David Mann has an article in Jeffersonville/New Albany News-Tribune.Net on Baron Hill’s debate challenge to Mike Sodrel. Hill wants the debate to focus on energy policy.
Standing in front of the gas pumps outside of Kraft Marathon Service Station in Clarksville, Hill said it’s time for he and Sodrel to hold a debate on energy policy issues. The former congressman criticized Sodrel for calling current gas prices anything less than “a crisis†situation.
The Hill campaign has been showing off an interview in which Sodrel told Indianapolis’ WTHR-TV that gas prices may not be an issue in November.
“He’s lost touch in no time flat,†Hill told reporters Monday.
But Sodrel defended his statement.
“Frankly we don’t know that far out,†he said. “Prices have gone down in some place by 10 to 15 cents per gallon. I don’t know if we’re going to call it a crisis.â€
Personally, I don’t know if I would call the current gas prices a crisis either. But, if it was fair for President Bush to call the state of Social Security a crisis, I guess our gas prices are a super-duper mega crisis. It is, however, telling that Sodrel is only concerned about what the gas situation will be in November. Apparently, he wants to be able to ignore the issue altogether.
as the owner of a transportation company, fuel costs are hurting Sodrel’s bottom line majorly. It’s funny that he has to act all blase in public…
I would like to challenge Baron Hill and Mike Sodrel to include Libertarian candidate Dr. Eric Schansberg, who is an economics professor. That would make things very interesting, in addition to fair minded and inclusive.
Anyone know how easy or hard it is for trucking companies to pass their fuel costs on to customers? Do hauling contracts typically have fuel surcharge provisions that allow the trucking companies to increase the cost as prices rise, or is the company forced to renegotiate the contract entirely before they can pass along the costs?
That’s a good question Doug. I’m curious to know but not sure where to come across that info. I had a friend suggest that it would be savy of Hill to propose an expansion of rail services in Indiana as a means of curbing gas consumption and promoting business.
This would also cut directly into Sodrels business, forcing him to fight Hill on the issue. Presents a direct, and distinct, difference to voters.
I hope Sodrel calls Hill on his bluff and offers to expand the parameters and format of the debate. Hill has never been comfortable going off script — I want to hear what he trully believes on a variety of issues and see if he is being consistent throughout the district. He’s player the progressive Democrat in Bloomington, but in the rural parts of Indiana 9, Hill is playing the God fearing social conservative. Which is he? We deserve to know.