More than 75% of the world’s oil reserves are controlled by national oil companies. Of the world’s top 20 oil-producing firms, 14 are state-run. Those areas where private companies have been able to drill have recently been shrinking, and remaining private companies are facing hostile governments that may try to …
Skyrocketing gas prices are rapidly changing Americans’ priorities. Voters routinely identify energy costs as either the second or third most important issue. Considering that any economist will tell you that high energy prices are a major cause of recent economic sluggishness, and that the economy has been the No. 1 …
When the Democrats were still in the minority, Americans were paying $2.91 a gallon on average for gasoline. At the time, Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) promised “a commonsense plan to help bring down skyrocketing gas prices by cracking down on price gouging, rolling back the billions of dollars in …
Considering their recent fumbles, no one can rightly accuse House Republicans of being marketing geniuses. But the campaign they launched last month, the “Pelosi Premium,” highlighting how Democrat energy policy drives up the cost of gasoline, is dead on. Covering congressional energy policy, the Politico today dismissively writes of the …
Conservatives on Capitol Hill are expressing mixed reactions to news that a deal has been struck on an economic stimulus package. Some staffers are expressing disappointment that Republicans agreed to government giveaways of $300 for individuals and up to $1,200 for families. Others said they were grateful that House Minority …
Lawmakers may not be giving up earmarks en masse, but the negative stigma of pork-barrel spending has rubbed off on some members of Congress. In the Senate, conservative champion Jim DeMint and veteran appropriator Ted Stevens clashed openly during a meeting late last year. DeMint acknowledged that his quest to …
The Politico reports today that fiscal conservatives face several hurdles in their quest to end earmarks, not the least of which is that “Democrats last year actually approved fewer earmarks than Republicans did when they ran Congress.” A closer look at the numbers reveals that isn’t exactly true. Liberals are …
Reports following Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke’s Monday meeting with Speaker Nancy Pelosi indicate that House Democrats are considering a $100 billion economic stimulus package that “money for ailing state governments, higher Medicaid spending and an increase in food stamp payments.” Completely ignoring their election promise to pay for any …
