Posted by
Garnet92 on Thursday, July 17, 2008 6:53:33 PM
No way Jose, not gonna drill in ANWR, not gonna drill offshore. We need to be investing in alternative sources. Isn’t that pretty much it? The democrat’s answer to $4.00 (and rising) gas prices?
So that means that the United States is “satisfied” to keep our oil production static – no need to increase production? In the face of becoming more and more dependent on foreign oil each year – that’s ok? Continuing to send billions of our dollars out of the U.S., some to countries that aren’t our friends, is ok? No real benefit to becoming more energy independent is there?
The dems tell us that solar, wind, wave, thermal, hydrogen, and the energy source de jour will replace petroleum as our primary source for home heating and transportation. They tell us that even if we did start drilling in currently prohibited areas, we wouldn’t see an appreciable impact for ten years – the implication being, that ten years is so far in the future, it’s futile to begin today.
If you believe that, I’ve got a magic rock that can predict lottery numbers – I’ll be happy to sell it to the highest bidder. Anyone who believes the crap coming from Obama, Pelosi, and Reid (OPR) is a genuine prospect for my rock.
It’s extremely unlikely that any of the “alternative” energy sources will be mature enough in ten years to take over the non-transportation uses of petroleum (home heating, jet fuel, asphalt, lubricants, and kerosene). And we can't forget the other countless consumer products that aren't widely recognized as being petroleum derived. For example, solvents used in paints and ink, paraffin wax used in candles, cosmetics, and candy, roofing materials, detergents, film, pesticides, and more - the uses are seemingly endless.
Of course, we still have to figure out how to make asphalt from a summer breeze or paint solvents from sunshine. The point is: oil is here to stay. We can (and should) begin to transition to some other main source of vehicle power and home heating, but it will take time and we must consider the interim. During those interim years, I don’t think that U.S. citizens will be willing to sit still for continually increasing gasoline prices – to what? $8-10/gal.? And worse, if a belligerent act or natural disaster stops the flow of oil into the U.S., what then? How many of you remember rationing?
Unfortunately, OPR is right about one thing, their perception of the voters – the vast majority of voters are so clueless that they’ll accept whatever OPR tells them without question. These obstructionists have been able to thwart drilling in any new areas for years. The majority of voters weren’t concerned. But that was then, this is now. As gasoline prices hit the $4.00/gal. mark, the populace is beginning to wake up and speak. Polls show they’re saying “do something.” Those same polls show that people are ready to drill in the previously prohibited areas. We can also predict that the polls will remain linked to the price at the pump. The higher prices go, the more difficult time OPR will have holding fast. I believe that they know that they’re on shaky ground and the pressure to drill will increase right along with any rises in gasoline prices.
And this just in from an RCP contributor, David Harsanyi on July 18, 2008:
"On the bright side, it seems that reality is beginning to overtake fantasy. This week, Newt Gingrich's American Solutions for Winning the Future group delivered 1.3 million signatures to Congress, demanding that Washington allow more drilling. A recent Zogby International poll shows 74 percent of likely voters support offshore drilling in U.S. coastal waters, and 59 percent favor drilling for oil in the tundra of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge."
Make no mistake about the OPR’s positions. They are not stupid – true, they’re acting stupid, but they know exactly what they’re doing. They’re gambling. Gambling that they can hold on, and not allow any action by George Bush and the republicans to result in a positive result. This is 100% politics. Gaining (and retaining) power is more important than any effect on the population, on our economy, or on the security of this nation.
Here’s a thought, since OPR don’t believe that we really need the oil resident in ANWR or offshore anyway, why not drill it and sell it to the Chinese. That would aid in our trade imbalance with China, wouldn’t it? And we don’t really need it, do we?