Left Flank

...Or, is it that the Wizard of Cheney's Reality? More unconscionable republican tactics on energy policy?

''China is not drilling in Cuba's Gulf of Mexico waters, period,'' said Jorge Piñon, an energy expert at the University of Miami's Center for Hemispheric Policy.

(…)

Piñon, who supports oil and gas exploration, said he met with several congressional offices Wednesday about the China-Cuba connection. He said he told them: ' `If you guys want to use this as a scare tactic to lift the moratorium on drilling off the west coast of Florida, at least be factual, be correct.' They didn't do their homework.''

China's Sinopec oil company does have an agreement with the Cuban government to develop onshore resources west of Havana, Piñon said. The Chinese have done some seismic testing, he said, but no drilling. Western diplomats in Havana told McClatchy that to the best of their knowledge there is no Chinese drilling offshore.

Cuba's state oil company, Cupet, has issued exploration contracts to companies from India, Canada, Spain, Malaysia and Norway. But many oil companies from those countries have expressed reservations about how to turn potential crude oil into product. Cuba doesn't have the refinery capacity, and the biggest potential market -- the U.S. -- is off limits because of the trade embargo.

I agree with Christopher Orr, although it's not because of malevolence (that's just too lampoonish), rather anyone so stupid to grasp at talking points should have to take their lumps in the private sector.

It's hard to know quite how to respond to politicians who are willing to make things up so brazenly. Except, I suppose, to point out that one should take anything they say with a grain of salt…

I'd would double down on yellow pundits who can't seem to use their "skills" to involve facts and unsavory issues.