WurfWhile

It sounds like a joke. Today’s New York Times has an article titled “Bush Concedes Energy Bill Offers No Help on Gas Prices” (not available in weblog-safe link). The article describes the U.S. House Republican $8 billion version of President George W. Bush’s energy policy, that the president was pushing yesterday at the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, and that passed the House today 249 to 183. The legislation would actually increase gas prices by 3 cents a gallon according to one Energy Department estimate. The president himself admits the legislation will maintain current high gas prices at the pump in the near future - and possibly forever - which is really a continuation of President Bush’s long-standing anti-consumer, anti-business (unless you produce it) and anti-conservation energy policy. The New York Times article has the quote. The bill “wouldn’t change the price at the pump today,” according to the president. “I know that, and you know that.”

So what will the legislation do? Mostly it will subsidize further exploration of oil by the oil companies whose refineries have been making huge profits. At a time when gas prices are hurting consumers and businesses, in an economy where good jobs are few and wage purchasing power is in decline, President Bush and Republican leaders seek to give financial incentives to an industry making money hand over fist (which one would have thought would be incentive enough for greater oil exploration).

Does the new legislation at least help us conserve energy? As of yesterday, not according to Republican Congressman Sherwood Boehlert, also quoted in the New York Times, who says the bill will not conserve any oil by 2020, which makes it “both a tragedy and farce.” I would add “a danger to economic and national security.” According to Yahoo News the final version of the bill did require a 20% reduction in energy use in federal buildings by the year 2015 - not much to celebrate, or save. The bill also opens up the Alaskan Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil drilling.

So to bullet point the Bush proposed energy policy’s effects:

- Consumers will pay more for a gallon of gas;
- Energy companies will get subsidies to get more oil; and
- There is virtually no energy conservation plan in the legislation

So just what is the upside of this $8 billion horrendous policy that President Bush is trying to get us to pay for with our taxes? You might think it was something as seemingly good as the bill’s authorization of over $3 billion annually to help poor families pay winter heating bills. You would be wrong. Take a look at the Low-Income Energy Programs (LIHEAP) funding history, and you’ll see a history of serving fewer and fewer people that qualify - sometimes with fewer actual dollars (without inflation factored in). The $3 billion is an increase - but look at the increase in energy prices. Between 2002 and 2004 energy costs increased by over 50%, according to The Detroit News, but “funding for LIHEAP and other energy assistance programs grew 7 percent under the Bush administration, barely matching inflation.” This meant that the program serving 7 million families in 1981, served 5 million in 2003 - and not only were a lower percentage served - but they got less money too. Lest anyone accuse me of partisanship - the numbers during the Clinton Administration were really terrible too. For a bit of perspective, according to The Courier-Journal in Louisville, KY in 2003 LIHEAP would have needed to be funded at the $3 billion level to match it’s highest funding point in 1985, when it still did not cover everyone eligible. Of course, that was before the recent energy spike that is almost doubling gas prices.

So what good should we take away from this bill? According to the president it’s that our gas prices are cheaper than in Europe. That’s true - and was before he proposed wasting the bulk of $8 billion. Of course, the president and GOP leaders don’t mention that Europe has good public mass transportation - and the United States doesn’t. President Bush and leading GOP members won’t even pay for the mass transportation we currently have, and mass transit systems in the U.S., like Chicago’s, are under severe threat despite their necessity to ‘a city that works.’

I have joked about President George W. Bush’s “faith-based” energy policy. This time it’s real. This is the Bush Administration policy. It’s sold on faith - but it breaks faith with hard working Americans and businesses who will pay for it (up front - and on the back end). It’s a joke. It isn’t funny.