Mike Sodrel on Lowering Gas Prices: “Yes We Can”; Baron Responds: “No, We Can’t”

Mike Sodrel had a press conference on Thursday to lay out a series of ideas on what can be done not just to lower gas prices but to address America’s energy crisis also.

More drilling and more incentives to develop new technology, among other things; real ideas to address a very real problem.

Baron Hill, meanwhile, has proposed more government regulation, more taxes, more lawsuits, and more political gimmicks that accomplish nothing.

From WAVE TV:

(Read more after the leap)

Sodrel calls for congressional action on rising fuel prices

By Shayla Reaves

JEFFERSONVILLE, IN (WAVE) - The high price at the pump has an Indiana politician calling for change in Washington. Republican congressional candidate Mike Sodrel made a campaign stop in Jeffersonville Thursday morning to talk gas prices.

Sodrel says he is fed up with the rising cost of fuel. In Indiana, AAA puts the average price of gas at more than $4.00 a gallon. Sodrel says drivers are having to choose between food and filling their tanks and he wants to see Congress do something about it.

“I am tired of listening to the Chicken Little’s and the sky is falling. Americans are the most creative people on the planet. If you provide the incentives and get out of their way, they will fix this problem,” said Sodrel.

The former 9th District congressman wants to see fuel alternatives besides corn and soybeans used and new fuel processes invented to help drivers do more with less.

And the Courier-Journal:

INDIANAPOLIS – Saying that rising gasoline costs are hurting Hoosiers, the major party candidates in the 9th Congressional District race zeroed in today on proposals to combat prices at the pump.

Republican Mike Sodrel said today at his own news conference that lawmakers are focusing too much on funding energy research and not enough on funding results. He proposed shifting some existing money earmarked for research grants to serve as rewards for developments that turn into a usable product.

“The American people are the most creative, innovative people on the planet,” said Sodrel, who served as the district’s congressman for two years after defeating Hill in 2004 but then lost to Hill two years ago.

“If you provide real incentives to the private sector, they might be able to do something like make ethanol out of kudzu,” Sodrel said. “That would clean up the highways and make fuel out of something you can’t eat.”

Until such products can be developed, though, Sodrel said he supports expanding places in the United States where oil drilling is allowed – an expansion that would include the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

Hill and Sodrel are focusing on what has become one of the biggest issues in the district and nationwide.

“People are hurting,” Hill said. “We hear about it every day.”

Sodrel said gas prices have become voters’ top issue.

“It’s hard to divorce it from concern about the economy, but I think it’s in first place now,” Sodrel said.

But the two have different views about solutions to high prices.

Hill said he supports legislation to require oil companies to drill on the 68 million acres of land they’ve already leased or lose the leases, something he hopes will delay any need to look for fuel in places like the Arctic refuge.

“If they have 68 million acres they can presently drill on, why aren’t they drilling?” Hill asked. “The only answer I can come up with is they don’t want to. They want to be making money without any risk.”

Hill acknowledged he’s had a number of constituents call his office to urge a vote expanding where drilling is allowed, but he doesn’t think it’s worthwhile.

Sodrel said failing to open the refuge and other wildlife areas for energy exploration and instead relying on existing oil leases is irresponsible.

“There isn’t oil or natural gas or natural resources under that entire 68 million acres,” Sodrel said, referring to the leases. “A portion will never be developed. Either it doesn’t have oil or it’s not feasible to get it.”

And Sodrel said he doesn’t believe speculators are causing the run-up of prices.

“I wouldn’t oppose that legislation, but it’s not going to bear fruit,” Sodrel said. “It’s busy work. It’s more regulation, investigation, taxes and lawsuits – which is all we hear from the Democratic Congress – and you can’t produce anything with those four.”

Apparently, it never occurred to Baron that there might not be oil under the existing leases.

I could lease out the land under my house, but that Congress can’t mandate that oil be under it. Doesn’t matter whether the oil companies drill or not; there’s no oil there.

There is oil in ANWR, offshore, and in oil shale and so forth.

Yet Baron opposes going after it, preferring to increase taxes on domestic oil drilling by 50%.

Baron opposes incentives for new technologies, preferring instead to go through the motions of the same old political gimmicks that have never helped lower gas prices and sure aren’t going to help now.

Baron favors doing nothing but focusing on conservation and on raising taxes and passing new regulations.

Sodrel, by contrast, recognizes that the country needs to go on an energy diet, but also knows that we can’t starve ourselves out of this situation either.

It may take five to ten years to get to some of the oil that is out there.

How interesting, then, that Baron voted five and seven years ago against going to get it?

Just like he voted against better fuel economy standards years ago too.

When it comes to taking real action to lower gas prices, and getting real change to fix America’s energy problems, Mike Sodrel is saying “yes we can.”

Baron Hill is saying “no, we can’t.”

(This post is also available at the Hoosierpundit)