Democrats, Gas Prices, and My Pearl Jam Concert Experience

About ten years ago, I went to a Pearl Jam concert at Alpine Valley Music Theater. Alpine Valley has a massive lawn seating, first come first serve, on top and assigned stadium seating on the bottom. My group arrived at the concert rather late so we wound up way at the top of the lawn area. I came to the concert with one of my three true loves (if you have seen A Bronx Tale then you know everyone only gets three and thus...but I digress) along with a group of other friends. My companion then suggested that we all bum rush towards to front of the lawn area. I was enthusiastically in favor of such an idea, however I could tell my friends were only acting like they were excited. As such, we began bum rushing the stage and within ten seconds she and I lost the rest of our group, and only later I found out they gave up and went up top. Their collective hearts weren't really into this idea, but rather they only went through the motions. While they could hide it when we were merely talking about it, their intentions became clear once we were doing it.

That's how I see the Democrats during this debate over energy independence and specifically, finding ways to immediately reduce gas prices. The Democrats are wholeheartedly for long term energy independence, but as far as short term solutions, they are rather half hearted.

If a Democrat is speaking about alternative energy, they are ready to throw their money at most anything. (except often nuclear power for some reason) Yet, throwing billions at alternative energy sources does little if nothing to resolve the current state of our gas prices today.

Deep down in the hearts of most true blue Democrats, their main concern on this issue is global warming. That's why they wholeheartedly support alternative energy ideas. They aren't nearly as concerned about gas prices, per se. In fact, many of them see high gas prices as a good thing because it forces a change in habit. One great example of this was when Barack Obama said that the problem wasn't that gas prices were too high but that they rose too quickly. He then went on to say this.

"if we take some steps right now to help people make the adjustment than I think ultimately we can come out of this stronger and have a more energy efficient policy than we do right now

Does that sound like someone who makes lowering gas prices a priority? Then, Nancy Pelosi said this.

'I'm trying to save the planet'

That's why their policy proposals include mostly conservation ideas like lowering the speed limit and inflating tires. Sometimes, they include half hearted and dangerous ideas like releasing some of the strategic oil reserve. They have also carried on with their populist ideals and gone after the speculators.

Yet, on drilling, they are either totally opposed, or they say, before we drill everywhere, the Democrats want the oil companies to drill on leased land. The problem is that in order to really bring down oil prices substantiall, tangibly, and permanently, it takes an effective multi pronged approach.

The Democrats are offering half measures. Their hearts aren't really into bringing down gas prices significantly. That's why the Republican stunt of staying in the Capitol during the summer break even after the lights and cameras were turned off is so effective. It points out that one party is determined to do all it can to reduce gas prices while the other party is merely going through the motions. The thing about going through the motions on anything is that it is obvious. I knew my friends weren't really on board about bum rushing the lawn. The voters can tell the Democrats aren't really on board about reducing gas prices. Given that this will become the most important issue, a half hearted effort will have significant consequences.