Statement: Walz promotes comprehensive solution on gas prices

Davis publishes another fact-challenged column about energy. Walz issues a statement in reaction to Fed chair Ben Bernanke's testimony on the state of the economy.

We need to know that details about how Walz defines "expanded drilling" before we give this statement a thumbs up or down. Opening ANWR? Not a chance.  Increased and expedited leasing, exploration and production in already open public lands like NPR-A and offshore areas with proper caution and due environmental (and royalty) diligence? Sure.

From the congressional office:

Walz Promotes Bipartisan, Comprehensive Solution on Gas Prices "Partisan bickering won't solve this energy crisis - we must tap into American ingenuity to develop more short and long term common sense solutions," says Walz

(Washington, D.C.) - With Ben Bernanke, chairman of the Federal Reserve, offering a gloomy view of the economy in testimony on Capitol Hill this week, Congressman Tim Walz released the following statement about promoting a bipartisan comprehensive solution on sky-rocketing gas prices.

"Federal Reserve Chairman Bernanke's warning of the risks of greater inflation and further economic slowdown is another wake up call for Washington. Business as usual won't work -- we need a change. Sky-rocketing gas prices are hurting working people, middle class families and small businesses - and, it hurts bad.  That's why I am encouraging Democratic and Republican leaders to end partisan bickering to find a comprehensive solution on gas prices. This is an extraordinary time that requires an extraordinary willingness to roll up our sleeves and find agreement.  I am open to expanding domestic drilling and oil production that is done in a responsible manner so long as it's part of a bipartisan, comprehensive agreement that includes conservation, speeds up development of new affordable fuels and cracks down on speculation.

We need to end the finger pointing and get to work on developing more short and long term common sense solutions that are good for the American people both now and long into the future."

We're off to learn more details--and then back to chide or praise. We've emailed the congressional office with questions about how Congressman Walz defines expanded drilling and production, and what he would placed or leave off the table. We'll let readers know what we learn.

Update: a kind friend just sent us a link to a video of  the Federal Chair chair's opening statement:

Map: The Alaska Petroleum Reserve and ANWR, Edited from U.S. Geological Survey, "The Oil and Gas Resource Potential of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge 1002 Area, Alaska," Open File Report 98-34, 1999.

Comments

[MinnesotaCentral]

Walz could be following Steny Hoyer’s lead who in a press conference said "Democrats are for greater domestic production. Democrats are not against drilling."
Of course, Hoyer was talking about exploiting the 88 million acres on which oil companies already hold federal leases.
The Dems have a political quandary … how to be responsive to voters concerns and yet negotiate a good solution. My recommendation would be to recognize that the oil companies do not have the capacity to drill all of what is potentially available and that some states may want it but some may not. So, offer a limited number of drilling sites up for auction … if the auction price is reasonable, then the Federal Government grants the lease with all the royalties going to fund the underfunded Federal Highway Trust (and therefore creating construction jobs.) It’s foolhardy to open up all of OCS or ANWR at once. ANWR would be the tricky one for Coleman … not for McCain as he would just skip the vote.

BTW : As a rule, I am skeptical of polls without knowing the questions but a recent bipartisan poll conducted by Public Opinion Strategies revealed that “80 percent of Americans polled said that they believe oil commodities speculators are manipulating the price of oil, and that more than two-thirds (67 percent) believe Congress should pass legislation creating new regulations governing oil speculators. Additionally, 70 percent of Americans polled said that oil commodities speculators are driving up the price of oil and profiting at the expense of the U.S. economy.” Support for curbing oil speculation crossed all demographics and political philosophies: 62 percent of conservatives, 69 percent of moderates and 71 percent of liberals believe that Congress should pass new regulations. Further, Republicans support additional regulation on oil speculators by a margin of 55 percent to 33 percent.