GOP Congressman Doc Hastings must think hiring attorneys can bring back cheap oil

He seems to think gas prices are going up because President Obama is blocking domestic production. I have news for him. Domestic oil production needs higher gas prices. We've depleted the cheap stuff, but we still have some oil that's more expensive to extract. Think North Dakota's Bakken Shale formation. Lots of oil, but costs more to extract.

Instead, Hastings wants to point fingers at Obama. According to article I just read:

As he conducts his hearings into gasoline prices and other issues, Hastings will be aided by a new Office of Oversight and Investigations that he created earlier this month. Hastings said it will have "multiple staff" with experience as attorneys and investigators. His committee already has a communications team of six to help Hastings get his messages out.

Democrats say the GOP is simply playing politics with a hot and volatile issue.

Yes, spending more government money on lawyers for another office of oversight and investigations.

Oil is just getting more expensive. We could "drill baby drill," and as soon as Obama said domestic oil production has to be part of the mix; the Deep Water well in Gulf of Mexico exploded.

Bad luck. Poor Obama.

It's weired. In that article there's still no mention of suggestions for converting vehicles over to natural gas, rather than oil. I keep hearing folks outside the Washington, DC Beltway talking about ideas like the T Bone Pickens Plan for more use of natural gas in motorized vehicles. I wouldn't know, but folks say it could buy USA some more years of cheap fuel. Why aren't more politicians (especially Republicans, but Democrats also) jumping on that bandwagon?

I say, especially Republicans, since some of that idea's talk show supporters tend to lean somewhat Republican. I'm thinking of financial advisor Bob Brinker and also KGO talk show host Bill Wattenburg in San Francisco.

Meanwhile my lifestyle is not dependent on automobiles. I live within walking distance of work and bicycle longer distances. I still eat and use the economy some, but not driving saves a lot.

Last summer, my vacation bike travels brought me through Pasco, WA. where Hastings is from. He says his central Washington (state) district is largely rural and more effected by rising gas prices. True.

Thinking about the vitriolic atmosphere of our political climate in that other Washington (Washington, DC), I can share a story about biking through Pasco; for what it's worth.

Along the Columbia River, where Sacagawea Heritage bike trail resides, it was nice. Then when I got east of the river, it seemed like more automobile and truck sprawl where tension is in the air. That's where I remember arriving at a motel just in time to hear one end of a phone conversation where some unreasonable caller was bitching out the desk staff. I just remember hearing the desk person yell into the phone, "I am the manager and the owner." "Don't call again." I guess the person on the other end wanted the manager. I was thinking, "good for you not to put up with the flack."

After he hung up the phone and there was a pause for catching breaths (relax, relax), I booked my room. The room was nice.

I say about oil prices, relax, relax our economy will have to adjust.