| April 28, 2006 Alaska Republicans Missing the Party Alaska Democratic Party, press release With his poll numbers in the low 30's and Americans struggling under the weight of record-high gas prices, President Bush this week finally embraced sound Democratic proposals he once rejected. Yesterday, President Bush announced that he will investigate price gouging in the oil industry, as well as divert deposits from the strategic petroleum reserve into the American market. Not only are these solutions that were proposed months, even years, ago by Democrats in Congress, they are proposals that Alaska's Republicans in Congress have voted against. Alaska Democratic Chair Jake Metcalfe issued the following statement calling on U.S. Senators Ted Stevens and Lisa Murkowski and Rep. Don Young to finally join Democrats in working to confront crippling gas prices: "Now that a 32% approval rating has scared President Bush into finally paying attention to out of control gas prices, Alaskans are waiting for Stevens, Murkowski and Young to join him in supporting solid Democratic proposals that will provide relief to Alaska's working families. If President Bush is late to the party on controlling gas prices, then Stevens, Murkowski and Young haven't even shown up yet. "Unfortunately, our Republican delegation has a long record of voting against Democratic efforts to crack down on price gouging, use the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to ease the growing strain on American families, and develop a strategy for energy independence. "Alaskans are hungry for change, not more of the same hollow rhetoric and misplaced priorities from Bush Republicans like Stevens, Murkowski and Young. The time has come for them to join the Democrats in working for real solutions that provide relief to working families and put America on a path to energy independence." Senators Stevens and Murkowski Rejected Effort to Crack Down On Price Gouging. Stevens and Murkowski were two of the 47 Republican Senators who voted last fall against legislation to outlaw gas price-gouging, impose tougher fines and criminal penalties on violators, give federal and state authorities new powers to protect Americans, ensure greater market transparency, and go after companies that manipulate oil and gas prices. 28 states already have similar laws on the books. The legislation would have created a national standard and is necessary given the interstate nature of American fuel markets; it was rejected by Republicans. [SA 2612 to S 2020; Roll Call Vote #334, 11/17/05] Representative Don Young Opposed Cracking Down On Price Gouging and Lowering Gas Prices. The vote was against a measure to provide the Federal Trade Commission with new authority to investigate and prosecute those that engage in predatory pricing, from oil companies on down to gas stations, with the emphasis on those who profit the most. This includes price gouging of gasoline and natural gas, home heating oil and propane. The measure increased funding for the low-income home energy assistance program through fines from price-gouging companies and created a strategic refinery reserve with capacity equal to 5 percent of the total United States demand for gasoline, home heating oil and other refined petroleum products. [Reps. Stupak & Boucher, Remarks, Congressional Record, pg H8780, 10/7/05; HR 3893, 10/7/2005, Vote# 517] |
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www.akdemocrats.org - also from this writer - Democrats File Lawsuit For Election Records |
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2005
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Reserved. in-sur-gent (in sur'jent), n. 1. a member of a group which revolts against the policies of its leadership. |
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