Obama's Energy Plan

Barack the Obamessiah has released his [cue the big, deep, echoing announcer voice] Official Energy Plan.  It consists of two steps:
1. properly inflate the tires on your car
2. rob oil companies to fund another stimulus check

No, this is not a joke.  Take a look:

Speaking Wednesday at a Springfield, MO campaign event, Obama explained the folly of opening restricted offshore waters to oil and gas drilling: [Video]

"We could save all the oil that they're talking about getting off drilling if everybody was just inflating their tires and getting regular tune-ups. You'd actually save just as much."

Marc Sheppard comments on the idea:

Beyond the obvious question of where he pulled this clearly arbitrary equivalence from -- there's that awkward one of relevance.  Even if extensive research of expert opinion somehow supported this impetuous declaration -- just what type of argument would it make against drilling? 

In other words, even if properly inflating one's tires made a rat's patootie worth of difference to the price of gasoline, how does that negate the assistance that more drilling would make?  If we have two things that would help, why would we use only one?  Part two of his [cue the big, deep, echoing announcer voice] Official Energy Plan can be found here:

"That's why today I'm announcing a two-part emergency plan to help struggling families make ends meet and get our economy back on track. The first part of my plan is a $1,000 emergency energy rebate that could go out to families as soon as this fall. This rebate will be enough to offset the increased cost of gas for a working family over the next 4 months. [snip]

"The second part of my plan is a $50 billion stimulus to help jump-start job creation and help local communities that are struggling due to our economic downturn. Half of this stimulus will go to state governments that are facing big budget shortfalls. The other half of this stimulus will be used to invest in our national infrastructure, replenish the Highway Trust Fund, rebuild our crumbling roads and bridges, and repair our crumbling schools."

Aides later provided more detail on how this stimulus would be paid for:

"He is proposing to pay for these rebate checks with a windfall profits tax that would apply to some of the excess profits that oil companies have made -- not because of their investments, not because of their ingenuity and skill, but simply because of the high oil prices that we're facing today."

So, rather than implement tax cuts -- which have been proven to light a fire under the economy -- and rather than increase domestic energy production -- which is also proven to lower prices -- the Obamessiah's plan relies on imaginary assertions, brainless stupidity, and stealing money from private companies.

Remember my recent post about the reason why liberals make no sense sometimes?  This is another great example - he has to lie about what he wants to do (i.e. help families, and that his plan will actually provide relief) because he simply can't afford to be honest about it.  For example, while many Americans may receive the $1,000 checks, those who pay the most in taxes (i.e. the 'rich') won't receive them.  This is purely another election year stunt to buy votes from the 'poor', who don't pay any taxes but are happy to receive these stimulus checks.

He also seems to think that ripping off money from private companies won't come back around to hurt consumers.  Uh...what does he think those private companies are going to do when they get robbed by the government?  They're going to pass along the amount of the robbery in the form of higher prices, which will come squarely back to consumers.  At best, the $1,000 will be a wash with the higher prices that we'll end up paying, but it's a safe guess that it will fall short in the long run.  Another unintended consequence of liberal ideas.

Could there be any better indication that he is unprepared to lead this country?

There's my two cents.