An Open E-mail to Sen. Bill Nelson (d, FL)

I sent an e-mail the other day to Sen. Nelson. To be honest, I can't remember right now what the gist was, but it was about oil speculators. As you may know, it can take a bit for a representative to get back to you and I didn't copy my message to him. So here's his reply:

Dear Mr. Schellinger:

Thank you for contacting me about the price of gasoline. The price run-ups in the past few years are inexcusable and intolerable.

To stabilize gas prices, we must rein in unbridled and unregulated speculators. Gas prices fluctuate wildly because speculators, who behave like condo-flippers, are allowed to buy and resell oil contracts. Until we stop that, we'll continue to be gouged at the pump. I recently reintroduced S. 221, which would ban unregulated speculation by oil traders and bring gas prices back down to earth.

Most importantly, we need to break our addiction to foreign oil and switch to alternative fuels.

Thirty years ago, in the wake of gas shortages and long lines at the pump, the President declared the need for the U.S. to become energy independent. Unfortunately, little has been done since. And having only three percent of the world's oil reserves while we consume 33% of the world's oil production means America cannot drill its way out of this crisis.

We must develop alternative fuels--like ethanol-- and make it from things we don't eat. And we need to do it with the same sense of urgency and focus that President Kennedy brought to landing on the moon. Until we've done this, we need to conserve as much oil as possible by raising fuel-efficiency standards for all vehicles and further increasing the production of hybrid cars.

I appreciate your thoughts on this issue. And I will continue to support measures that provide our nation with real alternatives to our reliance on oil.

Sincerely,
Senator Bill Nelson

To which I replied today:

You said "The price run-ups in the past few years are inexcusable and intolerable. To stabilize gas prices, we must rein in unbridled and unregulated speculators."

However, the CFTC found that the high prices last year were due to Supply & Demand. They also found that "unregulated speculators" were responsible for keeping prices more stable. If "unregulated speculators" were responsible for the high prices, why is oil down to $71.80? Why did it go down?

You also demand higher fuel efficiency standards. Yet the National Academy of Sciences determined that increased CAFE standards contributes an additional 3,200 deaths per year on our roadways.

You also said "Most importantly, we need to break our addiction to foreign oil and switch to alternative fuels."

Indeed. We need to break our addiction to foreign oil which is why we need to drill for our own. That's also why we're moving on with tar sands on BLM property. We need the oil NOW while we come up with realistic, practical and affordable alternative fuels. If we aren't already, we need to chanel the corn ethanol pork to more realistic goals.

What's more, another reality is that the "evil" oil companies have spent more on the federal government on alternative fuels over the last several years. We need to end our State control over private businesses, cut the red tape, cut all the absurd regulations and let them do what the do: supplying the American people with the fuel they need. There's no mandate directing Congress or the White House to run the energy or any other sector of our economy. Therefore you need to get out of the way.

So far as I can tell from your response is that your legislation actually calls for higher gas prices and more American deaths on the highway. Now why do we want that?

I know that he likes to use the left's meme that any opposition to their ideas is pushing for the "status quo". I think Americans would gladly switch to an alternative fuel, but I don't think we're anywhere near having one that's realistic. We shouldn't be castrating ourselves in the meantime either.

I'm a bit tired of this bullshit about having to find a scape goat for high gasoline prices. First it was the oil company execs. Then it was Bush. Then it was OPEC. Then it was Bush, again, for daring to shore up the stockpiles while we're at war. Then it was the speculators etc. etc. etc. It's absurd and it's irresponsible what the Statists are doing: ginning up hatred for things that have nothing to do with the prices. I should have told him that.

Anyways...