Republicans As Dumb As Posts On Energy

Wow, these are just two amazing statements on the drilling debate. First, Rep. John Shimkus accidentally tells the truth at an event in the coal region of Illinois:

You know, if drilling is good, drilling and mining is better. … It’s drilling and mining and using great resources like Illinois coal. You all follow the congressional baseball game. I wore this uniform proudly. It says, ‘The Miners.’ The mining industry and coal is part of the solution.

Yes, why don't we use whale oil too? Shimkus is right, but he doesn't know how right he is. If there's any other argument for how Republicans are stuck in an unsustainable past while Democrats are actually looking toward the future of energy, this is it.

Then there's Newt Gingrich's intentionally stupid comments, where he decides to confuse Big Oil with small businessmen who own gas stations.

GINGRICH: Well, I got a very funny e-mail from a retired military officer in Tampa who pointed out that most tire inflation is done at service stations and you pay for it. And it’s actually a higher profit margin than selling gasoline. So Sen. Obama was urging you to go out and enrich Big Oil by inflating your tires instead of buying gas.

Apparently, he believes that oil companies are in the business of selling air. Why does Newt Gingrich hate small businesses so much?

Why these dishonest attacks are going unchallenged is beyond me.