Energy Crisis: John Kline’s Politically Expedient Amnesia

You have to give John Kline some credit.

That he would take the time to pen an op-ed about sky-high energy prices after spending his congressional career in the pocket of ExxonMobil requires guts—or at least blind faith that readers of the Star Tribune are willing to suspend disbelief.

Unfortunately, however, he still misses the point—even with nearly a year and a half’s worth of hindsight. Case in point, Kline writes:

Just 16 months ago, Nancy Pelosi accepted the gavel from John Boehner at a historic moment in our nation. She and the new majority in the U.S. House of Representatives were ushered into leadership bolstered by a repeated promise for change that included a "common-sense plan" to lower gas prices.

At the time, Speaker Pelosi and the new leadership had within their grasp an opportunity to bring members from both sides of the aisle together so Congress could pass meaningful, bipartisan legislation on behalf of all Americans.

Kline is, of course, absolutely right. We certainly need a “common-sense plan” and “meaningful, bipartisan legislation.”

And Speaker Pelosi delivered it on Jan. 18, 2007, when House Democrats and Republicans came together to pass legislation to end subsidies for big oil so we could invest the savings into American-made renewable energy. Kline should remember. He was there and voted no. (And his Republican colleagues in the Senate totally killed this measure last December when the House version of the energy bill was watered down beyond recognition.)

Instead of common-sense, Kline offered us in January 2007 tired rhetoric and half-measures. America was on the brink of a serious energy crisis and he had a chance to lead. Instead he took a pass and now wants to re-write history.

With gas prices in the northern reaches of Kline’s district (where I live) hovering around $3.60 a gallon, our planet warming and our country being eaten alive by lethal, oil-fueled alliances in the Middle East, it’s time for real leadership.

If Kline’s more interested in writing fiction for the Star Tribune editorial page, let’s replace him with someone ready to work. (Steve Sarvi, you’re on.)