John McCain may still have some of this stuff laying around in the ol' medicine chest.

It shocked me a bit, although it really shouldn't have, to see McCain on CNN yesterday proclaim that tire pressure was the entirety of Barack Obama's energy plan. It's not, of course. Although it's a really good idea for saving gas, it was simply a response to a question about what people might do to save money at the pump. But McCain said it straight faced to a crowd of people, with no commentary from the news anchor at the blatant deception. He's trying to bamboozle people, like the snake oil salesmen of the old west did, peddling their 'patent medicine'.

I got the snake oil image from wikipedia, by the way. Same place McCain got his last speech. Not that there's anything wrong with using the wiki, I just didn't think McCain knew how. Apparently, his staff does, so that's good, I guess, although you would think a Presidential candidate would have better sources than kids writing papers for school do.

I'm not sure why I'm still surprised that people like John McCain are willing to do anything, say anything, to promote big oil's big lie. There are two wars currently being fought for it. The Republicans in Congress put on a show for it, faking a plea for Congress to return to Washington to debate old ideas for the benefit of their big money friends. Hell, George Bush and Dick Cheney weaseled their way into office for it the last two elections.

I guess I'm still hoping people will see through it.

Karen Van Hoek captured some video of Senator Kerry exposing the Republicans' bogus offshore drilling argument for the canard that it is. John McCain and Congressional Republicans may think they're pulling the wool over people's eyes, and maybe they are for some. But most of us recognize it as snake oil, and the people peddling it as no better than the hucksters who sold their elixir to an unsuspecting public back in the day. Only now, people are a little more suspect.

In the video, Senator Kerry notes that there are 68 million acres of unexploited oil leases just waiting to be drilled. Only big oil won't drill when they can pretty much name their own price without lifting a finger. The response from the Democrats? Use it or lose it. Drill or get out of the way and let someone else do it. When CNN cheered yesterday at the mention that the price of gas has dropped to $3.81, I thought, "Go ahead. Tell us why." They didn't, of course. Neither did they mention that gas was $1.46 when Bush took office.

There's a reason you don't see too many folks selling elixirs from the backs of wagons anymore. They've moved on to houses. Big, white ones.