More from Boyda on New Off-Shore Drilling

From KTKA 49 News Topeka:

So, lets all say it together now: Congresswoman Nancy Boyda is in favor of new domestic oil exploration- as long as we pair it with the real long-term solve of research into alternative fuels.

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.

Keeping Promises

As part of her strive to keep campaign promises to the Kansas Second District, Congresswoman Nancy Boyda voted to strip oil industry of subsidies it receives from the federal government.

This comes on the same day Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke testified that he considered "a surge in oil prices and food prices ... worrisome."

Rep. Boyda was quoted in the Topeka Capitol Journal saying

"For years," Boyda said, "nobody in Washington had the guts to stand up to Big Oil. This bill says, 'Enough is enough.'"

The bill would create tax incentives for renewable energy by repealing tax subsidies for five large oil companies."

Further, Boyda said, "Renewable energy offers tremendous promise for our state's economy. Kansas has the soil to grow crops to be converted to biofuels, the skies to harvest wind energy, and the research base to nurture new technology. Now all we need is a national commitment to energy independence. That's what today's bill is all about. It should be called the ‘Kansas Economic Development Act’ – that's how important it is to our businesses and communities."

This arrives following a recent opening of a BioFuel gas station along Highway 59 in Lawrence.

According to Boyda,

The bill is fiscally responsible. It pays for these energy incentives by repealing unnecessary tax subsidies for the large five integrated oil companies. The big five oil companies recently reported record profits for 2007, with ExxonMobil earning $40.6 billion - the largest corporate profit in American history. That’s earnings of more than $111 million a day or $77 thousand dollars a minute! While oil company profits have quadrupled, high energy prices continue to squeeze American families – gas prices have skyrocketed and home heating oil has jumped along with other household costs.