Sam Farr's blog
Congressman Sam Farr on Gas Prices
Posted June 19th, 2008 by Sam FarrAfter months of breathless debate about the Democratic primary, the spotlight is now on gas prices. During a telephone town hall last week, the price of gas was one of the top issues. So I’d like to share the three-prong plan I’m pursuing in Congress.
First, immediate action. Nothing should be taken off the table, and we should be considering emergency measures including price caps and a price freeze.
Second, address the inflated oil company profits. A bill introduced by Dennis Kucinish, the Gas Price Spike Act, would impose a windfall profit tax on oil companies, offer tax credits for fuel-efficient vehicles and authorize grants for mass transit systems. These are the types of solutions that will see results.
Finally, a long-term plan. Congress is already using its power to debate and pass laws to address the root causes of gas price instability. We forced the president to temporarily suspend sending more oil to the Strategic Petroleum Reserve and there are more bills in the pipeline.
The GOP response? More drilling!
I have two responses. First, the Republican dream of drilling in ANWR will save us exactly one penny per gallon, and we won't see those savings for 20 years. Doesn't sound so practical to me. Second, drilling has already increased by about 66 percent since 2000, and much of the 68 million acres of federal land opened for drilling isn’t being tapped.
One thing is certain: American consumers can’t continue paying more and more for gas while oil companies keep racking up record profits.
Sam Farr: The best day of the year for democracy
Posted October 22nd, 2007 by Sam FarrOur calendar is chock full of symbolic days representing people and ideas important to us, from veterans and Martin Luther King to presidents and Christopher Columbus. But if I had to pick one day that best symbolizes our country, it would be Election Day.
Sure, I've been in politics for more than three decades, so that Tuesday is pretty crucial to my continued employment! But it also serves to remind all politicians why they were elected.
The Democrats have some great candidates in Monterey County this year with great ideas for our schools, utilities and safety services. And you'll not only be electing them for these crucial positions, you'll also be helping select the leaders of the Monterey Democrats--our future mayors, supervisors and state representatives.
Sam Farr's blog: It isn't "Congress" that's keeping the war going
Posted September 25th, 2007 by Sam FarrIf there's one group that gets jabbed more than politicians, it's the
press. And while I sometimes disagree with criticisms of the media,
there's one habit that always rubs me the wrong way: writing about
Congress as a cohesive group.
A typical headline might look something like this: "Congress blocks
action on Iraq." But take a stab at accuracy and you'd actually have
something a bit more like this: "Republicans foil Congressional action."
Since the Democrats took power in January, we have done everything
voters asked for and more. When bills come to the floor of the House and
A Blatant Attempt to Steal an Election
Posted September 11th, 2007 by Sam FarrMost of you have no doubt heard about the GOP-backed initiative cleverly called the “Presidential Election Reform Act.” It will likely be on the ballot next year with the goal of splitting California’s presidential electoral votes.
Sounds fair, right? Maybe on the surface. But it doesn’t take much digging to find the true intent of this initiative: it’s a bold attempt by the Republican party to hold onto the White House through sleight-of-hand.
