Web Short Takes John Kline to Task for His History of Working for Oil Interests Rather Than The People of Minnesota

June 10, 2008

EAGAN, Minn. – Four-dollar gas. It’s hard to believe, but in many parts of Minnesota, it has arrived.

Who’s responsible? Among others, Rep. John Kline.

Click here to watch Steve Sarvi for Congress's new video: “4”

"While John Kline is taking care of his friends in the energy industry, Steve Sarvi is thinking about the rest of us," said Bridget Cusick, communication director for Sarvi's congressional campaign. "John Kline seems to think that the same approaches that got us into trouble with energy will solve the problems we have with energy. That just doesn't make sense. Steve Sarvi understands that we have to change the way we look at energy in order to build a secure and prosperous future."

Some background:

• John Kline Has Taken Hundreds of Thousands of Dollars from the Energy Industry and Then Voted for Their Bills. Over the course of his career, John Kline has taken more than $165,000 from the energy industry, including more than $110,000 from the oil and gas sectors alone. (http://www.opensecrets.org). During his time in Congress, he’s voted in lockstep with the Bush administration on energy policy, resulting in giveaways to the industry.
• Kline Voted Against Saving Consumers Money, Reducing Our Dependence on Foreign Oil. Kline voted saving consumers $1,000 a year at the pump by boosting the fuel efficiency of cars and trucks. Enhanced fuel economy is expected to cut demand for oil by two million barrels per day by 2030. [Vote #1177, 12/18/07; Reuters, 12/18/07; Vote #1140, 12/6/07]
• Kline Voted Against Meaningful Legislation to Bring Down Gas Prices. Kline voted against giving the Federal Trade Commission more authority to investigate and prosecute predatory pricing, price gouging and market manipulation. [Vote #517, 10/7/2005; Rep. Stupak remarks, Congressional Record, pp. H8780-1, 10/7/05] Just last month, he was the only member of Minnesota ’s congressional delegation to vote against the Gas Price Relief for Consumers Act, which declares OPEC in breach of America’s anti-trust laws. The bill passed with an overwhelming bipartisan majority, 324-84.
  

Sarvi's energy platform includes:

• Facing up to the true costs of oil. Our nation’s thirst for oil is one of the main drivers of our foreign policy. Our dependence on oil compels us to do business with repressive regimes and use our military to fight for access to oil-rich regions, stretching their capacity and damaging our moral authority in the world.
• Getting serious about fuel economy. We have the technology. Hybrid automobiles have grown wildly popular. We can bolster America ’s auto industry and create jobs – not lose them – by changing course on automobile fuel economy.
• Carefully studying alternative energy sources. Corn ethanol is but one step along this path. We need to move towards cellulosic ethanol and realize the potential of wind and solar.
  

For more, visit www.stevesarvi.org.

"When it comes to energy, we know whom John Kline is working for, and it’s not the American people," said Cusick. "John Kline is costing us – costs we can't afford."