The Chavistas in our backyard
Looks like nationalization zealot Maxine Waters has plenty of company.
Read and watch: Chilling.
It’s a short trip from railing about “obscene profits” to cheerleading Hugo Chavez-style takeovers of private industry.
***
Flashback: ““And guess what this member* would be all about? This member would be all about socializing — er, uh. [Pauses for several moments] …. would be about … [pause] … basically … taking over, and the government running all of your companies.”
***
GOP leader John Boehner’s office e-mails tonight and wonders which other Democrat leaders are on the Chavista bandwagon:
Two weeks ago, Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) shocked many observers when she admitted to oil company executives during a House committee hearing, “This liberal will be all about socializing, uh, uh . . . would be about . . . basically taking over and the government running all of your companies.”
Most of those watching that hearing simply assumed Rep. Waters’ wild threat was just another extreme idea from someone on the far-left fringe of the Democratic Party. But today, a leading energy voice for House Democrats proved that her dream of nationalizing the oil industry isn’t as far-fetched as some may believe. Rather, it just may be the House Democrats’ worst kept secret.
In front of a sea of news cameras at a press conference earlier today, when senior House Democrats discussed the ongoing energy crisis that has spun out of control on their watch, Rep. Maurice Hinchey (D-NY) dropped this bombshell as he stood next to House Democratic Caucus Chairman Rahm Emanuel (D-IL): He proposed a Washington takeover of the entire oil industry! Here’s what Rep. Hinchey said:
“Should the people of the United States own refineries? Maybe so. Frankly, I think that’s a good idea. Then we could control the amount of refined product much more capably that gets out on the market…”
“So if there’s any seriousness about what some of our Republican colleagues are saying here in the House and elsewhere about improving the number of refineries, then maybe they’d be willing to have these refineries owned publicly, owned by the people of the United States, so that the people of the United States can determine how much of the product is refined and put out on the market.”
“To me, that sounds like a very good idea.”
Rep. Hinchey is not unfamiliar with energy policy. Rather, he is a leader on the issue for House Democrats and was chosen by Democratic leaders to appear at today’s press conference because of his energy expertise. After all, he serves on the powerful Interior Appropriations Subcommittee, which controls federal spending on many energy-related matters, and the Natural Resources Committee, which has jurisdiction over energy and environmental matters.
After today’s shocking display, the American people are wondering: what other House Democratic leaders support Washington bureaucrats taking over our nation’s oil refineries?
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- What’s next, gas rationing? | The Hinge Of Fate
- All American Blogger » A Field Guide to American Politics - June 18, 2008
- House Dems Call to “Nationalize” Oil Industry : Stop The ACLU
- The Jawa Report
- PoliGazette » Democrats Propose Nationalizing Oil
- The Democrat Agenda - Government Must Own Oil Industry | Conservative247
- Democrats Call For Gov. Takeover Of Oil Companies : BigMouthFrog
- Marxism Now Rules The Democrat Party, and Soon - The Country « Sword At-The-Ready
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An affectionate saying up in Canada is that socialists, i.e. the Canadian New Democratic Party, are just “liberals in a hurry.”
That’s a fairly universal truth for those looking for “change we can believe in.”
Nationalization of US industry, the new plank in the democrap platform? Probably.
Where’s Joe McArthy when you need him? Oiks! The commies are overrunning this country!
Why not? I mean, we all know the government knows best. I mean, look at the war on poverty. Okay, maybe that’s a bad example. Social securi… nevermind. Medicarrrap, scratch the one to.
Okay, maybe those are bad examples. But, I mean, shouldn’t we give the government another chance? I mean, I know I want all the efficiency of the DMV when it comes to my gasoline.
Maurice Hinchey is an assolute moron [sic]
He hangs out with the ‘friendly’ hippies up in Woodstock. I think he suffers daily from acid flashbacks.
Holy smokes! If the rest of Obama’s advisers are as stupid, arrogant and greedy as Malia Lazu we’re in deep doo-doo.
twofoot,
The example you’re looking for is educati… oh wait. War on drugs? Umm, what was the question again?
Now hear this—Kirby Wilbur (a radio host here in Seattle) said he had a friend from Poland who back in the 70’s said the gov. owned the oil resources. They paid 1/2 what we were paying for gasoline at the time.
Here’s the catch—they were given exactly SIX gallons a month for the privilege.
You try that at home—in fact, please DON’T! That is where nationalization of the oil companies will get you. It is a lie that we’d be better off with that garbage.
The libs used to swoon when Mandela advocated “one settler, one bullet.” Maybe we ought to return the favor for the libs.
The question, I think, was, “How do we make sure and drive the cost of oil so high it will attain its own geosynchronus orbit?”
I am amazed at the folks I have talked to over the last couple of weeks that have been duped by the MSM and Democrat lie that this is all Big Oil’s fault instead of the failed energy policies of former Presidential Administrations and our complicit do nothing Congress. If you think the rapid rise of fuel prices and the associated inflation is bad now just see what some incompetent bureaucrat can do to really screw things up.
I am from the Seattle area and will be taking an economics course on Eastern Europe and Russia-and one the things the instructor has already wrote in her textbook is exactly what you’ve just said-not that I need any convincing
I may well be re-thinking my opposition to McCAin…
I wish I was shocked.
I wish I was surprised.
Remember that these are the same people that celebrated the old Soviet Union and looked up to them as the way to do things. The price of gas doesn’t affect Maxine Waters – she gets hers on our $5 a gallon and up…
Government workers hired through the government employment system running refineries.It takes several years working in one to know how they operate.They don’t teach that in schools.It is all OJT.Talk about high prices,government workers hardly can be fired so none of them would work very hard.There will be some real shortages after all the plants blow up due to (close enough for government work)attitudes.
Scary business indeed. The road to socialism is what the Dems want. I hope people are paying attention to this.
This is exactly what the democrat party is all about–-not just the energy sector but total control– over every facet of American citizens lives.
My highlights. I realize she was referring to the oil companies but in her
heart“socializing” ribcage, she is really after much, much more. After all, why would a socialist stop at one industry/market sector once they have conquered one (Chavez anyone?). They have failed with socialized medicine, so far, but the “demon oil barons” look like a ripe and easy target for the socialists in the present. Lookout capitalism (for us gun totin’, bible thumpin’ folks that is) if the Obamamessiah sleazes his way into the WH.And this is before they get into power. Keep your powder dry.
Maurice Hinchley confirms my opinion that one thing about Bush’s Republican majority: it covered up that the incumbent Democrats were not in any way ready for prime time. They were (and still are) throwbacks to a much stupider past when Communism was Cool, Unions were Everyman’s Buddies and Welfare would Solve Everything.
Although this past year or so has been difficult to see such people in power but it has been also exhilarating to see just how completely out of touch with American ideals Democrats truly are.
docflash said:
Agreed even finding a school that teaches the civil engineering aspects of the oil industry is few and far between.
That will be rich. Aunt Esther and a group of people who fuel their hoopties two gallons at a time trying to keep America’s tank full!
“Then we could control the amount of refined product much more capably that gets out on the market…”
BWAHAHAHAHAHA! Yes, just like Pelosi has managed it so far. As if the government [specifically dems] could manage anything capably. Once they had their sticky little mitts on it, the price would skyrocket to $20-30 per gallon in no time. Gawd you can just see these little corruptocrats rubbing their hands together with glee at the thought of it – no wonder they couldn’t help but blurt it out. That would be The End of the free market, the end of democracy, and the end of the United States.
I KNEW this was being considered amongst the Dims. Essentially, I see the “trust us, we’re the government, let us run things” switch from the GWOT (the current administration) to “let us run the economy” with the Dims. I weep.
The US is going to get stomped over so badly soon – economically, politically, religiously.. Savor these final days people and remember them so you can tell your grandchildren about when America stood for freedom, because these days are most definitely numbered.
I lived in what is now a socialist economy. That country was once wealthy and great, now it is fast approaching third-world status, all thanks to socialism. I’ve been down that road, and that is exactly where it looks like the US is heading, and there’s not a damn thing you or I can do about it, because there are way too many people who are willing to just sit back and take a handout now and not care about the consequences later. Just watch.
My guess is that the
DemocratsSocialistser, Communists will open up ANWR immediately after nationalizing our oil industry. And then say, “See? Private companies never were able to accomplish what we did.”I sat next to an Oil Industry Engineer on a flight from Boise to Denver back in 2002 and he explained that the oil companies had plenty of leases for oil and natural gas, but every time they tried to drill for them some freaking environmental group would take them to court gaining an injunction keeping them from using the leases granted by the Federal Government. He was so fed up with it he was quitting the industry and on his way back to Colorado to finish selling his home moving back to Idaho. He stated it was one of the few states left that you he called a working state because you could actually use the natural resources. I wonder what the nationalize “Big Oil” crowd and the Soros backed tree hugging liberal minions would have to say if somebody hit them in the face with this little fact?
Let’s compare, shall we:
“They get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren’t like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations.” ~Barack Obama
“Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world, and the soul of soulless conditions. It is the opium of the people.” ~Karl Marx
Or how about:
“And guess what this liberal would be all about. This liberal will be about socializing … uh, um. … would be about, basically, taking over, and the government running all of your companies. …” ~Maxine Waters
“We [the government] should own the refineries. Then we can control how much gets out into the market.” ~Rep. Maurice Hinchey (D-NY)
“You are horrified at our intending to do away with private property. But in your existing society, private property is already done away with for nine-tenths of the population; its existence for the few is solely due to its non-existence in the hands of those nine-tenths. You reproach us, therefore, with intending to do away with a form of property, the necessary condition for whose existence is the non-existence of any property for the immense majority of society.” ~Karl Marx, “The Communist Manifesto”
Oh yes, and:
“We know the media has become the servant of a very narrow corporate agenda… We are now in a position to move a progressive agenda to where it is visible.” ~Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH)
“Of all the arts, for us cinema is the most important.” ~Vladimir Lenin
Me? I wonder what other companies they plan to take over.
Be afraid…be very afraid, indeed.
Taking eminent domain to whole new levels huh..
“We think we can run your business better than you can, therefore we are taking it. Here’s 1% of its current value, which will actually equate to 100% of its value by the time we’ve finished with it, so stop complaining, it’s a fair price..”
In O’Reilly’s talking point tonight he said the first candidate to convince the public they have a workable energy plan will win the election. If he is right, McCain is somewhere tonight writing his inaguration speech. The Dems have no plan or ideas.
I’m not in the oil industry, but when I was an undergrad working on my BBA in accounting, I took, as an elective class for my major, an oil & gas accounting class. That class alone convinced me I didn’t want to work in that field – it is VERY complicated, and the cost associated with getting the oil out of the ground are VERY high: gaining access to mineral rights for a property, doing the exploration, doing the drilling, risking it being a dry well, transporting and refining. The industry , historically, goes through cycles of high profit and losses. It is those “obscene profits”, when they are there, that funds the O&G companies through things like that oil bust (wasn’t that back in the 80s?).
I’ve also got family working for “big oil”. One uncle started working for them up in Alaska in the 70s. He’s recently been transferred out of the country. Now, I’ve also got a cousin and her husband working for Big Oil in Alaska, too (different uncle, though). Big Oil aren’t evil monoliths. And, let’s also not forget how many retirement investment plans are invested in oil stocks. So, those “obscene profits” are benefitting all kinds of people as their retirement funds increase in value…
A little prematurely, if he keeps bashing the oil industry, even if he is giving lip service to offshore drilling.
If it weren’t for all those evil corporations, CALPERS would be broke.
One thing for sure. After the govt. takes over the oil industry those huge profits will be replaced by huge losses, requiring massive subsidies from an ever smaller private sector to remain afloat.
Well I wonder if people are laughing at theose of us who have “A RIFFLE, A SHOTGUN and A FOURWHEEL DRIVE” not to metion the ABILITY TO HUNT AMINALS TO EAT AND STORE “FOOD STORAGE, SOME FUEL STORED and EVEN EXTRA ROLLED WHIPING PAPER” OH YEA ALSO DEBT FREEE. Not keeping up with the JONES and the lates and greatest whatever also helps!
Miss Ladybug,
I was going to suggest that you try explaining that to a liberal but every time it has been tried in the past by any person the result has been “You probably are a Republican!” followed by a BDS rant and references to Michael Moore documentaries to back him up. (Sometime they spit at the end so be careful if you try.)
Yeah, I know what you mean. A friend of mine suggested I blog about it, but like I said, I’m not an expert, and that class was over 15 years ago, so I don’t remember enough detail for a debate. I should email my uncle and ask him about the impact of the North Slope and the Alaska Pipeline on the wildlife up there. He worked at Prudhoe Bay and would share photos of the polar bears and stuff that were in the area… If I recall correctly, the caribou are thriving around the pipeline because of the heat it puts out…
Miss Ladybug # 11 –good post
I have spent 55 years in the oil business, working for Big Oil, Little Oil and myself.. I am glad to see there are “civilians” out there who understand the economics and complexity of the oil patch
Whoops, sorry Miss Ladybug #31, wrong number in my haste to praise you.
I’d never laugh at a man with a riffle. He might take a shott att mee.
Thanks, lonewolf
Driving after work this afternoon, I was sort of yelling at the radio. The topic was the price of gas. The host wanted to allow drilling, but with the caveat that the government would have control over what the extracted oil could sell for. Since this guy is supposedly a conservative, I couldn’t believe my ears. So much of the free market…
Anyhow, the restrictions on drilling in the OCS came up, and I was like “the Chinese are going to be drilling of the coast of Florida, in cooperation with Cuba. Who do you trust more to take care with drilling? The Chinese (anyone remember all those recent safety recalls of Chinese-made products last fall???) and the Cubans, or American oil companies? I know who I trust…
One reason Democrats (Obama) don’t want to drill anywhere. By keeping the price up, they think Americans will be annoyed to the point that they will allow the nationalization of the oil companies. (Dodd will run VIP Oil.)
Seriously, they do want to nationalize private enterprise in this country and they are closer than you would think possible.
I know Marx wanted the workers to rise up and take over the companies, but Obama basically wants consumers to rise up and take over the companies. I guess you could argue that’s not strictly Marxist, but I’d like one of Obama’s worshipers to explain how there’s a substantive difference, and why this would be any better. PS – please include one paragraph explaining how your business would be better if run by the government rather than by you.
OHHHH-the slippery slide to SOCIALISM!!
Socialism has NEVER worked ANYWHERE!!
Let’s see>>> the LOTE Party was in power in the mid 90’s–there was change —Right? NOOOOO–there was more spending on PORK than ever before!!!!
We’re in a MESS my friends>>>what are we going to do about it?
Google Malia Lazu and you’ll quickly see all she’s about. A few hyperlinks in, and it’s obvious she’s made a career of sitting on boards of far left wing organizations along with guys like Harry Belafonte, many with a racist tint while claiming diversity. She’s a Director or Member of a ton of em. I don’t know how she finds the time! She also wrote a book called “How to Get Stupid White Men Out of Office”, was MTV’s “activist of the month”, and a contestant on Showtime’s reality t.v. show “American Candidate”. Her bio’s refer to her work in electing “persons of color (African American only from what I could see so far) and Progressives (Socialists).
Malia Lazu strikes me as a Socialist racist, who believes she can hide this fact through playing a victim. History makes me quite uncomfortable with Socialist racists, especially ones who want to socialize industry. Anyone else?
The current American Left is for socializing Education (it almost already is, yet they still fight charter schools except when they’re Muslim, Christian schools and home schooling), Health Care, the Media (”fairness Doctrine”), and now the oil companies. I’ve heard calls for the socialization of insurance companies. Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac/HUD is a part socialization of the mortgage industry/real estate. Malia says the government should run all industries that are important to the public’s safety and well being. Wouldn’t that include food production and distribution? Bye bye American farmers, grocers, truckers, etc. Wouldn’t that include manufacturing. Wouldn’t that include banking? The internet and all other forms of media? At what point are the only privately held companies the corner lemonaide stands?
Bloody Hell.
Ah, the squeals of the morally indignant as the philosophical and moral decay of our country’s federal government’s “leaders” becomes apparent; a sound all those good little Stalin wannabees like dear old Hussein Obamesiah love to hear.
Nothing out of the ordinary here, nothing to see, move along now. Don’t ya know, we’ve always been at war with Oceana.
Uh, nationalizing an industry is quite unconstitutional. I know…I know…what’s a constitution? Oh, that’s that piece of paper in the National Archives, congress, that has been whittled down to 2 paragraphs; first and second “amendments”. It used to be called the “supreme law of the land”. Now, it’s just a filler in an oath of office. But, anyway, I’m retiring soon to my rocking chair on the front porch, waiting for my socialized medicine to tell me I’m too old to be taken care of, like a young person, so hurry up and die. Being on the front porch allows me to greet all the government inspectors coming in, to check that I have the right lightbulbs, water conservation devices, proper food in the freezer, and nothing “objectable” on my computer, not to mention the proper car. Ah, for the days my parents were young….
In 1952 Truman tried this with the steel industry and got slapped down by the SCOTUS. With the set of Supremes we have now, and a Democratic Congress enabling him, a President Obama just may ram looney socialism down our throats before the country knows what hit it.
Those qualities make her a great fit with the D’ohbama organization.
Excellent, but frightening, observations. Why are elected officials so convinced of their intelligence? Haven’t they looked at the people who elect them?
In total, i would be willing to trade owning part of the oil industry, to not be taxed out the wazoo like I am already.
The private sector is able to work these things out on its own, if the market is allowed to work, without government restrictions and regulation. You see how the government runs everything else, do you REALLY think they’re going to do anything other than run this industry into the ground?
I believe however, that between drilling for more sources (which would quickly help lower the price, and also stifle its march upward to a degree), that we need to look at other processes and energy sources. We have technologies for new sources of power, as well as nuclear energy…we need to be more efficient and independant as a nation in these respects.
It’s always the dumb ones who give the plan away.
Drill here, drill now, pay less — Change you can believe in.
Nationalization……..The libs have certainly shown their hand early.
I always thought that is where Code Pink’s support comes from Chevez think about it they love to have photo ops with Chavez, why maybe he is a contributor – doner? We know he is a subscriber of Code Pink.
I am concerned about how more Democrats are coming out in the open and advocating socialism or European-style welfare statism, and I am afraid the “average” voter isn’t paying attention — they just love them some Obama. This whole energy discussion which shows no understanding of the role of the market in determining price really scares me.
I agree. Most of the populace seems to be in some stupor, as if not paying attention or listening to 10 second sound bites on the radio and tv are going to show everything.
I was always taught “While you sleep, your enemy trains.”
Looks like there’s alot of people sleeping these days.
The democRATs caused the problem, and now they tell us that they want to fix it.
I remember that just last week it was reported that Congresses resturant was going to be privatized because, as a Government run resturant, it was going broke.
But, Maxine Waters honestly thinks that the Government can run the oil industry?
Coming late to the party, but after just reading the statements made, one thing stuck in my mind….
I’ve heard and uttered the phrase ‘people of the United States’, or some variation of it, many times in my life…
This was the first time, reading this politician’s words, that the phrase “People of the United States” ( given the context of his words ), struck a similarity in my mind with “People of the Soviet Union”…
Perhaps my subconscious is more acutely aware of the dangers than I give it credit for…..
It is scary how many voters are oblivious to what is going on around us. Large segments of the electorate just don’t care, think politics is boring, and believe things like “there is no difference between the parties” and “things will never change, the system is rigged” and cannot imagine that what happens in Washington does affect their lives. On the other hand just try to take away their MTV or American Idol. That would get them upset!
This might be a good idea. Everytime they want more money from us we can tell them to go drill themselves!
The socialized train system, Amtrak, operates at a lose every year, so people who never use it are taxed to subsidise it. This is what we get when we elect communists to congress.
Will someone please show me which program that the government is running so well that they feel it’s possible to relpicate it else where? (chirps) Anyone besides the crickets?
It would be one thing if the govt’ could at least point to a well run program as an example of their ability to do things, but no such thing exists. Yet somehow, where supposed to beleive that they’ll get this one right?
fool me once, shame on — shame on you. Fool me….. you can’t get fooled again
I am in awe at the audacity of these people to create a People’s State where they can pick and choose where the government can nationalize an industry “for the good of the people”. (and Michelle’s children, of course)
I would like to think the American People would recognize and reject this. If not, I will be expecting the Republicans to challenge them. If not, I will take it upon myself.
What a great idea. We’ll get long lines and rationing at the gas station, any of us with 401ks or other retirement plans invested in “Big Oil” will watch our nest eggs go up in smoke, and the American economy will collapse.
This August, be sure to tune to FOX for the winning sitcom,
{teaser line} Oooohhh, what a big rig you have there!
This little diddy gets me!
“Should the people of the United States own refineries? Maybe so. Frankly, I think that’s a good idea. Then we could control the amount of refined product much more capably that gets out on the market…”
“Should the people” code for us politicians lining our pockets
Then says “Then we could control” should that stay consistent with “The People” from the first line?
No actually the second line was really the correct answer “we” code for politicians lining their pockets!
Folks, it’s time to STOP electing incumbents (ALL incumbents). It’s also time for term limits, which, if you notice, NO current member of Congress is for – so, what does that tell you?
I refuse to vote for ANY incumbent and am working in my local area for term limits on the ballot!! Nationalizing the oil industry is just another nail in our coffin if we don’t say and do something.
Lazy lazy lazy MSM! They can’t even record a congress-critters words right!
See correction below(bolded text):
– martin.musculus