By Matt Hurley for the TIB Network:
Release:John Kerry has been calling on George W. Bush to use the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) to ease oil costs for months. In March, Kerry urged Bush to stop filling the SPR while record high prices and supply crunches squeezed American families. But now that oil refineries have asked, Administration officials are saying that they are finally considering action.
Kerry spokesman Phil Singer: "George W. Bush has turned a blind eye to the record energy bills that have been plaguing Americans throughout his term when he should have been working on solutions. America needs a President that listens to the needs of families struggling to pay their energy costs at all times -- not just when a few oil refineries weigh in and not just a few weeks before the election. President Bush needs to get out of Fantasy-Land and start coming up with some real world solutions to the energy prices that have been strangling the economy."
Matt's Chat
As usual, Chad and Phil don't give you the full story. This isn't just about gas prices. This is about making sure there is gas for a significant portion of the southeastern United States. (Source)The Bush administration is considering temporarily releasing crude oil from the nation's Strategic Petroleum Reserve to refiners hit by Hurricane Ivan earlier this month, White House spokesman Scott McClellan said Thursday.
The primary reason for the release would be to ensure a steady supply of oil for refineries in the southeast region whose supply lines were interrupted by three hurricanes and a tropical in the past two months. It is not clear how much oil is being discussed but a similar move was made in 2002. The administration released oil from the reserve in 2002 after Hurricane Lili disrupted tanker shipments to the Gulf Coast. Roughly 300,000 barrels were moved to offset curtailed crude levels. Approximately 670 million barrels of oil are currently stored in the reserve, a series of four underground caverns located along the coast of Gulf of Mexico. The SPR is expected to reach its full capacity, 700 million barrels, in 2005.
"That's something the Department of Energy has been reviewing," McClellan said at the White House of the decision to release oil, adding that any announcement would come directly from the Energy Department.
Mark's Remarks
I love this spin by libs. If Bush doesn't say anything about possibly having a loan from the Reserve, he is seeking to spike oil prices for his buddies. Now that he says he is considering it, it has to be for the benefit of his oil buddies. When he doesn't get any help from the Saudis, he isn't doing enough. When the Saudis agree to lower prices, it is because the Saudis and the Bushes are buddies. Give me a friggin' break. This is what happens when you watch too many X-Files and Oliver Stone movies. Come back to what I like to call: REALITY.
Grow up, and quit playing context and gotcha politics. It is shameful and hinders true debate.
The Strategic Oil Reserve is for SRATEGIC needs only. It is for emergency uses. Unlike John Kerry, who wants to sap it dry for short term poll gains, this President realizes the importance of having some reserves. Of course, this could be helped if we could friggin drill in ANWR...you know, the tundra swamp that even the Innuit want to drill in....
Previously on WMD
Waffles and GasAnd from Matt's list of top ten reasons to vote FOR President Bush:
Maintaining Integrity of Strategic Oil Reserves: The President would never tap into the reserves unless he were required to do so for strategic purposes, not political reasons.And, yes, a shortage due to natural disaster counts as a strategic reason in my book. - MATT
Another thing to remember, this hasn't happened yet. We'll have to wait and see what comes from the Department of Energy the next few days...
