An emerging issue in the Presidential Race is the debate about how to reduce our reliance on foreign oil and hence reduce the price of gas at the pump. McCain and the Republican party have been gaining traction with the theme, "Drill here, drill now." And for the most part, Americans tend to agree. Sensing popular support, the Right has been milking the issue, calling that Congress be reinstated to help Americans with the price of oil and other purely political moves designed to press the issue rather than solve it.
But what I want to know is this: When the Republicans had the White House, the Senate, and the House from 2000 to 2006, where was this revelation of drilling? I'm not an economics major, but it seems pretty simple to me: supply and demand. George Bush and his big oil friends at Halliburton kept supply low so the price went up. It seems obnoxious to me that the Republicans are pushing this issue like they haven't been driving the car for the past eight years. Mitt Romney proclaimed at the Republican National Convention, "Throw the Liberals Out!" What did he just say? In the bigger picture, this one issue reveals the problem with our two-party system: Parties would rather score political points on issues than solve them.
Both candidates claim they will bring change, but whoever wins, I'm worried they won't be able to govern the country.
Daniel Colosimo interned and campaigned with the Democratic Party this summer.
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