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Gas Price Politics
Two days after Sen. Bill Nelson criticized the Bush administration and Republicans in Congress for their energy policies, the National Republican Senatorial Committee sent out a news release accusing Democrats of playing “partisan politics with gas prices in a flailing attempt to distract from the growing economy.”
Nelson gave the Democratic response to President Bush’s radio address Saturday commenting that “Americans are frustrated, and sick and tired of billion-dollar giveaways to the oil companies, while the price of gas goes through the roof.”
The senator said the U.S. should put more emphasis on developing hybrid vehicles and alternative fuels such as ethanol (which can be made from sugar). He also said the U.S. should produce more synthetic fuel from coal and raise the gas mileage standard for passenger cars to at least 40 miles per gallon. It’s now 27.5 mpg.
The NRSC memo accused Democrats of voting in favor of raising gas taxes and against energy bills in Congress. Specifically, it noted Nelson voted against considering a comprehensive energy bill in 2003 and against final passage of the energy bill in 2005.
The NRSC memo did not mention that Republican Sen. Mel Martinez also voted against the energy bill last year. Florida’s two senators said they opposed a provision in the bill calling of an inventory of oil and gas reserves in the Outer Continental Shelf including the eastern Gulf of Mexico.
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