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Our Mission |
Big government is not simply the size of the budget, or the number of federal programs; it is the role the federal government plays in our daily lives.
We at the Lincoln Heritage Institute will not sit idly by and allow bloated bureaucracies, burdensome tax policies, a failing public education system, an out-of-control regulatory system, and a growing disregard for the rule of law to become an accepted way of life.
Our purpose, through public education, is the revitalization and preservation of our traditional political, social, commercial, and legal environment in which the only limits to achievement are individual ability and effort.
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Correcting the Record on Gas Prices |
On the afternoon of June 3, 2008, Environment and Public Works Chair Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) made the following statement on the Senate floor during debate over her climate change proposal:
Mrs. Boxer: “I hear time and time again, it must be out of some talking points somebody wrote on the other side, is ‘gas prices.’‘Don’t do this bill because of gas prices.’ Well, I’m going to show you what has happened to gas prices without this bill. I want you to look at this, Mr. President. This is what has happened under George Bush’s watch. We have seen gas prices go all the way up to $3.94 from $1.50 in 7 1/2 years, which is a 250% increase. And that’s what our people are upset about. Now, my colleagues on the other side know this. They have done nothing about this.” (Unofficial floor transcript)
Let’s correct the record:
The facts on gas prices and this proposal aren’t just a talking point. Virtually every analysis done on Lieberman-Warner has found that gas prices would increase under the bill. For instance, the Energy Information Administration predicts this bill to raise prices by up to 41 percent. The Environmental Protection Agency predicts an increase of at least 21 percent. Studies done by private groups show even greater increases.
The fact is that Senate Republicans have tried repeatedly to bring about lower prices by increasing production – and have been blocked by Democrats at every turn. In fact, in one week in May alone, Senate Democrats blocked increased production on three separate occasions!
May 13 – McConnell/Domenici Amendment to increase American production, rejected 42-56
May 14 – Allard Amendment to lift the moratorium on regulations to develop oil shale, rejected 14-15 in
the Senate Appropriations Committee.
May 15 – Vitter Motion to Instruct Conferees to set aside funds for Deep Sea Exploration,
rejected 44-51.
In addition, Senate Democrats have not even offered for consideration their “plan” to reduce gasoline prices. So let’s be perfectly clear on exactly which side has “done nothing about this.”
Instead of debating how much this climate change bill will increase gas prices, shouldn’t the Senate be considering legislation to lower them?
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