The Pump

I was doing a little surfing on the net today and came across this story on MPR. Seems that the Republican in the Minnesota Legislature are planing to run a campaign blaming the Democrats for the increase in the gas tax. There plan is to buy advertising at locations with gas pump video monitors in an effort to show how upset Minnesotans are.

So I have to wonder:
How many Republicans will be playing to the cameras just to get themselves in these 15 second ads?

We know that the gas price did rise 2 cents on April 1st from the transportation bill go in to effect. Yet the price of gas has went up 27 cents from 3.31.08 price of $3.14 to the average price of regular gas on April 19 of $3.41. So if two cents went for our transportation system where did the other 25 cents a gallon go? You got it, right in the pockets of the Big Oil companies

That right, Exxon Mobil Corp., for one had record profits of $40 billion dollars last year. When you take Exxon Mobile profits and add in the profits of Conoco Phillips, BP America , Chevron and Shell Oil Co, there combined profits were $123 billion dollars in 2007. Yet these same oil company's with huge profit also raking in another $18 billion in government subsidies.

I have to wonder why we hear nothing from House Minority Leader Marty Seifert, R-Marshall about the huge profits of the oil companies? Is it that he is so consumed with the thought of having to pay a few cents extra at the pump for our roads and bridges that the profits of big oil has slipped his mind. or is it that price gouging of consumers is far game in his eyes.

One would think that with one bridge that has collapsed and another that is on the verge of collapse in St. Cloud along with the roads in our state being in poor shape that it was well past time that new monies be invested into our transportation system.

Rep. Seifert If you really want to complain about the high price at the pump, then maybe you should send these clips to the Oil company executive, there the ones raking in the huge profits, and gouging the consumers, or isn't that the Republican way?