Dems Help Shun Domestic Energy as Gas Prices Surge

February 10, 2012

FYI, a similar version of this release below went out to the following districts: Sanford Bishop (GA-02), Tim Bishop (NY-01), Russ Carnahan (MO-03), Kathy Castor (FL-11), Ben Chandler (KY-06), David Cicilline (RI-01), Gerry Connolly (VA-11), Jim Cooper (TN-05), Peter DeFazio (OR-04), John Garamendi (CA-03), Raul Grijalva (AZ-07), Brian Higgins (NY-27), Jim Himes (CT-04), Ruben Hinojosa (TX-15), Kathy Hochul (NY-26), Tim Holden (PA-17), Rush Holt (NJ-12), Steve Israel (NY-02), Bill Keating (MA-09), Ron Kind (WI-03), Rick Larsen (WA-02), Carolyn McCarthy (NY-04), Mike McIntyre (NC-07), Jerry McNerney (CA-09), Michael Michaud (ME-02), Frank Pallone (NJ-06), Ed Perlmutter (CO-07), Gary Peters (MI-09), Collin Peterson (MN-07), Chellie Pingree (ME-01), Nick Rahall (WV-03), Loretta Sanchez (CA-46), Kurt Schrader (OR-05), Adam Smith (WA-09), Betty Sutton (OH-16), John Tierney (MA-06), Paul Tonko (NY-21), Niki Tsongas (MA-03), Pete Visclosky (IN-01), John Yarmuth (KY-03)

Bishop Blocks Domestic Energy as Gas Prices Surge
Democrat Rejection of the Keystone XL Pipeline Comes as Gas Prices Skyrocket

WASHINGTON — Tim Bishop and his fellow Democrats continue to demonstrate how their job destroying policies are making life even harder for struggling middle-class families in New York. Bishop and his Washington Democrat colleagues buckled under pressure from liberal donors to reject a common-sense source for thousands of jobs and energy security while gas prices were skyrocketing to record levels.

“Although skyrocketing gas prices are squeezing the budgets of middle-class families across New York, Tim Bishop decided to help his Democrat leaders block badly needed Keystone pipeline jobs and energy security,” said NRCC Communications Director Paul Lindsay. “Instead of helping economic growth, Bishop’s efforts to placate anti-energy activists and donors are actively destroying jobs.”

Gas prices are now soaring to record levels, squeezing the pocket books of working families and small businesses across the country:

“In January, retail gasoline prices averaged $3.37 a gallon, according to the Oil Price Information Service, a private fuel information service. That compared with the previous record average for the month of $3.095 a gallon, set last year. In 2010, January gasoline prices averaged just $2.71 a gallon.

“The new record meant more pain in Americans’ budgets. A typical household, burning about 50 gallons of gasoline a month, paid about $168.50 for that fuel in January, or $33 more than in January 2010.” (Ronald D. White, “Average U.S. gas prices hover at record-high levels,” Los Angeles Times, 2/7/12)

But Democrats rejected the Keystone XL pipeline last month, which would have been a major source for manufacturing jobs and energy security, in order to please donors who have priorities other than creating jobs:

“Democrats outside the West Wing and Chicago-based campaign say the politics were clear: With the exceptions of the grousing unions (who will have no choice but to support him in 2012), the party’s donor base, environmental advocates down to their hybrid SUVs oppose the pipeline.

“In fact, a top Democratic fundraiser told POLITICO that the two most frequent questions he heard from wealthy would-be contributors were ‘about Keystone and gay marriage.'” (Glenn Thrush and Darren Samuelsohn, “Keystone decision a political win-win,” Politico, 1/18/12)

Tim Bishop and his fellow Washington Democrats continue to give lip service to creating jobs, but when it comes time to act they do the opposite. Bishop’s Democrat donors are demanding policies that will directly destroy jobs and decrease energy independence, and he has clearly decided his reelection is more important than job opportunities and price relief for middle-class families in New York.

Dems Help Shun Domestic Energy as Gas Prices Surge http://ow.ly/8ZKnj #madeinwdc

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