COLUMN -- DFL colors the truth on gas prices

Monday, 5 June, 2006

I guess it’s not just a stereotype. The DFL really does think Minnesotans are children. To remind us all that gas prices are higher this year and explain the reason why, the Democrats published a special coloring book titled “How I spent My Memorial Day Weekend.”

Forget about the increased worldwide demand for oil. Forget about the mismatch between oil production and refining capacity and the impact of “boutique fuel blends” required to meet environmental requirements. Let’s not get into distribution problems caused by ethanol mandates that knock demand out of whack with supply. And certainly, let’s not talk about the impact of tariffs on foreign ethanol that keep “Small Agriculture” profits high at the expense of consumers at the pump.

Nope, says the DFL. Let’s publish a coloring book that blames the whole mess on Republican Congressman (and now officially the Republican U.S. Senate nominee) Mark Kennedy. That’s a much simpler message and so much easier for kids to understand.

It’s also BS.

A liar has to know what the truth is in order to deceive his audience. The DFL on the other hand, has no need to know what the truth is. Truth is irrelevant. Their intent is simply to mix facts, half-truths and lies and create the impression that high gas prices are entirely the fault of Congressman Kennedy and Republicans. It’s BS.

Unapologetic BS --

“It’s not surprising that Mark Kennedy has been on a permanent vacation when it comes to the soaring price of gas in Minnesota. For all of his tough talk, he just doesn’t have the spine to take on the big oil companies that fuel his campaigns,” Minnesota DFL Chair Brian Melendez said. “Thousands of Minnesotans will be hit by sky-high prices at the pump this Memorial Day weekend because Mark Kennedy ignored their needs, choosing to protect Big Oil’s bottom line instead. Perhaps this coloring book can shed some light on his misplaced priorities.”

But speaking of priorities, it’s enlightening how the DFL coloring book drops all pretense of adhering to DFL priorities in order to spread a little political manure. “My Memorial Day Vacation,” slaughters many liberal sacred cows.

Take the cover which shows a mom, a dad, and a son tooling along in the family auto beneath a smiling sun. Why is the sun smiling as this family hums along spewing exhaust fumes into the air destroying the ozone layer? Shouldn’t the sun be happy that high fuel prices will keep people from driving, which means a cleaner environment?

None of the family is wearing seat belts. The little boy is obviously standing up in the back seat.

And what about that family? A mom, a dad and a son. Isn’t that picture offensive to single-parent households, same-sex households and little girls everywhere. What does the DFL think? Little girls should just play with dolls and leave the comics of congressional corruption and oil policy to their brothers?

There’s a page of the book that pictures Mom so sad because gas costs so much. If I run my Chevy Cavalier down to the fumes, I can maybe squeeze a little over 12 gallons into the tank. Mom in the picture has just pumped 18.5 gallons, which means she’s driving a pretty good-sized vehicle. Shouldn’t a good Democrat be looking to downsize to a more fuel efficient vehicle?

And why is this good Democrat mom’s first thought about herself? Shouldn’t she be thinking about the poor that must choose between food and medicine and now fuel before she chooses between the Black Hills and Wisconsin Dells?

But my favorite page of the DFL coloring book shows the Democrat family standing in the yard of their single-family detached home -- nary another home in sight. This family is contributing to urban sprawl! Maybe high gas prices will force them to move into a sustainable urban environment of vibrant mixed-use development.

And finally there is the title of the book itself -- “My Memorial Day Vacation.” But it’s not about a vacation at all. It’s about spreading manure about Republicans and Mark Kennedy. Promising one thing but delivering another. It’s typical Democrat. It’s BS.