HARRISBURG — Republican Party of Pennsylvania Chairman Rob Gleason released the following statement in reaction to President Obama’s address tonight:
“Like Rahm Emanuel infamously said, ‘You never let a serious crisis go to waste,’ and the President’s call for a new energy tax proves that the administration is not,” Gleason said. “Six rounds of golf, two concerts, and 58 days passed while over 100 million gallons of oil leaked into the Gulf before President Obama even met with executives from BP, so it seems a bit disingenuous for him to talk about how attentive he has been to this disaster.
“The President’s failure to lead during this crisis is epic, and that has not stopped him from using this disaster to push forward more of his unpopular big-government agenda. The government’s number one priority needs to be stopping this leak, cleaning up the damage, finding out what went wrong and making sure nothing like this ever happens again.
“Additionally, our country needs to employ an “all of the above” energy plan that allows us to use our abundant sources of renewable and alternative energy, nuclear power and natural gas in addition to our traditional fossil fuels. Our country’s goal should always be energy independence and the only way to do that is to increase our supply of all sources of energy, including safe offshore drilling with effective oversight and regulation.
“The American people will not allow the President to use the crisis in the Gulf as an opportunity to push more big-government solutions, which include a major energy tax that will only result in more lost jobs. In Pennsylvania, Democrats can’t wait to impose a tax on natural gas extraction before our state ever reaps the benefit of the Marcellus shale. It is time for Pennsylvania’s Democratic Congressional Delegation to come clean, will they support the cap-and-trade energy tax that the President has proposed or will they stand up for working Pennsylvanians who can’t afford more big-government solutions and higher taxes?”
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