To the Point

Gas Prices, the Energy Bill and Pork-Barrel Politics

Since President Bush first asked for an energy bill, oil prices have doubled, California suffered a massive energy crisis, the Northeast had a blackout and the US has become even more dependent on Middle East oil. This week, with oil at more than $50 a barrel, the House sent the Senate a much-amended version of the President's latest proposals, one Speaker Dennis Hastert says is all "about gas prices." President Bush concedes the measure won't change the cost of gasoline at the pump, and even some Republicans voted "no" because of pork-barrel add-ons and $8 billion in oil company subsidies. Critics also insist the bill would not reduce US dependence on foreign oil. What about conservation and alternative energy sources? We speak with supporters and critics from Congress, environmental organizations and the oil industry. Making News: Senator Frist Insists Judges Must Get Up-or-Down Vote A poll by the Washington Post says Americans oppose Republican efforts to end the filibuster of judicial nominees by a ratio of 2-to-1. Democrats are trying to make a deal, but Republican Senate leader Bill Frist of Tennessee says he'll reject any compromise. Keith Perine, who reports for Congressional Quarterly, says President Bush is unwavering in his supports of Frist's stance on the issue. Reporter's Notebook: Political Scandal in San Diego as Mayor Dick Murphy Quits San Diego, a tranquil fun-in-the-sun beach destination, is an unlikely place for political scandal, but yesterday, Mayor Dick Murphy who was just re-elected in November, suddenly quit his job, and the Deputy Mayor who's supposed to replace him is under indictment. Tony Perry, San Diego Bureau Chief of the Los Angeles Times, says a Time magazine article calling Murphy one of America's three worst mayors may have been the "straw that broke the camel's back."