Rep. Joe Donnelly talks oil with WNDU Save Email Print
Posted: 5:57 PM May 31, 2008
 Last Updated: 7:17 PM May 31, 2008
24 comments
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Indiana democratic Congressman Joe Donnelly visited 16 Saturday Morning to talk about the soaring price of gas.

Donnelly and other congressional leaders have been trying to get the country to stop buying oil to fill the strategic oil reserve.

"What I’m trying to do is get the rest of Congress to put about another 100 million barrels back on the market, which will increase the supply. Demand is going down, and we think that can help lower prices also," says Rep. Donnelly, (D) Indiana’s 2nd District

Donnelly added a big reason the prices are rising is because of speculators.

If they could be cut out of the market, he says prices would fall.
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Posted by: William on Jun 2, 2008 at 10:54 PM
Joe - Joe - its time for you to go. Indiana has: little oil but lots of corn to boil (ethanol); land a plenty for switchgras diesel ; acres of wind to blow across the blades of a turbine generating unit. Joe instead of kissing up to the liberals in the house you should have studied up on your district. Joe Joe it is time for you to go!
Posted by: nuts on Jun 2, 2008 at 07:34 PM
well you all need help the gov will do nothing for you. they keep the money for them selfs. what we need to do is pull together and put the gov out on the side walk and start all over. this is the land that are four fathers buld for us. and now look at the way it is the gov has there hand in evey thing we do..all evey one does is grip about the problom and yet you all don't do any thing about it.
Posted by: Willie on Jun 2, 2008 at 03:18 PM
JAMES - Answer: None.
Posted by: BD on Jun 2, 2008 at 01:51 PM
Anyone with common sense realizes that not filling the Strategic Reserve will do nothing to the Price of Oil-Joe is an idiot. We also will need to realize our NEEDS between our WANTS. Just yesterday I had a friend who said it's not fair what the oil companies are doing to us - I WANT to buy a F-250 Crew Cab so my dog has a place to ride upfront. Now this guy towes nothing but WANTS a huge truck that basically just wastes gas. The sad thing is this is all to common now, we're going to have to realize we'll need to change what and how we drive if we ever want to see reasonable oil/food prices again. We need balance & government iniatives for high-speed trains (problably won't happpen cuz they'll lose gas tax money), electric vehicles, recycling, home-solar power, geo-thermal power, natural-gas vehicles, and more nuclear power and sensible ways to store the radio active waste. We're going to have to change how we consume energy as we're a very wasteful society - it will have to happen
Posted by: JAMES on Jun 2, 2008 at 12:45 PM
HOW MUCH GAS IS WASTED IN IRAQ?
Posted by: Bob on Jun 2, 2008 at 12:08 PM
Joe is just a puppet, and one with very dumb ideas. He is a one-timer for sure....
Posted by: CRAIG on Jun 2, 2008 at 11:59 AM
From what I read here I believe some people are in la-la land. First of all, if its a shortage of refineries or oil than why do we never run out? Answer- because its not a shortage. Second do you people really beleive if we started drilling on gov. land (tax payer)where ever it is that we are going to see gas 1 dime cheaper? Ya right......how bout larger oil co. profits instead. How come nobody talks about breaking up the oil company monopolies like they did Ma Bell. Good luck with your dreams.
Posted by: Hoss on Jun 2, 2008 at 11:16 AM
Just remember one thing Joe.....Hillary got the popular vote in Indiana, you are superdelegating for Obama...election day is coming.
Posted by: Skippy Nudelman on Jun 2, 2008 at 09:12 AM
Got it wrong Todd, as usual the biggest problem is our government that have taxed and regulated the oil companies and the American people into a corner. Starting with Jimmy Carter in the seventies all but eliminating Nuclear power. We cannot drill in the Gulf or Anwar or any other oil rich area's in our control. No new refineries since 1978. We now import 13% of our gasoline. We have eliminated 40% of our domestic oil production. You cannot eliminate the free market or the 8% profit the oil companies make. You can seriously impact it by simply committing to a sane energy policy that includes maintenance and new refining capacity along with drilling in the Gulf and Anwar. I have spoken.
Posted by: Todd on Jun 2, 2008 at 08:10 AM
You cannot pass a lay forcing the oil companies to sell at a fixed price. That is called communism. As I said earlier...oil companies are only part of the problem. The main problem is us and our huge consumption, the second largest problems is the investors who buy up the market. The third would be the oil companies.
Posted by: Willie on Jun 2, 2008 at 07:31 AM
Wow, Bob. Well said.
Posted by: steve on Jun 2, 2008 at 04:14 AM
Maybe what the oil companies need is more competition and that is investing in other sources and not giving them the tax breaks after making record profits as it it.But we all know who is running the country and that will never happen, so pucker up America.
Posted by: William on Jun 1, 2008 at 09:50 PM
This gentlemen has dropped the ball for the district. Buying oil for the strategic reserve is but a drop in the bucket. There is no real shortage at the moment. Check the Gulf Coast and East Coast wholesale oil/gas markets and see for yourself. Should he maybe stick to the law and printing? Perhaps he spends to much time with the Obama people? He is a big disappointment and I donated to his campaigned, made calls for him & voted for him twice. What a waste.
Posted by: Todd on Jun 1, 2008 at 03:02 PM
This plan is only another one of Joe's temporary fixes. It will not work as we already use millions of barrels of oil a day. The target they need to be shooting at is the commodity buyers who are playing a little game in order to make money. They are the ones who drive up prices artificially with supply and demand.
Posted by: Bob on Jun 1, 2008 at 11:12 AM
Hey Anonymous at 8:29. Your suggestion is that Donnelly pass a law "making" the oil companies sell the gas for the same price they paid to buy the oil. That's brilliant -- in Candyland. Presumably, you're an adult, yet this suggestion is wrong on so many levels. First, do you really think that the "government" can make a company sell something for no profit? Ever hear of the little document called the Constitution? You're probably the type that counts on the "government" to house you, and feed you and your family, and provide free health care, while you bounce around in new sneakers. Second, Einstein, what incentive would a private company have to engage in business, and invest in future development, if know-nothings like you are exhorting the "government" to take away every potential for profit. You need to pull the "government" pacifier out of your mouth and fend for yourself. And don't post if you can't think for yourself.
Posted by: steve on Jun 1, 2008 at 10:53 AM
who cares if we kill a seal or polor bear i want cheep gas
Posted by: Chad on Jun 1, 2008 at 08:58 AM
Either way you cant just throw more barrels in the Mix as the Congressman would suggest. we need more refinery's otherwise you will pay for the overtime spent and the delay if old equipment breaks among other challenges to get it to the pump! More Refinery's equates to more fuel, more jobs, more money in peoples pockets to spend. Supply and Demand should be studied by Democrats They might then understand how our capitalistic society works.
Posted by: Todd on Jun 1, 2008 at 08:34 AM
Thats all Joe is. Talk. He gets very little of his own ideas actually done and likes to jump on the band wagon of others.
Posted by: Anonymous on Jun 1, 2008 at 08:28 AM
Mr Donnelly, why not pass a law making the Oil company sell the gasoline at the price they paid for the oil. Not what it is selling for now. I have heard that the oil that they are processing now was bought a year ago.
Posted by: Hey wake up on Jun 1, 2008 at 08:01 AM
Right on wake up! The latest reports from oil and gas geologists have proven you are right! 1,000 years of oil in Alaska for the USA? Let's go get it, refine it here in the US and the price of oil will plummet in the USA. Don't hug tree huggers either... They have woodpeckers! LOL!
Posted by: Tom on Jun 1, 2008 at 02:17 AM
Awake is correct. We have to address the addiction, not the supply. Drilling inside the US will not decrease the price as long as speculators are trading on unregulated markets and only having to put up 1/16 of the money for the futures they "buy"
Posted by: Tator on Jun 1, 2008 at 12:34 AM
They are robbing the American people! They are stealing us blind!
Posted by: Awake in '05 on May 31, 2008 at 08:56 PM
Hey Awake, we settled this already. Back in '05. Republicans wanted to drill in ANWAR then, too. Most experts say that, at our current rate of consumption, ANWAR would probably only give us about six months worth of oil. More oil drilling is not the answer. Renewable energy, higher fuel efficiency standards and alternative fuels are. Have you hugged a tree hugger lately?
Posted by: wake Up! on May 31, 2008 at 07:57 PM
Hey Joe...DRILL IN ANWAR! There is more oil there than there is in Saudi Arabia! How about let's put Americans to work and bring prices down at the same time! Tell the chicken little tree huggers to pound sand!
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