Whoever writes the Republican talking points needs to either fact-check better, or improve their redaction process, because this is getting ridiculous. The bogus claim that China is drilling 50 miles off the coast of Florida has been thoroughly refuted. Republican Sen. Mel Martinez said on the floor of the Senate
China is not drilling off the coast of Cuba. Reports to the contrary are simply false. They are akin to urban legends. China drilling off the coast of Cuba only 60 miles from the Keys, that is not taking place...any talk of using some fabricated Cuba-China connection as an argument to change U.S. policy has no merit.
Vice President Dick Cheney's office was a little more curmudgeonly when it revealed
"It is our understanding that, although Cuba has leased out exploration blocks 60 miles off the coast of southern Florida, which is closer than American firms are allowed to operate in that area, no Chinese firm is drilling there," according to the statement.
And yet despite these truth's making the rounds, Republican House members still lie to their constituents. First it was Jean Schmidt and then it was Sam Graves...now, unable to help himself, Virgil Goode has shown his own disregard for facts.
Goode publishes a weekly newsletter to constituents (which is published in many local papers) entitled Goode News, and said,
This vote comes at a time when gasoline is averaging about $4 a gallon and the cost of diesel fuel is approaching $5 a gallon. It also comes on the heels of media reports that China and Cuba are drilling about 60 miles off the coast of Florida . One member of the House commented after the vote, "No other country in the world would even dream of locking away their most abundant energy reserves in an era of record-breaking energy prices."
Goode's only solution to the energy crises is drilling, despite his knowledge that we won't see the gasoline for ten more years. But he continued his lies on local talk radio:
Repeating this myth is a great disservice to his constituents. Goode needs to apologize and redact his comments. We should be supporting people who challenge Congress to tell the truth, to do what's best for our nation's economy and environment. Goode is getting a stiff challenge from Tom Perriello. We need to support candidates in races where there is a clear difference between proven-false Republican talking points, and bold new leadership. If you have any spare change this weekend, throw it Perriello's way.
UPDATE: Perriello will be liveblogging at Firedoglake on Saturday from 2-4pm EST. Check him out.