Red Herring Miller?

Relying on argumentum ad misericordiam and a red herring, Rep. Jeff Miller’s arguments about drilling and exploration in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) and Gulf of Mexico Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) posited in his last weekly newsletter fell flat and, like much other debate about high gas prices, is disingenuous. He states that while he was on vacation last week his constituents’ number one concern was high gas prices. He then implies that by opening ANWR and the OCS for oil and gas exploration and building new refineries that Americans would save an estimated .70 cents to $2.50 per gallon. That’s bunk.

Gas prices have not just now begun to rise. Gas prices have been on the rise for many years, years in which a Republican House and Senate had the reigns. When Clinton took office on January 20, 1993, the national average gas price was $1.06 per gallon. Six and a half years later, the national average gas price had jumped to $1.22, roughly 15% higher. Compounded annually, this represents about a 2% jump each year. When President Bush took office on January 20, 2001, the national average gas price was $1.46 per gallon. Six and a half years later, on August 27, 2007, the national average gas price had jumped to $2.76, roughly 89% higher. Compounded annually, this represents about a 10% jump each year Bush has been in office. Republicans were in control of both houses of Congress from 1994 until 2006. Past and present Republican leadership is just as much to blame for our current situation as any seated Democrat today.

While high gas prices have many of us rethinking our budgets and daily travel, to argue that the cause of today’s gas prices is a failure of Democrats to “pass common-sense energy legislation” is just wrong. Energy policy was a central theme of the 2004 debates between Bush and John Kerry and will certainly be a highlight for Obama and McCain this election season. However, the true argument should be short-term versus short-term and long-term versus long-term. Short-term fixes will require diplomacy, controlling current supply-and-demand, and retrofit of current refineries. Long-term solutions include exploration, construction of better production infrastructure, renewable energy sources, and improved alternative fuels.

The Senate is now considering one climate change bill and, basically, we may end up back at square one with no relief in sight from rising gas prices on the short or long term. Voters should be diligent and informed during this upcoming election. We all are better served by elected officials who compromise and work across the aisle rather than those who mock their opponents and obfuscate the issues.