Published: August 13, 2008 10:07 am         

LOTS OF ENERGY

One topic dominates during Lucas’ town hall meeting

Energy was the most popular topic Tuesday when Stillwater residents had a chance to meet their congressional representative.

Republican U.S. Rep. Frank Lucas, who represents Oklahoma’s Third District in the House of Representatives, spent an hour talking to his constituents at the Stillwater Community Center.

Lucas opened by explaining Congress’ schedules and what he believes are the priorities of Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., which include an appropriations bill and a comprehensive energy bill.

Then he took questions on a variety of topics, including illegal immigration, Guantanamo Bay, retirement programs for government employees and the farm bill, but the majority were related to energy.

Lucas didn’t offer easy answers, but said the “key, ultimately, is to increase all sources of energy.”

He noted Oklahoma is a crude oil state, but he said “there is always going to be a component of ethanol in gasoline.”

“Ethanol acts to stabilize it and it’s also an oxygenating agent,” Lucas added.

He said when the ethanol program began they could not conceive of the price of oil exceeding $100 a barrel, much less the record of $147.27 it hit last month.

Lucas said he voted for the decrease of the ethanol “blenders’ credit” from 51 cents per gallon to 45 cents. That money goes not to the farmer but to the company blending ethanol.

“At what point do you get where you can unattach from all of these (government subsidies) so the market can make the decision?” Lucas said. “The market should make the decision.”

He said the rising cost of gasoline has led him to stop filling the 500-gallon diesel tank he has on his farm.

“That is $2,000 worth of fuel,” Lucas said. “I can’t protect it living way out in the country the way I do — not that any of my constituents would steal anything. Someone would have to cross the state line to do it.”

He predicted a close presidential election, noting polls of registered likely voters have been neck-and-neck.

Lucas added he hoped whichever candidate wins has a mandate.

“I want him to win by a majority on election night and to win on election night so the next day we have someone with the authority to lead,” Lucas said. “We’ve not had that in the last 20 years. Mr. Clinton never won by a majority. Mr. Bush never got an election certificate within days of the election.”

Lucas is a 1982 Oklahoma State University graduate from Cheyenne. He was first elected in 1994.

His opponents in the Nov. 4 election are Democrat Frankie Robbins, another OSU alumnus, and independent Forrest Michael.

     

• Click to discuss this story with other readers on our forums.