VIRGINIA BEACH
A trio of Republican leaders touted Sen. John McCain's energy plan Wednesday, the latest local effort to gain political traction by talking about high energy prices.
George Allen, a former governor and U.S. senator, U.S. Rep. Thelma Drake and state Sen. Frank Wagner praised the likely Republican presidential nominee's support for offshore drilling, increased nuclear and coal power, and incentives to develop alternative energy sources.
The politicians were joined in a panel discussion by five business owners, all McCain supporters, who described, in bleak terms, the impact of high energy prices on their industries.
Waving an invoice with an extra fuel surcharge fee, Chris Savvides, owner of Black Angus Restaurant in Virginia Beach, said cheese, milk and beef prices have skyrocketed, mainly because of rising gas prices.
"We pay a premium every day to have these things delivered," said Savvides, who hosted the discussion at his restaurant.
Carol Curtis, owner of Noah Enterprises Inc., a Virginia Beach construction company, said energy prices have forced her to consider slicing employee benefits, such as contributions to health-care plans.
The event came two days after a panel discussion in Norfolk led by U.S. Rep. Bobby Scott, a Democrat, in which most participants voiced opposition to offshore drilling.
Earlier this month, Glenn Nye, a Democrat challenging Drake in Virginia's 2nd Congressional District, announced his energy proposal, focusing largely on alternative energy but not ruling out increased drilling.
In late July, Drake announced her support for a bipartisan plan to open offshore areas for oil and gas drilling in Virginia.
Wagner said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was inflicting "San Francisco values on the entire nation."
Panel members criticized likely Democratic presidential nominee Sen. Barack Obama's focus on alternative energy as "pie-in-the-sky" and said they feared "over-regulation" were he elected president.
The Obama campaign, in a conference call an hour before the Virginia Beach event, said McCain's plan would favor oil companies over families, according to a transcript of the call.
Aaron Applegate, (757) 222-5122, aaron.applegate@pilotonline.com
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lets not forget
Drake has always voted for corporate welfare, supporting the huge tax breaks for oil companies, and George Allen back in the news. Please, give us a break.
Did the Republican pow-wow goers also discuss...
... the increased oil prices caused by the Bush admin setting the middle-east on fire, saber rattling with Iran, and the admin allowing Exxon & Enron to write Cheney's US energy policy?
The three stooges
Wow, how one-sided that you pasted an article from a conservative analyst and expect us to believe that horse poopoo. It's like watching FOX (False/Propaganda) news. How about pasting something bi-partisan and non misconstruing instead from some twisted conservative (oxymoron) columnist that only pander to republicans. Why don't you try helping restore republicans credibility instead of destroying it.
Finally, the three stooges (Drake, Allen, Wagner) are trying to do something about energy and maybe help us hard working Americans as they the stooges have been sitting on their butts reaping the fruits from big oil while us tax payers pay the price for their incompetence. Now they're trying to change their tune because of the repercussion come November. Where were they in the beginning? Republicans have been in power for many years and have been giving big oil billions in tax ince
One Reason Pelosi Wants High Gas Prices
Pelosi and the Big Win Boone-doggle, by Michelle Malkin, Creators Syndicate
Copyright 2008
Pelosi and the Big Wind Boone-doggle
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called congressional Republicans who want up-or-down drilling votes “hand maidens of the oil companies.” Let’s call Pelosi what she is: House girl of the Big Wind boondogglers.
Though she seemingly backtracked on labeling drilling a “hoax” this week, Pelosi refuses to consider GOP energy proposals that don’t include massive government subsidies for eco-fantastical alternatives that have never panned out.
Which brings us to Madame Speaker’s 2007 financial disclosure form. Schedule III lists “assets and ‘unearned income’” of between $100,001-$250,000 from Clean Energy Fuels Corp
Read ore here: http://michellemalkin.com/