Boyda: Drill Here.

The below text was sent out of Congresswoman Nancy Boyda's press office and we thought you all might be interested in reading it:

Letter to the Editor – Energy: the Great Debate

By: Congresswoman Nancy Boyda

The much needed debate about our nation's energy future has finally begun. From the rising cost of fuel to increased fertilizer prices – everyone is hurting. We all know that our country needs a comprehensive plan to address our energy future. The plan developed by Big Oil and the White House eight years ago has brought us nothing but higher fuel prices and has sent trillions of your dollars to unfriendly governments across the world.

If you've heard me talk about energy, you've heard me talk about the "three legged stool." First is conservation – the cheapest and fastest piece of this puzzle. Second is an absolute determination to break our addiction to oil through new technologies like plug-in hybrid vehicles that rely on wind, solar, nuclear, and other alternative sources. Energy prices are driven by supply and demand. We must increase energy supply and reduce oil demand with these new technologies. Third, even with alternatives and conservation, oil and gas will continue to play a significant role in our energy policy. We must use the lands currently open to drilling, like the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska (NPR-A), and we need to invest in technologies that make it easier and more environmentally friendly to access.

As I write this, there are 68 million acres of publicly leased lands available for drilling that are not being drilled. 80 percent of the oil available on the Outer Continental Shelf is already open for drilling. Today, these leases are in place; the environmental hurdles have been cleared, but no drilling is happening. The American people want to know why. So do I.

It is Big Oil's dirty little secret – they don't have the equipment necessary to do more drilling. If we opened up the remaining 20 percent of offshore areas for drilling, there won't be new rigs available to drill in those areas for years! According to the American Petroleum Institute, in a time of increasing demand and high profits, the oil companies have not been growing their stock of drilling equipment even for the lands they currently have leases for! Unbelievable.

My mom always taught me to clean my plate before asking for more. The oil companies aren't following mom's advice. They have been collecting lease after lease but not drilling on those lands. It is time that drilling started. The high price of oil helps the oil companies and maybe this is a good business decision for them, but its killing American families, businesses and farmers.

Congress can't force the oil companies to drill, but we can pass legislation that stops hoarding of oil leases on federal lands. I voted to do just that three weeks ago, but like other important energy bills, it is opposed by the President.

As important as it is to get this right, we cannot drill our way out of this mess. America uses 24 percent of the world's oil yet we have only two percent of the world's oil reserves. We must be aggressive about conservation and alternatives to oil. We must break our addiction to foreign oil and stop importing more than 70 percent of our oil. We must harness the ingenuity of our scientists and entrepreneurs to discover and make new technologies work. After all, if we can put a man on the moon, we can break our dependence on foreign oil. Only by breaking this dependence will we be able to restore our economy and hope in the future.

Nancy Boyda

Member of Congress

Driving at Her Own Expense

A strange little puff piece in the Topeka Capital Journal today about our Members of Congress and who is paying for their travel- the Kansas delegation doesn't take advantage of a rule that would allow them to get free rides- but good press is good press, right?

Rep. Nancy Boyda doesn't accept the federal mileage reimbursement when she drives her own car for official use, much less use taxpayer's money for leasing a car, said spokesman Thomas Seay.

"Our aim is to run our office as effectively as possible," Seay said.

Just another savings brought to you by Nancy Boyda (no, we don't know what Ryun did for a car when he was in office...we'd imagine he wasn't dumb enough to have the taxpayers pay for one...but does anyone know for sure?)

UPDATE: Freedom's Watch Radio Ad Buy

As we reported on Monday, the radical group Freedom's Watch has radio ads up and running as we speak attacking Congresswoman Nancy Boyda for the price of gasoline.

And, as we expected, the ad throws up the claim that Boyda is standing in the way of new domestic drilling (without actually cite any instances where she has done any such thing), which, as we've also showing you all week long, simply isn't the case.

To echo what Boyda has already said: There is land available now for drilling that isn't being used. She supports a gas tax holiday. She has already voted in favor of new domestic energy exploration. And, biggest of all, nothing we do now will do anything in the short tern to lower the price of gasoline. We must, for a long term solve, invest in alternatives to oil. And, as long as oil companies are seeing world-record profits, they deserve not a single dime of taxpayer money. With the price of gas, we simply can't afford given them anything more.

If you'd like to listen to the ad yourself, click here.

It doesn't matter that much regardless- the ad buy from big, bad Freedom's Watch was TINY- only 20 spots on two stations totally $570.

Lord, if that's all it takes, maybe this blog should become a federal PAC...

Right-Wing "Freedom's Watch" Launch Radio Ads Attacking Boyda

The right-wing radical group "Freedom's Watch," which has already run full page ads in area newspapers attacking Congresswoman Nancy Boyda, and only weeks ago launched a blitz of robocalls lamely attacking Boyda first on military pay and then on gas prices.

We're guessing they're learning the hard way people hate robocalls, because they're newest volley comes in the form of radio ads.

"Since last year, gas prices are up 75 [percent]," says a narrator at the start. "Everything -- from bread and milk, to airline tickets, even diapers -- costs more."

The ad then details a series of energy votes by the targeted Democrats that have blocked attempts to lower costs.

"But, Nancy Boyda stands in the way," says the narrator. "While we cut back on gas and groceries, family outings, and summer vacations."

(We haven't found the whole transcript of the Boyda ad yet- we'll let you know when we do).

So, really, nothing more than the partisan finger pointing we've been hearing for months- the same drivel that ignores anything and everything proactive that doesn't result in drilling in Yellowstone National Park. They willfully ignore votes taken by Boyda to increase funding for alternative fuels (which are, in the end, our only real way out of this mess), her endorsement of a federal gas tax holiday, and for more domestic exploration.

These ads aren't about informing voters, they're misleading voters with half-truths and misdirection.

Since we don't have the exact votes from the radio ad, we can't go at them one-by-one, but we can promise you from a purely non-partisan position we wholeheartedly agree with what Chris Cilliza said when he broke this story:

Gas prices are the latest political football in the positioning of the two parties in advance of the fall election. The simple truth is that neither congressional Democrats nor Republicans can do much of anything when it comes to lowering the price of gas. There is no good short term solution.

Skyrocketing gasoline prices are neither a Democratic nor a Republica problem, they weren't caused by either party, and both parties would do anythign they could to lower the price today. The only problem is- there isn't anything- nothing at all- that will lower them short-term and keep them down. Every solution discussed from alternative fuels to more domestric drilling will solve the problem in 10 years, not tomorrow.

When faced with problems like these, we need politicians who are prepared to think about what will actually fix the problem, not what will be expediant- Boyda's looking toward the future while trying to do anything she can, along with the rest of the Democratic majority, while groups like Freedom's Watch can't see passed their own noses.

KS GOP Blogs Stupid- Bad Statistics & Bad Research

Literally nothing makes us happier than calling out Republicans for lying, screwing up, or just plan forgetting their brains at the door when they try to attack Congresswoman Nancy Boyda. Today's new post on The Trunkline from the Kansas Republican Party provides us with a truly beautiful opportunity to do just that.

Two things:

• Their missive cites two different roll call votes, #370 & 380, that supposedly are instances that prove Boyda "is actually voting against debating any amendment aimed at reducing the cost of gas."

• It then smacks Boyda for not knowing how much the price of gasoline has increased for the average Kansan ("Boyda is so out of touch with what we, as every day Kansans, are paying at the pump, she thinks that gas prices have risen only 30 percent!"). The GOP says the number is actually 80%.
  

Damning, eh?

Oh, quite the opposite, dearies.

First- the roll call votes. Perhaps less vodka would make the KS GOP's researcher a little more effective, because, honestly, you'd have to just be trashed to try to pair either of their cited roll call votes with evidence Boyda has voted against lowering gas prices.

Why? Since Boyda has been in Congress, there have been two votes with each of those numbers (one for each in 2007 and in 2008) and Nancy Boyda voted "Aye" on three of them. The one she voted against? It was #380 in 2007 and it was an amendment but it had literally nothing to do with gasoline prices- it made ridiculous changes to the affordable housing fund. See for yourself.

As evidenced here, Congresswoman Boyda was right when she chastised the leadership of the KS GOP peddlers of "damned lies."

Next- the price of gas. The gist of this one is that Boyda doesn't even know how much the price of gas as increased because, on her web site, she says it has gone up 30% over the last year while the KS GOP says it's really be 80%. Basically, they're calling her out-of-touch and a liar.

First, kiddies, Boyda's web site says "in the last year," so lets make sure we're all talking the same timeframe. Second, we'll have to quibble with the prices cited by the GOP in their email. A quick drive around Topeka shows the average price is about $3.86 (same average show here), and, also, the price of gas one year ago today was $2.88 (on average) in Kansas. Damn, another problem with facts....pity.

So, do the math. The price of gas as increased 34% in the last year- a number almost identical to the 30% Boyda cites on her web site.

Again, less alcohol in the office would stop mistakes like these.

The price of gas is skyrocketing...just like it was doing before the Democrats took control of Congress. The situation hasn't been fixed, that's obvious- the wars in Iraq & Afghanistan are consuming huge amounts of gasoline, and demand at home as continued to grow. Somethings got to give.

Boyda's voted (with the Republicans) for more domestic exploration, she's voted to increase research into alternatives, which, in the end, is the only real way out of this mess, and she's done something else that's exactly right on track- she's voted to stop giving our tax money to the Big Oil companies who are killing us at the pump.

This is a conversation that needs to be had...but the Kansas Republican Party needs to not lie when they have it.

Also...Boyda didn't take office in January 2006, it was 2007. We'll guess that's not a lie, just a typo.

Ryun & Jenkins Squabble Over Who's Being Meaner, Boyda Talks the Issues

A half dozen more reports about Jim Ryun going prostrate before Lynn Jenkins begging her not to attack him in her pre-primary ad buy appeared in today's papers. Here, a smattering from the Topeka Capital-Journal:

"I'm extending to Lynn a friendly offer," said Ryun, a conservative Republican and former Olympic athlete. "It's time for us to set an example and rise above the usual political attacks and distortions."

(He says that with a straight face, ladies and gentlemen).

"I find it odd Jim wants me to sign a pledge he's already broken," said Jenkins, a moderate Republican and two-term state treasurer. "His Washington cronies have already spent $120,000 running negative attack ads regarding my record. I think he just needs to look in the mirror."

This comes on the heels of Lynn's spokesman Josh Hersh saying yesterday Ryun was "in denial" about how badly the people want him back in Congress. Hell, just accusing Ryun of having anything to do with the $120,000 TV ad buy Club for Growth did is pretty sleazy- seeing as such collusion would be illegal...

But it was a nice ad:


Ah, Republican leadership...don't you just love it?

While all that nutsy-ness was going on, Congresswoman Nancy Boyda took a little bit of time to actually address a huge problem facing the United States today: gas prices. She talked about several of the measures she has personally supported in an effort to bring down the price of gasoline- though she noted a quick fix wasn't in the picture.

Earlier this year, Boyda successfully helped push a bill through Congress that would temporarily suspend purchasing oil for an emergency government stockpile of gas.

[...]

Boyda has also favored suspending the 18.4 cent-per-gallon federal gas tax, which is set aside for building highways and bridges, as a way of helping consumers, spokesman Thomas Seay said.

On a Kansas City-based public radio show, Boyda said she favored paying for the reduction by rolling back millions in tax breaks given to oil companies in an effort to bolster their attempts to find new oil sources.

Boyda wasn't the first to propose a suspension of the federal gasoline tax- but she was one of the first to suggest a way to pay for the lost highway construction & maintenance funds. After the disaster in Minnesota, we'd be surprised if anyone could argue against the necessity of keeping those particular coffers full.

Finally, the more sobering bit:

Boyda said on air that many Americans are also waking up to the fact that there are limited options for holding back price increases, including efforts to reduce oil speculation.

"There aren't a lot of short-term fixes out there," Boyda said.

The Republicans love to toss out "drilling in ANWR" as the solve-all for our gasoline problem, but no one has any idea if that drilling would actually produce enough crude to effect the price of gas at the pump.

Boyda made it clear in her radio interview yesterday, though, she certainly supported expanded domestic drilling (and, like we've been tryin' to tell you all for months, she has even voted that way).

Boyda Live on Public Radio

For those interested, Congresswoman Nancy Boyda and Missouri Congressman Emmanuel Cleaver are currently live on Kansas City- area public radio.

Click here for a streaming link- and we'll bring more later in the day.

Letter to the Editor: Boyda Fighting for Kansas Citizens

From the Pittsburg Morning Sun:

Dear Editor,

With gasoline prices about $4.00 a gallon, and with many people being squeezed financially and considering whether a trip somewhere is really necessary, I find myself grumbling about our national energy policy and the $40 billion that Exxon Mobil made in profit last year (that's $77 thousand per minute). And also thinking about the tax breaks that the largest oil companies get from us, the taxpayers. I don't begrudge reasonable profit for a company that has taken risk to bring a valuable product to the consumer, but do the largest oil companies really need these tax breaks? I don't think so and neither does Nancy Boyda, who has voted to end these unnecessary subsidies for the largest five oil companies. She wants to throw out our old energy policy that was created partly for corporate oil interests, and wants to help create new energy policy that will benefit ordinary citizens. She has demonstrated that desire by voting to raise fuel mileage standards for new cars to 35 miles per gallon, as well as voting for renewable fuel and energy efficiency standards.

But this is just a starting point as we need to go further by developing a strong renewable energy industry. To help push that idea, Boyda voted for an energy tax package that would provide $18 billion in renewable energy incentives for wind, solar, and other renewable energy and that would help create thousands of new jobs in the renewable energy industry. Some of these jobs would be in Kansas with our resources of land, wind, sun, and technology. These incentives would be paid for by the removal of some of the tax breaks for the oil companies. As she says, we need to invest in the Midwest, not the Middle East.

Nancy Boyda is a friend of Kansas citizens by fighting for an energy policy that works for us rather than the oil companies that are making record profits.

George Weeks
Pittsburg

More from Boyda's Gas Price Press Conference

Some more from yesterday's press conference on the price of gasoline held by Congresswoman Nancy Boyda and reported in the Topeka Capital-Journal.

A further sample of what Congress has tried to do to address the problem of gas prices in both the short- and long-term:

Boyda said Congress approved fuel efficiency standards to 35 miles per gallon by 2020. A reduction in consumption and the use of such alternative energy as wind, solar and biofuels will bring down the price of oil.

She said Congress approved a bill that stops the filling of the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve, which holds about 700 million barrels of oil. She said a temporary suspension of government purchases could reduce oil and gas prices by as much as 24 cents per gallon.

Boyda has also voiced support of the concept of a national gas tax holiday (as long as those lost infrastructure repair dollars are made up somewhere else) and, again, has voted for expanded exploration for domestic supplies of fossil fuels.

It's nice to have a Member of Congress who is proactive, isn't it?

Boyda: "Congress Has to Stand Up to Big Oil"

The Republicans did nothing when they had control of Congress to address our dependence on foreign oil. They did nothing to prevent the disaster America faces now, as the price of gas in the 2nd District of Kansas hovers near $4 a gallon.

What could you expect, though, with Oil Men in the White House? Or from Members of Congress who had been bought lock, stock and, yes, barrel, by the oil industry?

Congresswoman Nancy Boyda has made fighting back against Big Oil one of the keystones of her term in office, as was again evidenced by a press conference held at a Topeka grocery store yesterday.

While Boyda and the Democratic majority have taken the lead in attempting to address the problem at hand and that's a newsworthy items in itself, it's the stories of those directly impacted by the increase that are of interest here.

Jim Bauersfeld, owner of Mike’s IGA, said the cost of shipping product to his store from the wholesaler has increased $10,000 per year because of rising diesel prices.

The cost of groceries has gone up about 6 percent in the past year, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data. The cost of many staple foods is rising even faster. The cost of milk has shot up 15 percent, the cost of flour was up 18 percent and the cost of eggs by 31 percent.

Rob McCune, owner of Frontier Trucking, said high diesel prices have hurt his business.

“It’s wiped me out,” he said. “I had 10 trucks, now I have five.”

He said he used to pay $2,500 per week for fuel, but now is paying $6,400 per week — for fewer trucks.

Donn Teske, president of the Kansas Farmers Union, said he had asked another farmer to join him at the Boyda press conference, but the friend declined because he couldn’t afford to pay for the gas to drive there.

In what has become a famous speech because of her content regarding FISA, Boyda addressed the shocking profits and stunning spin of Big Oil during her remarks to the Kansas Democratic Party State Convention in March.

(Just so we're all clear on one important point: Boyda has voted multiple times to invest money in alternative fuel research, but she has also voted to expand exploration in US coastal waters. Both moves are necessary, but everyone recognizes we must wean ourselves off of our dependences on fossil fuels sooner rather than latter).