The Best Way to Get a Bipartisan Energy Deal…

....is not this.

Dems tag McConnell with oil.

Today, the President announced a plan that will help ease the burden of rising gasoline prices on American families while also ensuring a transition away from our dependence on foreign oil. In stark contrast, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell defended oil company profits while offering no plan of his own to help struggling middle class families. Please see below for a fact check on McConnell’s speech today:

SEN. MITCH MCCONNELL RHETORIC: “The idea here is to somehow blame energy companies for not producing enough energy on their own. What Democrats don’t mention, however, is that a drilling lease is nothing more than an agreement with the government that a company has a right to explore for oil or gas in a certain area, not a guarantee that they’ll find it. And they never see fit to mention that most of the area that could be leased is effectively off limits — thanks to the red tape factory Democrats operate here in Washington. And, honestly, are we really supposed to believe that the same administration that declared a blanket moratorium on all offshore drilling off the Gulf Coast, which chased away rigs and jobs to other countries, and which established new regulations that make getting a new drilling permit virtually impossible, now believes that energy companies aren’t drilling enough?” [Sen. Mitch McConnell speech, 3/30/11]

REALITY: MCCONNELL AND REPUBLICANS ARE MORE FOCUSED ON THE OIL INDUSTRY’S BOTTOM LINE THAN LOWER GAS PRICES FOR CONSUMERS

McConnell Has Voted to Protect Oil Company Profits and Give Them Tax Breaks Six Times.

Rep. Joe Barton: Government Subsides Necessary To Keep Exxon From Going Out Of Business. [Talking Points Memo, 3/10/11 ]

Rep. Joe Barton Said “It Is A Tragedy Of The First Proportion That A Private Corporation Can Be Subjected To What I Would Characterize As A Shakedown, Is This Case A $20 Billion Shakedown. … So I Apologize.” [Talking Points Memo, 6/17/10 ]

The Hill: “Top House Republican: Stop Demonizing The Oil Industry.” [The Hill, 9/1/10 ]

REALITY: DOMESTIC OIL PRODUCTION HAS INCREASED DURING THE OBAMA ADMINISITRATION

FactCheck.org: Oil Production Has Gone Up In 2009 And 2010. [FactCheck.org, 3/24/11 ]

U.S. Energy Information Administration: Domestic Crude Oil Production Increased In 2010. [U.S. Energy Information Administration, 3/8/11 ]

U.S. Energy Information Administration: Productions Declines In Alaska And The Gulf Of Mexico Are Projected To Be Offset By Projected Increases In Lower-48 Production In 2011 And 2012. [U.S. Energy Information Administration, 3/8/11 ]

SEN. MITCH MCCONNELL RHETORIC: “This doesn’t even pass the laugh test. But it does suggest that Democrats don’t even believe their own arguments about decreased production not affecting price. And it’s my hope that the President acknowledges as much today — that when you shut down drilling, higher prices and fewer jobs follow.” [Sen. Mitch McConnell speech, 3/30/11]

REALITY: THE MORATORIUM ON DEEPWATER DRILLING HAS HAD “ZERO” EFFECT ON PRICES AND THERE ARE UNUSED OIL LEASES OPEN ON MILLIONS OF ACRES OF LAND

Former Mobil Oil Executive: The Obama Administration Moratorium On Deepwater Drilling Had “Zero” Effect On Prices. [FactCheck.org, 3/24/11 ]

CBS News: “Oil Companies Are Only Exploring One-Third Of U.S. Land They Have Rights To.” [CBS News, 4/13/09 ]
Oil Industry Sources: Of The 90 Million Offshores Acres The Oil Industry Has Leases To, It Is Estimated That Upward Of 70 Million Are Not Producing Oil. [CNN, 6/29/08 ]

SEN. MITCH MCCONNELL RHETORIC: “The guy who’s trying to make ends meet wants to know what you’re going to do for him today, not 24 years from now. But, of course, the administration doesn’t have anything to say to that guy, because the administration’s energy policy isn’t really aimed at him. If it were, then the administration wouldn’t be locking down domestic energy sources. It wouldn’t be looking to pass new regulations through the EPA that will impose a national energy tax on every business large and small..” [Sen. Mitch McConnell speech, 3/30/11]

REALITY: REPUBLICAN EFFORTS TO DISMANTLE THE EPA’S ABILITY TO COMBAT GREENHOUSE GASES WOULD NOT REDUCE GAS PRICES

Politifact: “There Is No Proof” That A Republican Bill To Gut EPA Regulation Would “Actually Stop Gas Prices From Rising.” [Politifact, 3/14/11 ]

Washington Post: A Republican Bill To Roll Back The EPA’s Power To Combat Greenhouse Gases Would Not Roll Back Gas Prices. [Washington Post, 3/14/11 ]

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