil for homes and will resolve the problem. We can do it with change in the majority and I believe we will have that change.”

        

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