Edwards Calls for Anti-Trust Investigation

Sometimes, the targets are simply too easy. There’s hardly any sport to this one:

Edwards contends with Big Oil

Democratic presidential hopeful John Edwards took on the oil companies Thursday while campaigning in Menlo Park, with the help of a San Jose teenager who says his friends can barely afford to fill up their SUVs and a Hummer.

I mean, enough is enough. When a person can’t afford to fill their Hummer – well, something has to be done. One thing may lead to another, and it may eventually get to the point that Edwards can no longer afford to heat his 28,000 square foot mansion.

He brought along Brandon Li, 18, and his mother, Wendy, to underscore how high gas prices are hurting average Americans who need short-term relief. The Lis own MCI Manufacturing, a San Jose sheet metal company.

You can’t just really say drive less because it’s not a function of our daily life.” Li said. “We need more immediate relief.”

I can’t really say “drive less?” So I am to believe that everyone is driving the amount they need to drive? That there isn’t quite a bit of driving that is purely discretional? That the fact that gasoline demand increases year after year after year is not the fault of the consumers and that relief is needed so you can keep on with your gluttonous energy usage?

No! You drive less. You drive a more fuel efficient vehicle. You start taking responsibility for the choices you have made to cause gasoline demand – even with these high prices – to continue to increase.

Edwards acknowledged that previous state and federal investigations have cleared the industry, but said Congress might need to consider stronger laws that would reduce oil industry influence in pricing at the pump.

Then I think what you are doing, Senator Edwards, is pandering. But I guess this is the kind of thing I should expect from someone who calls for America to conserve, while showing no inclination to lead by example. Will nobody step forward and walk the talk?

21 thoughts on “Edwards Calls for Anti-Trust Investigation”

  1. Maybe that kid’s family (and a lot of others) would have enough for the bare necessities (like plasma TVs) if he took the bus to school, like I did.

  2. I have a collection of letters to the president and attorney general asking from various politicians asking for price fixing investigations. The letters go all the way back to 1990. I’ve been told there have been 30 investigations.

    Didn’t you hear about all those evil oil company executives who were found guilty of anti-trust regulations and all went to prison? Oh wait, it didn’t happen.

  3. Can’t believe Edwards lets himself get drawn into the “poor” little Hummer driver thing. Guess that was his campaign. Now tell us John, who are you going to endorse?

  4. This certainly provides a good example of how left/right and green/brown aren’t all that tightly correlated in the political spectrum.

  5. This is sad–I’ve been highly impressed with Edwards on a number of grounds, and have donated to his campaign. I’m going to write him and object. I at least have confidence that he is smart enough to see reason.

  6. At the WSJ blog (you got picked up), I said “Doesn’t “calling for an investigation” seem kind of harmless? Milquetoast even?”

    I agree that Edwards could have done much much better, but this seems more lazy and middle-of-the-road than anything else.

    Even his mansion, “energy star” rated, and with “carbon offsets” is only half way there. “It still lacks solar panels” they say!

    Neither all one thing or all the other.

    Of course, that might be the political thing to do. You don’t want to get labeled an “environmentalist” in this day and age. That is still a bigger sin in national politics than being “imperfect.”

    – odograph

  7. Just curious, if you could convince Edwards to destroy himself politically, who would you back in the wake of his destruction?

    – odograph

  8. Of course, that might be the political thing to do. You don’t want to get labeled an “environmentalist” in this day and age. That is still a bigger sin in national politics than being “imperfect.”

    And there you hit on what I hate so much about politics. It is all about saying what people want to hear, instead of what they need to hear or what you want to tell them. It would take guts to point the finger at the public and say “You are a big part of the problem. But work with me and let’s fix this.”

    Seems like nobody has the kind of guts I would like to see in a politician. I haven’t seen a candidate yet that really struck me as being clued in on energy policy. Even Obama, who I think is very personable and frankly, I believe he can win it all, is all for exanding ethanol and going down the coal to liquids route.

  9. “Doesn’t “calling for an investigation” seem kind of harmless? Milquetoast even?”

    But doesn’t that just scream “I am just like everybody else. I either don’t understand the issues, or I don’t think you do so I am going to pander and score political points.”

    if you could convince Edwards to destroy himself politically

    In what way? I don’t think he would have been destroyed politically by employing a bit of common sense here. I mean, don’t make yourself such an easy target.

  10. And there you hit on what I hate so much about politics. It is all about saying what people want to hear, instead of what they need to hear or what you want to tell them.
    Ain’t that the sad reality.

    The only exception, I see right now, is Schwarzenegger. Agree or disagree, the guy looks at a problem, comes up with his solution and starts working towards implementation. Sadly, he seldom gets very far, before some interest group gets in his way.

  11. I see now that we agree more than I “felt” at first read of your piece Robert.

    But in practical terms, isn’t it the ghost of Carter? Cardigan sweaters and lowered expectations?
    Turn down the thermostat and be less happy?

    The tide would truly have turned if “conservation” was no longer considered a guarantee of Carteresque doom … but I’m not sure that it has.

    – odograph

  12. Speaking of Arnold S., did you see that he called hybirds “feminine little cars” or some such in the Newsweek green issue?

    And he reaffirmed that “we can have it all” with biodiesel/hydrogen Hummers.

    I’m not kidding in that, he said that we would not need smaller cars etc., to achieve our goals.

    That seems to speak to the Carter / Cardigan thing, doesn’t it? And not in a good way, IMNSHO.

    – odograph

  13. Speaking of Arnold S., did you see that he called hybirds “feminine little cars” or some such in the Newsweek green issue?
    Hey, the guy isn’t perfect. I think his gist is that often savings are good for business, which is quite refreshing, compared to the administration’s message of “we need to pollute, or we’ll starve!”

    BTW IYNSHO, what are hybirds?;)

    And he reaffirmed that “we can have it all” with biodiesel/hydrogen Hummers.
    Hey, guys like him can afford it. Meanwhile, back in the real world, the Hummer is going the way of the Dodo.

  14. Hybirds? You didn’t happen to read Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency did you? That eagle with RAF symbols on its wings, maybe.

    – odograph

  15. “with the help of a San Jose teenager who says his friends can barely afford to fill up their SUVs and a Hummer.”

    If a Hummer driver complains to me about the price of gas, I am going to get violent.

  16. “if you could convince Edwards to destroy himself politically, who would you back in the wake of his destruction?”

    Rudy. But I wasn’t going to back Edwards anyway. Trial lawyers should never be allowed to anything.

  17. John Edwards took on the oil companies Thursday while campaigning in Menlo Park, with the help of a San Jose teenager who says his friends can barely afford to fill up their SUVs and a Hummer.

    What those teenagers and their parents needed was a stern lecture on why they shouldn’t be driving SUVs and Hummers in the first place.

    Menlo Park? They must all be part of the “$400 dollar haircut crowd” that Edwards runs with.

    Best,

    Gary Dikkers

  18. You didn’t happen to read Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency did you?
    Ah, yes, the great Douglas Adams – what an author…

  19. For an Aggie, Rapier sometimes has some clever observations. I wonder why he did not go to UT?
    By the way, crack spreads are at all-time highs. look for gasoline markets to settle down in next two months. The higher gasoline prices should dampen crude demand, driving crude prices down.

  20. I wonder why he did not go to UT?

    I almost did. But, they wanted me to teach more classes for less money, and the cost of living was quite a bit higher in Austin. For a poor farm boy like me, that made the choice a lot easier.

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