If it's got oil, drill it. If it produces power, use it. And if it saves energy or is supposed to, give it a tax credit.

In a nutshell, that's the Republican energy agenda. And its architect, House Republican conference leader John Boehner, was in Rochester today to talk it up.

"I want to emphasize we have to do all of the above," Boehner said.

He spoke during a press conference with fellow Republican Representative Randy Kuhl, who held a fund-raiser this morning featuring Boehner.

Boehner and his Republican cohorts have relentlessly pushed for expanded drilling in both the outer continental shelf and the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Kuhl has been the regional point person on the push and sometimes seems obsessed with it. He put out at least five press releases on the matter last week, two of them hyping radio or television ads promoting drilling.

Republicans figure that putting more American oil on the market will drive down gas and energy prices; that it will increase international supply and send an immediate message in the market that there's more oil coming, calming down speculators.

But Kuhl said he doesn't know that "there's any real number" for how much gas prices could be lowered by increased drilling.

Democrats are caving to the Republican push. Over the weekend, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said her conference's next energy legislation, due in two weeks, will include some expansion of off-shore drilling - which means increasing oil production.

Is that the message we really want to send, that there's more oil coming? Oil costs as much as it does because Americans, and the rest of the world really, refuse to cut down on the amount we use.  We finally got the message in June when, collectively, Americans drove 12 billion fewer miles.

What's not talked about enough is conservation. It is part of the Republican agenda but it needs to be a larger part of it, or any energy policy. And the approach needs to be aggressive. Tax credits for purchasing energy-conserving technology - hybrids cars or solar panels, for example - are fine and well. Funding for renewable energy research is a good way for government to bolster energy independence efforts, and Boehner says that is included in the Republican plan.

But Washington let American automakers go too long - 32 years - without increasing fuel mileage standards. Detroit proceeded to churn out gas guzzling SUVs - as much because that's what consumers wanted as because that's what GM or Ford wanted consumers to want. When new fuel mileage standards were passed late last year, they were considered too low by many environmental and energy watchdogs.