Let me start out by saying that this isn’t going to go over very well at all, but that never stopped me before. I have decided that it is indeed time to sue the US Congress over the high price of energy, and the bill they tried to pass earlier this year has opened them up to the suit. The following is the opening section of the act.

The Sherman Act (15 U.S.C. 1 et seq.) is amended by adding after section 7 the following:

`Sec. 7A. (a) It shall be illegal and a violation of this Act for any foreign state, or any instrumentality or agent of any foreign state, to act collectively or in combination with any other foreign state, any instrumentality or agent of any other foreign state, or any other person, whether by cartel or any other association or form of cooperation or joint action–

`(1) to limit the production or distribution of oil, natural gas, or any other petroleum product;

`(2) to set or maintain the price of oil, natural gas, or any petroleum product; or

`(3) to otherwise take any action in restraint of trade for oil, natural gas, or any petroleum product;

“to limit the production or distribution of oil, natural gas, or any petroleum product.” I would say that that is a very interesting choice of words coming from a Congress that limits the production or distribution of oil, natural gas, or any petroleum product.

Now, it seems that if anyone were to be able to sue the government, it would be the oil companies who are being restricted. However, I discovered something recently. I discovered that I am the one paying 50 bucks a week to fill up my 4 cylinder Saturn. I also got an interesting email from Florida Power and Light.

We never like having to increase the price customers pay for electricity, and it’s especially painful during difficult economic times. However, the increase in fuel prices that we have been experiencing is extraordinary.
An adjustment in the pass-through fuel charge, approved by the Florida Public Service Commission on July 1, will increase your bills. You will see an initial portion of the fuel adjustment on your bills for meter readings beginning August through December 2008 (which means beginning with the meter reading for your July energy usage). A 1,000 kilowatt-hour monthly residential bill will go from $102.63 to $110.77, which is an increase of $8.14 – or about 8 percent. Then, in 2009, a 1,000 kilowatt-hour residential bill would increase to approximately $122 – or about 10 percent. The projection for 2009 may vary depending on factors such as the volatility of world fuel markets, hurricane events and other bill impacts.

It seems that I am the one being screwed by the high oil prices, therefore I should be the one to sue those I hold responsible.

Here is the good part. Congress has in fact opened themselves up to this law suit by the very fact that they tried to sue OPEC. They tried to sue claiming that OPEC is intentionally keeping oil prices high by limiting production, when in fact Congress is limiting oil production here in the US. Here are some good numbers I ran across at a blog called IP Thoughts.

The first reason that Congress is to blame for high gasoline prices in that Congress has repeatedly fought oil industry attempts to produce and refine more oil domestically. In 1970 the U.S. produced 9.4 million barrels per day. (This is the last year that the U.S. was essentially oil self-sufficient). By 2007, that number had dropped to 5.1 million barrels to day (a fifty year low). Thus, while our consumption of oil has increased significally, our dommestic production has almost been cut in half. Currently, the U.S. produces only 25% of its consumption.

We have increased our demand while cutting our own production. So Congress wants to fix this by suing OPEC for not increasing its production? If the US Congress can try to sue OPEC for limiting production, then I say that we the people can sue the US Congress for limiting production. They have opened the door, I think we should walk in.

So what I’m looking for now is support from anyone else who has been affected by high oil prices. Yes, I’m being a little sarcastic here because I know that if you are alive, you are being affected. I am also looking for legal assistance in getting this done. If anyone knows how to set up a real online petition that tracks properly, please let me know. Leave any suggestions in the comments. Forward this post to anyone who is paying more than 3 bucks a gallon.

I know that there are petitions out there now to tell Congress to allow drilling. I also know that Congress isn’t paying attention. So it’s time to use their own words against them and take them to court.

I’m adding a clarification. My idea is to sue for Congress to lift the ban against drilling in US territory, not to sue for a cash settlement.

Adding an update. Wanted to quote another article on the issue.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told CNN that she would block any vote to allow offshore drilling. This remarkable stance comes in the face of the latest poll that says 73 percent of Americans favor offshore drilling, while only 27 percent oppose it. Nancy Pelosi again displays her contempt for her employer, the American people. Her arrogance and wrong-headed philosophy have led Congress to an approval rating of a staggering 14 percent, the lowest ever.

Another update, take a look by clicking here at John McCain’s ad about energy independence and more info on his plans by clicking here.

I’m updating again July 28 to add some information from additional websites that are of interest.

From Counterterrorismblog The Strategic Vulnerabilities of Oil Dependence
By Daveed Gartenstein-Ross

In late May, I produced a policy briefing at FDD’s web site analyzing the high cost of our dependence on oil — including the significant disadvantage it poses in the global war on terror, the economic consequences of oil dependence, and the connection between high oil prices and the worldwide food-price crisis. Today I have a new briefing at FDD’s web site examining in greater detail the strategic vulnerability that our oil dependence poses in the fight against terrorism.

This article goes on to explain how our dependence on foreign oil is a threat to our national security. If this is true, then how is it Constitutional for Congress to prevent us from becoming independent? Can we in fact sue Congress over laws that put our lives at risk? I believe in 2000 the Supreme Court overturned a partial birth abortion ban on the grounds that it did not have an exception to protect the health of the woman. You don’t have to agree with the decision to see that there is a precedent set here to overturn laws that put lives in danger. The USSC said that the woman’s life needed to be protected. Well, the lives of every person in the US need to be protected from hostile countries that are profiting from high oil prices.

Over at HotAir, there is an article discussing the drop in the price in oil and how it is tied to Bush rescinding oil restrictions. Powerline also discusses the issue in the article “Will Deciding to Drill Lower Oil Prices?” which is worth checking out. Also, according to Stop the ACLU, our elected Republicans are making oil a priority. Check out that story here.