Remember the great gas shortage of 1980 to1988???

[warrens]

Neither do I. But Cal Thomas has a better memory than you and I. Although it IS refreshing to see him, for the first time in history, blast the GOP.



So it has come to this: A group of Senate Republicans has proposed $100 rebates to low-income people to ease their "pain at the gas pump." They also are entertaining the possibility of higher taxes on oil industry profits, as if government does a better job of spending money than private industry. Have they forgotten the last time government imposed a "windfall profits tax" from 1980 to '88? Oil production fell (but demand grew) as "big oil" had less incentive to explore. A history of this bad idea can be found on The Tax History Project Web page www.taxhistory.org.

A recent Wall Street Journal editorial called the $100 rebate proposal "destined for the pandering hall of fame." When Democrats want to hand out checks, Republicans call it "welfare" and they claim to oppose it on principle. What should it be called when Republicans do it, hypocrisy?

GOP impotence in the midst of fuel price hikes may be the final proof that this is a party that has run out of gas. Democrats aren't any better and should they regain a congressional majority this fall, it won't be long before they again indulge in the same pandering, unethical behavior and content-free politics that has exposed Republican ineptness.

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/printpage/?url=http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2006/05/republicans_running_on_empty.html

[FloridaPat]

1. Maybe if we toss out congress and let We the People run the

country, things will get better. They can't get worse. We'll have line item veto power on every single line in the bill or budget. Even a standstill gov't is better than the last 5 years.

[mtnester]

2. I DO remember home mortgages being around 16 - 18% during that time

ridiculous

[TallahasseeGrannie]

3. No, I don't

but I do remember in 1973 having to get up at 3AM to get in a three-mile line for gas in hopes of getting there before work started.

I hope we never see that again.

T-Grannie

[jpak]

4. Cal's full of shit

High OPEC oil prices in the late 70's and early '80's resulted in a global recession and reduction in oil demand.

Oil prices fell rapidly from 1980 to 1986.

As a consequence, the US oil exploration "boom" of the early '80's rapidly turned into a "bust".

It had nothing to do with the windfall profits tax...

[warrens]

6. Truthiness in action

Them wingnuts just make shit up now, if it helps their case. Like oil companies will stop looking for crude...

I forget which wingnut it was, probably Pigboy, who was contending that if taxes were raised under Clinton, everybody would just stop working. They're just flat-out delusional.

[DiverDave]

5. 1972, go get in line at 3am

on the even numbered days...our last number on our plate was even.
Waiting with 2 high school buds, smoking dope...yeah, I sorta remember that.
We also used to park up the block, walk past all the cars waiting and fill a 5 gallon gascan...
Yep, the "good 'ol days"

[eleny]

7. Don't remind me!

That was an awful one.