I have heard this question asked quite a bit since last Tuesday, and it always amuses me how delusional people are over this politically experienced community organizer. The theory is that Comrade Obama, because of his “urban background,” and since he is a left-wing Democrat that will be a great advocate for the city and the region… which is ridiculous. Democrats have hardly been good for Buffalo… failing schools, higher gas prices than any other urban area in the 48 contiguous states, just to name a couple things. Democrats have failed Buffalo for years, yet they remain in power.

Things in Buffalo are going to get a lot worse under Obama… not better. Unions will see their already ridiculous amount of power increase, driving up costs of everything, especially construction, which will cause developers to look away from Buffalo… which is already been a problem, but will just get worse with the likely onslaught of increased regulations.

It is too bad because just as Buffalo will suffer under Obama, so will the rest of the country….

UPDATE: Imagine this… Chuck Schumer thinks Obama will open up the floodgates and send millions in federal taxdollars and pork projects to Buffalo.

Still aglow over last week’s Democratic election victories, Sen. Charles E. Schumer predicted today that Barack Obama’s impending presidency will translate into millions of dollars of area projects and programs he said were stalled by the current administration.

Schumer addressed reporters late this morning at the federal office building at 130 S. Elmwood Ave., where he said he expected federal dollars will stimulate the economy in several key areas: infrastructure; Medicaid, food assistance and unemployment benefits; preventing foreclosures on homes; an enhanced children’s health insurance program, and new crime fighting efforts.

“President-elect Obama is familiar with some of the needs we have,” he said. “Unfortunately, the last administration was out of touch. All the benefits went to the most wealthy among us.”

Schumer said the immediate need for the nation’s ailing economy is for money to begin flowing. That is a traditional government responsibility in times of recession, he said, and he believes the new administration will begin funding repair of roads and bridges, sewer upgrades and mass transit projects.

He also said Washington will almost certainly address the needs of the ailing automobile industry in some type of assistance program — though strings will be attached.

I can’t believe that even with the economy the way it is (and will get worse, thanks to the events of last week) that Schumer still thinks the solution to every problem is to throw money at it.

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Dan Humiston, who is running against incumbent Brian Higgins in the 27th district, called on Higgins today to “promise the people of Western New York that he won’t take another vacation until Congress passes a comprehensive American Energy Plan that includes off-shore drilling.”

The Buffalo News reported on Saturday that Brian Higgins doubted the impact that offshore drilling would have on gas prices. I noted that Brian Higgins needs to face reality when it comes to drilling.

Dan Humiston was also concerned by the article. From a press release:

Following an article in Saturday’s Buffalo News in which Congressman Brian Higgins questioned the utility of domestic drilling, Humiston expressed concern. “Brian Higgins is against off-shore drilling, so instead of working to find a compromise, he voted to take a five-week paid vacation,” Humiston said at a press conference he held this morning. “Higgins made a serious mistake when he took a vacation instead of working to solve our energy crisis. His irresponsible behavior hurt Western New York families and businesses by unnecessarily keeping gas prices high all summer.”

Humiston acknowledged that off-shore drilling will not solve our long-term goal of fossil fuel independence. However, he added, “Off-shore drilling will certainly achieve our mid-term goal of foreign fuel independence. It will also immediately solve our short-term goal of lowering the price at the pump. The moment that we pass a plan to increase the supply of oil through off-shore drilling, the market will react and the price of oil will go down.”

After a five-week paid vacation, Congress will reconvene on September 8. They will then only have until September 26 to pass a comprehensive American Energy Plan before they’re scheduled to start a long three-and-one-half month paid vacation. “In July, the people of Western New York trusted Brian Higgins to make the right decision on his own, but he took a vacation and let us down,” Humiston said. “Apparently, when it comes to his vacations, we can’t trust him to do the right thing on his own. Therefore we now must insist that he signs a pledge that he will NOT take another vacation until Congress passes a comprehensive American Energy Plan that will provide immediate relief at the pump through off-shore drilling.”

Humiston is calling on all Western New Yorkers to insist that Brian Higgins sign the following pledge:

I, Brian Higgins, will NOT vote to start my scheduled three-and-one-half month paid vacation until Congress passes a Comprehensive American Energy Plan that includes off-shore drilling.

Sounds fair to me. If Brian Higgins won’t do something to lower gas prices, which has kept many in his district from going on vacation, why should he be able to go on a vacation of his own… which we’ll be paying for?

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Yesterday, Rep. Brian Higgins argued that the current downward trend of gas prices means we do not need to drill for our own oil.

Rep. Brian Higgins said Friday he doesn’t oppose drilling for more oil but questioned the utility of that as a near-term solution to high fuel prices and said oil companies already have drilling rights they’re not taking advantage of.

Higgins’ comments came in an appearance before members of the Chautauqua County Chamber of Commerce at the Chautauqua Country Club. The congressman addressed questions from the floor including issues about rising fuel costs.

“We need serious energy policies that wean us off of our addiction to oil,” said Higgins, D-Buffalo. 

While he was not opposed to drilling — a practice being championed by some Republicans — he questioned the practices of oil companies who already have the rights to drill on millions of acres in the United States.

Higgins also said the impact of finding new oil would not be realized by consumers for 10 to 15 years.

It sounds to me as though he is opposed to more drilling, but with polls showing  a large majority of Americans support offshore drilling, he’s trying to soften his public position.

Of course, what he doesn’t seem to understand is that gas prices really started to go down when President Bush called on congress to open up off-shore drilling. It’s all fine and good to say we need to look into alternative sources of energy, but we cannot pretend that such a solution is just around the corner, or that we can afford to ignore our own vast untapped resources of oil. If we began oil exploration and drilling in the United States, prices would drop significantly. We can work towards alternative sources energy, but we cannot ignore the reality that so much of our country’s economy relies on oil and we need to find more sources of it. 

To research and develop viable alternative sources of energy without drilling for our own oil in the interim keeps us sending money to terrorist-funding countries. Is that what Brian Higgins wants?

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The Democratic majority left for their 5-week summer vacation without doing anything to address the ongoing energy crisis. Today, Chris Lee called on Congress to get back to work and solve the problem:

Today, 26th Congressional District candidate Chris Lee called on Congress to get back to work to solve our energy crisis.  Late last week, Congress went on a five-week vacation while Western New Yorkers are canceling vacations because of high gas prices.  Chris also is gathering signatures for a letter from all Western New Yorkers to Speaker Nancy Pelosi.  The letter will outline Western New Yorkers demands to get Congress back to work to achieve a comprehensive solution to lower the cost of gas and break our dependence on foreign oil. 
 
“With record gas prices forcing Western New Yorkers to cancel their vacations, we have a simple message to Congress: End Your Vacation, Get Back to Work, and Solve the Crisis,” said Lee.  “We need American solutions to create American energy and American jobs to secure our economic future and lower gas prices.  We can achieve energy independence through exploration, conservation, and the development of American-made alternative energy sources.”
 
In addition, Lee wrote Speaker Nancy Pelosi a letter requesting she bring Congress back in session to hold a vote on ending our addiction to foreign oil by removing the ban on exploring for oil in the United States:
 
“Today, in New York 26th Congressional District taxpayers are paying on average $4.13 for a gallon of gas.  Western New Yorkers need help - with gas prices severely impacting family budgets many Western New Yorkers are unable to afford to go on vacation while Congress is enjoying a five-week vacation.  My fellow Western New Yorkers and I respectfully request that you bring Congress back to Washington and get to work for the American people.  Congress needs to stop the bickering and work on a bipartisan solution to end our addiction to foreign oil by removing the ban on exploring for oil in the United States.”
 
Lee also pointed to Governor David Paterson’s recent decision to call back New York State lawmakers for an emergency economic special session starting August 19th where hopefully lawmakers will work together for some real solutions – Congress must do the same.
 
“As a local businessman, if I ran my company like Congress has been running America’s energy policy we would have been out of business a long time ago,” concluded Lee.  “It is time Congress gets to work, and uses the American people’s ingenuity and expertise to help solve our energy problems.  More spending and more taxes is not the answer.”

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From a campaign presser sent out yesterday:

“Talk is cheap, but gas is not,” said Lee. “It’s time for Washington to get out of the blame game business, and start to get in the solutions business.  We need American solutions to create American energy and American jobs to secure our economic future and lower gas prices.  We can achieve energy independence through exploration, conservation, and the development of American-made alternative energy sources.”

Lee’s plan for energy highlights the need to reduce our dependence on foreign oil by exploring for oil domestically which will secure our nation and ultimately drive down the price of gas for consumers in Western New York.  Additionally, Lee also called for tax incentives for businesses and families that purchase more fuel efficient vehicles and improve their energy efficiency.  Finally, Lee wants to expand research and development of American made alternative energies.  Lee cited alternative energy production,  research and development being done right here, in Western New York such as the hydrogen fuel cell research at Honeoye Falls and the ethanol plant in Orleans.  

“The inability of Congress to deal with this energy crisis is hurting the hard working families of Western New York,” concluded Lee.  “We can’t afford to let Congress sit back and do nothing to address our energy needs.  It is time we get to work, it is time we bring to bear all the great things Western New Yorkers and all Americans can do to make our country energy independent.” 

Now this is a reasonable energy policy, especially in comparison to the No Drilling and Blame Big Oil policy of Jon Powers. Chris Lee clearly understands that energy independence and alternative energy sources won’t just happen overnight. Too much of our economy relies on oil, and Jon Powers and the writers of his talking points don’t understand that. Tax incentives work better than the often unrealistic regulations supported by Powers and the Do-Nothing Democrats in Congress.

As Douglas Turner of the Buffalo News wrote the other day, “Nearly all of the Democrats representing Western New York [...] share in the blame” for the current energy crisis. Jon Powers would simply become part of the problem. 

I’m glad there is a candidate with a realistic energy policy… and I’m sure the voters of NY-26 will be glad too.

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Now this is isane. Jon Powers, who claims to be a fiscal conservative, has a news release on his website attacking President Bush for calling for more oil drilling.

“The Bush Administration’s national energy policy lacks any long-term solutions while Western New Yorkers are paying more than $4.00 for a gallon of gasoline with no clear plan to remedy this problem. It will be the job of the next Congress and future Administration to bring a realistic approach to solving our energy crisis.

I’m sorry, but why can’t the current do something about the energy crisis? Why must we wait for the next Congress? The sad thing is that Powers claims Bush’s proposal won’t work in the long term, but his Democrat friends in Congress haven’t offered any ideas for addressing the problem. President Bush offered a proposal that would not only lower gas prices, but also create thousands and thousands of jobs. Powers can’t even offer an alternative approach… he just says “the next congress will have to figure out,” and of course, lead by example.

The Democrats in Congress and Jon Powers are merely sitting on the problem, blocking all efforts to drill for oil here, meanwhile letting gas prices get higher and higher and higher. 

And Jon Powers is content with Congress doing nothing until the next session?

Yeah, real smart.

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