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Fifth Column
House Democrats call for nationalization of refineries
2008-06-19
House Democrats responded to President's Bush's call for Congress to lift the moratorium on offshore drilling. This was at an on-camera press conference fed back live.

Among other things, the Democrats called for the government to own refineries so it could better control the flow of the oil supply.

They also reasserted that the reason the Appropriations Committee markup (where the vote on the amendment to lift the ban) was cancelled so they could focus on preparing the supplemental Iraq spending bill for tomorrow.

At an off-camera briefing, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) said the same. And a senior Republican House Appropriations Committee aide adds that "there were multiple reasons for the postponement" including discussion on the supplemental. But the aide said there was the thought that Democrats may wish to avoid a debate today on energy amendments.

Here are the highlights from briefing

Rep. Maurice Hinchey (D-NY), member of the House Appropriations Committee and one of the most-ardent opponents of off-shore drilling

1115

We (the government) should own the refineries. Then we can control how much gets out into the market.
Posted by:Bright Pebbles

#30  I recommend the Democrats contact Countrywide's Jim Johnson to arrange VIP funding for the purchase of those refineries.
Posted by: Besoeker   2008-06-19 21:36  

#29  Translated into slacker:
House Demoglorps call for nationalization of refineries
House Demoglorps responded to King's Bush's call for CON-gress to lift the moratorium on offshore drilling. This was at an on-camera press conference fed back live. Frck 'em if they can't take a joke.

Among other conspiracies, the Demoglorps called for the conspiracy to own refineries so it could better control the flow of the oil supply. GET SLACK!

They also reasserted that the un-reason the Appropriations Cabal markup (where the vote on the amendment to lift the ban) was cancelled so they could focus on preparing the supplemental Iraq spending bill for tomorrow.

At an off-camera briefing, House Majority LOSER Steny Hoyer (D-MD) fibbed the same. Frck 'em if they can't take a joke. And a senior Republipink House Appropriations Cabal aide adds that 'there were multiple reasons for the postponement' including discussion on the supplemental. But the aide fibbed there was the thought that Demoglorps may wish to avoid a debate today on energy amendments.

Here are the highlights from briefing

Conspirator Maurice Hinchey (D-NY), member of the House Appropriations Cabal and one of the most-ardent opponents of off-shore drilling:
We (the government) should own the refineries. Then we can control how MUCH gets out into the market.
Posted by: 3dc   2008-06-19 21:35  

#28  Lest we fergit, WOT > WAR FOR [Pro-US/Anti-US]SOCIALISM-GOVTISM.

ION SUBWAY is offerring daily price specials on your favorite six-inch Hoagies.
Posted by: JosephMendiola   2008-06-19 21:28  

#27  Roll ZombieReagan™ into the deal and I think you have a winner with the Dead Man's Party in Congress.

(link goes to Oingo Boingo video thats apropos)
Posted by: OldSpook   2008-06-19 18:21  

#26  swksvoIFF, Ted Kennedy would like that idea. That way he can continue to "serve" even after he shuffles off this mortal coil.
Posted by: Rambler in California   2008-06-19 17:58  

#25  Perhaps we too should start electing dead people into congress. 2 Years of nothing may be exactly what this nation needs.
Posted by: swksvolFF   2008-06-19 17:11  

#24  Capsu78 - If Obama wins... then he will need some place new for all those PATRONAGE jobs. After all that's how the CHICAGO MACHINE works!
Posted by: 3dc   2008-06-19 16:32  

#23  With 15% of every dollar at the pump going to pay various taxes, I thought the government already had nationalized the oil companies.
Posted by: Capsu78   2008-06-19 16:12  

#22  I know people who really freak out when I compare donks to commies. They wonder how I could possibly do that. Well, here's how.
Posted by: Abu Uluque   2008-06-19 15:53  

#21  Remember nationalization worked so well for AMTRAK also.
Posted by: USN, Ret.   2008-06-19 15:18  

#20  Ayn Rand may have been more prophetic than I com comfortable with in Atlas Shrugged.

Ayn understood some fundamental truths about human nature.
Posted by: Iblis   2008-06-19 13:31  

#19  So owning the refineries is going to magically make oil appear at the terminals at lower cost and in whatever amount we need?

These people are LOOTERS! They have no idea how to produce anything, and treat production and markets as "magic". They are thugs who think if they simply squeeze harder, they'll get more eggs from the goose. They have no idea how to produce anything, only how to take it from others.

Ayn Rand may have been more prophetic than I com comfortable with in Atlas Shrugged.

Someone wanna steer me to Galt's Gulch when the time comes?
Posted by: OldSpook   2008-06-19 13:13  

#18  I love to see Maxine Waters and Jack Murtha climbing a Cat-Cracker in the middle of a electrical storm at mid-night.

These Ass Clowns would ruin our Refineries, Tanker Fleets, Strategic Petroleum Reserves and the supply of Petroleum products in demand.

[think, heating oil, bunker fuel, desil, gasoline grades, Jet Fuels [JP-1 to JP-8 etc.] ETC.

Posted by: RD   2008-06-19 13:06  

#17  'Then we can control how much gets out into the market.'
In other words, "do what we say or you don't get any gasolene".
Posted by: Deacon Blues   2008-06-19 12:50  

#16  Great idea, dems. We could become another PEMEX, a resounding success.
Posted by: Alaska Paul   2008-06-19 12:18  

#15  "Its not hitler-stalin"

The only difference is degree. It would certainly be a step in the hitler-stalin direction and away from what works.

"Then we can control how much gets out into the market."

Who here thinks Hinchey intends to supply *more* gas to the market? Anyone?
Posted by: Iblis   2008-06-19 12:16  

#14  Re: #11 - mrp, nonsense. Everybody knows that only rich people own stocks, especially in environmentally evil companies like oil.
Or at least Democrats know that.
Posted by: Rambler in California   2008-06-19 12:08  

#13  Another reaaally good Dummocrat idea. Let's make Maxine(I have a Big Mouth/Small Brain)Waters the Oil Commissar. See how quick evry form of commerce is shut down.
Good comments P2K.
Posted by: Woozle Elmeter 2700   2008-06-19 12:00  

#12  I wouldn't trust these people to pump my gas, nevermind control distribution.
Posted by: tu3031   2008-06-19 11:45  

#11  Y'know, I wonder how many pension funds hold petroleum-related company securities? How many teacher and labor pensions are dependent on high rates of returns Exxon-Mobil, etc., ?

401Ks, mutual funds?
Posted by: mrp   2008-06-19 11:43  

#10  It's not in the Constitution. However, there is a hint at overthrow of the government when necessary...hmmm.
Posted by: wxjames   2008-06-19 11:30  

#9  Actually, we have federal land which we could lease for 99 years and can be made not subject to NIMBY local and state regulations. Building a couple plants, east and west coast, that don't compete on the market and used for national security purposes, rather than then DoD having to buy on the open market, has precedent. I suspect that DoD won't have to produce 128 different EPA standard blends and can project baseline needs, supplementing when necessary off the commercial market. That could free up commercial capacity. Use that to go back into their face and say 'you demonstrate first you can do it cheaper and better' then come talk to us. Of course they can't and won't.
Posted by: Procopius2k   2008-06-19 09:31  

#8  Because all other government owned operations have done SOOOOOOOO well in the past. Let's do another one!

Assclowns.
Posted by: DarthVader   2008-06-19 09:22  

#7  Â“We (the government) should own the refineries. Then we can control how much gets out into the market.”

That noise you just heard was the collective sphincter of Democrat leadership tightening up. Proposing Big Government solutions at a time when public opinion of the government is at all time low is stupid. But using Hugo Chavez as the model for industry in an election year is just plain moronic. Besides that, the talking points that work for the Sierra Club ain’t cutting it with the Teamsters. If the Dems were smart they would reluctantly agree on lifting the federal moratorium and let the States do their dirty work. Of course, the key word in that last statement was “if”.
Posted by: DepotGuy   2008-06-19 09:21  

#6  the quote is from one guy, hinchey. It does not support the headline.

Its not hitler-stalin - lots of democratic countries have had nationalized oil companies over the years. Its also probably not a great idea, would probably increase costs and reduce efficiency.

Has anyone checked the directions of gasoline prices vs Crude lately? My understanding is that its pretty clear that the crude price is currently driving the gasoline price, in which case clearly refineries arent a key factor.
Posted by: liberalhawk   2008-06-19 09:21  

#5  Ummm .... NO.
Posted by: newc   2008-06-19 08:56  

#4  How openly socialistic of them. Nationalization? Because those incompetents are capable of managing something other than their own staff.
Posted by: Mitch H.   2008-06-19 08:33  

#3  No, the congressmen are hoping that we are idiots enough to believe that the refineries are holding back.

Expect a lot of MSM 'scare reports' to that effect in the coming months.

The problem is that the government, through regulations and outright bans, do control the amount of refining available by limiting refineries.
Posted by: CrazyFool   2008-06-19 08:23  

#2  Do these idiots really believe that the refineries are holding back on the supply of gasoline?
Posted by: Crusoling Sinatra7514   2008-06-19 08:07  

#1  "We (the government) should own the refineries. Then we can control how much gets out into the market."

Isn't that kinda what Hitler, Lenin and Mao did?
Posted by: Mullah Richard   2008-06-19 07:52  

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