Bart Stupak to the Rescue!

Donning a superhero's cape and mask, Bart Stupak is going to get to the bottom of this energy crisis once and for all by investigating the impact that speculators are having on the price of oil. Think of him as Covering My Butt Man, who, through use superpower of pandering and a desperate need to control the energy usage of the rest of us, should issue his findings, right or wrong, about the time that oil reaches $200 a barrel.

That Bart is finally springing into action is very comforting now that unleaded has reached $4.19 at the local BP. What was the price of gasoline when Bart first took office and started trying to manipulate oil supplies?

The Detroit Free Press is in total agreement that investigations need to take place.

It is absolutely appropriate for elected officials in Congress to explore the possibility that speculation is driving some of this year's incredible escalation in oil prices. U.S. Rep. Bart Stupak took on that task last week.

The Menominee Democrat heads the Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee of the Energy and Commerce Committee. Some of the most interesting charts he prepared for his hearing show a surprising recent history, especially in terms of the way oil contract trading has expanded into hedge funds and other investment groups -- people far outside the historical realm of commodity trading, which has been used, for example, by airlines that hope to smooth out market volatility.

That Rep. Stupak and company conveniently hopscotch over the major cause of today's energy pricing is a slight of hand specifically designed to both deflect blame for current conditions as well as steer today's consumers toward a carbon-light future--all the while we energy users nibble away at ever smaller amounts of fuel.

Indeed, forcing ever higher energy prices onto consumers is the best tool green bureaucrats have to force down energy consumption. Mr. Stupak and his cohorts are wielding that tool often and consistently. Here are some statistics on the Democrat's voting records as it relates to our energy policy:

ANWR Exploration House Republicans: 91% Supported House Democrats: 86% Opposed

Coal-to-Liquid
House Republicans: 97% Supported
House Democrats: 78% Opposed

Oil Shale Exploration
House Republicans: 90% Supported
House Democrats: 86% Opposed

Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Exploration
House Republicans: 81% Supported
House Democrats: 83% Opposed

Refinery Increased Capacity
House Republicans: 97% Supported
House Democrats: 96% Opposed

SUMMARY

91% of House Republicans have historically voted to increase the production of American-made oil and gas.

86% of House Democrats have historically voted against increasing the production of American-made oil and gas.

Bart Stupak has no desire to lower gasoline prices, he just doesn't want to be blamed for it.

He knows that his latest endeavor, applauded by the Free Press, will have zero impact on gasoline prices. Which is exactly what he wants.