Democrats’ Anti-Energy Policies Make Economy, Memorial Day Weekend Worse
Kentucky Democrat’s Opposition to Domestic Energy Followed by Weak Economic Numbers
Washington — With Memorial Day weekend here, Americans are finding themselves having to cut back even further as high gas prices hurt economic growth a second quarter in a row and even put the brakes on family road trips. Despite this, John Yarmuth recently voted against efforts to encourage more domestic energy production in reaction to skyrocketing gas prices (H.R. 1229, Roll Call Vote #309, 5/11/11; H.R. 1231, Roll Call Vote #320, 5/12/11). As Kentucky families find themselves this weekend cutting back even further — let alone going on vacation — they can look at Yarmuth’s continued opposition to domestic energy solutions.
“Considering John Yarmuth’s record of opposing American energy amidst near-record gas prices, his Kentucky constituents have to wonder whether he understands the crushing burdens they are already facing this summer,” said NRCC Communications Director Paul Lindsay. “Thanks to Yarmuth’s anti-jobs and anti-energy agenda, instead of taking a family road trip this Memorial Day, more Americans are forced to cut back due to the pain at the gas pump and the stifling effect his party’s out of touch policies have had on the economy.”
The U.S. Commerce Department said Thursday that economic growth continued to be sluggish and most economists agree that it is due to high gas prices:
“Most economists think the economy is growing only slightly better in the current April-June quarter. Consumers remain squeezed by gas prices, scant pay increases and a depressed housing market.”
“Economists had been more optimistic when the year began. They assumed that a cut in workers’ Social Security taxes, which raised take-home pay, would boost consumer spending. But political upheaval in the Middle East and North Africa sent energy prices soaring. The result was that consumers had to pay more for gas, leaving less money to spend on other items.”
(Martin Crutsinger, “Energy prices held back growth in first quarter,” Associated Press, 5/26/11)And this Memorial Day weekend, Americans are cutting back and lowering expectations because of high gas prices:
With the price of gas $1.06 higher than it was a year ago — at $3.91 a gallon nationwide — the number of people who told AAA they would drive more than 50 miles from home slipped by 100,000 to 30.9 million.”
(Ashley Halsey III, “AAA survey: Fewer car trips planned for Memorial Day weekend,” Washington Post, 5/19/11)Although near-record gas prices are putting the squeeze on Kentucky families and the economy this Memorial Day weekend, John Yarmuth continues his opposition to American energy. Instead, Yarmuth has demonstrated his commitment to stifling domestic energy and only strengthening our dependence on foreign oil.
Democrats’ Anti-Energy Policies Make Economy, Memorial Day Weekend Worse http://ow.ly/54xFL #madeinwdc