photo by Getty Images

 

High prices at the Pump, High cost to the U.S…..

As I continue to meet with people from all over the district, what continues to strike me is not how divided we are in our opinions as a community, but how much common ground we have.  It doesn’t matter who you voted for in the past, or with which party you are registered, people are frustrated with Washington DC.   There will always be disagreements over policy, but policy disagreements aren’t what seem to be what’s driving the frustration that resonates throughout this district- What is frustrating to people is the absolute vacuum of common sense in Washington.

Look at a small sample headlines today for example:

Time Magazine: Gas Prices Rise- Expect $4- or perhaps $6- By Spring

http://moneyland.time.com/2012/02/06/gas-price-hike-expect-4-a-gallon-or-perhaps-6-by-spring/

BusinessWeek: Rising Gas Prices: Not Demand Driven

The national average for gas prices is above $3.50. Yet demand in the U.S. is at its lowest point since 1997. So what’s driving this run-up?

http://www.businessweek.com/finance/rising-gas-prices-not-demand-driven-02142012.html

What is so frustrating about the rising gas prices is that they are not the result of some natural disaster like Katrina.  The pain we are feeling at the pump is largely self-inflicted.  In fact, it’s one of the few campaign promises that our leaders have actually kept:  to make energy “necessarily skyrocket”.  It is the result of having no rational American energy policy.

What’s worse, as if that’s possible, is that all of the money going to pay for that oil is going to countries which really, really don’t like us.  I know- I was stationed in the Middle East- they don’t like us over there.

Think of the devastation that this is causing our country.  If the predictions of high gas prices hold true, and all indication is that they are, a working person on $20,000 income is going to have to spend an extra 10% of their income ($2000) on higher energy costs and higher prices on consumer purchases.  It’s a direct assault on all of us, but especially on the poorest members of our community.  And what do they get for that extra 10% of their hard earned money? They get to be much less secure by funding those who wish us harm.

It’s great, isn’t it?  Where are the grown-ups?

Steve Cohen, our local congressman, naturally is on the wrong side of this issue.  He was one of the “leaders” against building a pipeline that would have brought oil from Canada to the U.S. safely and efficiently-  And the only benefits of building the pipeline is that would have helped control fuel prices, create at least 20,000 new jobs within a few months, and not cost the tax payers a dime.  But sadly, now that all of that oil going to be shipped to China, as the Chinese said they would be happy to work with the Canadians.  Thanks, Steve.

But it’s not his fault.  It’s our fault.  You and I- we elected people like him to run things, and then we quit really paying attention.  The good news is that we can fix our mistake.

As I said in the opening, there seems to be a complete lack of common sense in Washington D.C.

I am running for office to restore some common sense up there.   I would like you to stand with me.  I can promise you that decisions like this one- those which place party and personal interests ahead of the interests of the constituents- will no longer take place from District-9.

I ask that you donate to our campaign.  If you do the math, the money you spend on sending  someone who understands national security and energy policy to Washington might be the soundest investment you can make in this economy.

Thank you for reading,

Wilson