Posted on 05/19/2004 2:41:31 PM PDT by RWR8189
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Rhetoric |
PRESIDENT BUSH: “As you can see there is no ambiguity in my position on drilling off the coast of Florida.”
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The Facts |
PRESIDENT BUSH BOUGHT BACK FLORIDA DRILLING
LEASES AND RIGHTS, STOPPING DRILLING IN ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE AREAS OFF FLORIDA PANHANDLE AND IN EVERGLADES
President Bush Agreed To Buy Back Leases Off Florida Panhandle; Drilling Rights In Everglades. “The president agreed to spend $115 million from a federal settlement fund to buy back gulf leases off the Panhandle and seek an estimated $120 million from Congress to purchase private drilling rights in the Everglades. … Under the settlement plan, those firms … will sell back nine of 11 leases, said David Struhs, secretary of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.” (Bill Kaczor, “With Election Looming, Gov. Bush Wins Drilling Victory,” The Associated Press, 5/29/02)
Government Has Veto Power Over Two Other Leases. “Murphy will keep two tracts for 20 years for what Struhs called accounting purposes. He said Murphy cannot request plans to develop the leases for 10 years and the federal government then could reject it without cause. The leases would revert to the government after 20 years.” (Bill Kaczor, “With Election Looming, Gov. Bush Wins Drilling Victory,” The Associated Press, 5/29/02)
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FLORIDA NEWSPAPERS PRAISED PRESIDENT’S DECISION
Tampa Tribune Hailed Elimination Of Offshore Drilling. “Other leases remain off the state coast, but the administration says they are not expected to be pursued by industry. So the president’s actions should all but eliminate offshore drilling’s threat to Florida’s shores and its vital tourism industry. … [T]he president also could have dodged and delayed. Instead, he dealt directly with a persistent menace to Florida’s environment and economy. He deserves Floridians’ gratitude.” (Editorial, “President Bush Combats Drilling Threat To Florida,” Tampa Tribune, 5/31/02)
Orlando Sentinel Praised President’s Ban On Drilling. “[I]f the veteran politicos do the right thing – as they did Wednesday by announcing a new, long-term agreement to squelch oil- and gas-drilling operations in environmentally sensitive areas of the state – then they’ve earned a few extra votes for their effort. Florida simply can’t afford the devastating environmental and economic consequences that could accompany federal approval of drilling operations within spitting distance of the state’s powder-white Panhandle beaches. … President George W. Bush – with Gov. Jeb Bush by his side – proposed offering $120 million in cash or drilling credits elsewhere in exchange for gas- and oil-drilling rights in the Big Cypress National Preserve, the Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge and Ten Thousand Islands National Wildlife Refuge. Congress should seal that deal immediately. Another $115 million would be paid to three oil companies, which were on the cusp of obtaining federal approval to begin oil- and gas-drilling operations 25 miles south of Pensacola.” (Editorial, “Clean Victory,” Orlando Sentinel, 5/30/02)
Pensacola News Journal Columnist Praised President For Going Further Than Clinton Ever Did. “[O]n offshore drilling, he took action that Bill Clinton didn’t dare take.” (Carl Wernicke, Op-Ed, “Environmentalists And Political Sausage,” Pensacola News Journal, 6/2/02)
Lakeland Ledger Said Even Cynics Should Be Happy With Deal. “We’ll take the money and run. We’ll take the gift horse without looking in its mouth. We’ll take the crass politics along with the good policy. Because President Bush was right when, in acknowledging that the move would help his brother’s re-election, he added, ‘But more importantly, it is good public policy, and when here’s a convergence of good politics and good public policy, I don’t think we should be ashamed about it.’ We’ll take it. … If Congress approves Bush’s plan – it should – the feds will pay the Collier family $120 million for the mineral rights under three major preserves in the Everglades, and $115 million to three oil companies to buy back several offshore drilling leases in the Gulf of Mexico. The deal’s not perfect – some leases remain open for future drilling – but politics and policymaking are imperfect.” (Editorial, “Gift Horse? We’ll Take It,” [Lakeland, FL] Ledger, 6/3/02)
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ENVIRONMENTALISTS IN FAVOR OF DECISION
Florida PIRG Hailed President’s Actions. “Environmentalists applauded the agreement … ‘I’ve been doing backflips,’ said Mark Ferrulo, executive director of the Florida Public Interest Research Group (FPIRG).” (Bill Kaczor, “With Election Looming, Gov. Bush Wins Drilling Victory,” The Associated Press, 5/29/02)
Audubon Society Of Florida Praised Deal. “Charles Lee, senior vice president of Audubon of Florida, called the announcement ‘a double home run.’” (Larry Lipman, “Deal Bars Drilling In Everglades, Gulf,” Palm Beach Post, 5/30/02)
National Resources Defense Council Praised President’s Decision. “The administration has finally realized that jeopardizing Florida’s coasts for a few weeks of gas makes no sense,’ said Lisa Speer, senior policy analyst at the Natural Resources Defense Council.” (Keith Epstein, “Drilling Rights Bought,” Tampa Tribune, 5/30/02)
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Rhetoric |
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The Facts |
ENERGY BILL DOES NOT CONTAIN PROVISIONS THAT WOULD ALLOW
PRE-DRILLING ACTIVITIES IN WATERS CLOSE TO STATES’ COASTLINES
Energy Bill Does Not Contain Outer Continental Shelf Inventory. “Absent from the final energy bill conference report is a provision that would have required the Interior Department to take inventory of potential oil and gas resources in the outer continental shelf – federally managed lands that begin roughly 3-9 miles seaward of U.S. coasts.” (Michael Burnham, “Energy Bill Oil And Gas Perks Could Shape Industry For Decades,” Environment And Energy Daily, 11/18/03)
Florida’s Coastline Protected By Energy Bill. “In a victory for the Florida delegation, the bill excludes a controversial provision that could have led to predrilling activities in Gulf waters close to the state’s coastline. A bipartisan group of Florida House members fought the provision, which would have ordered an inventory, including seismic testing, in areas near the Florida coast under the protection of a drilling moratorium until 2012.” (Seth Borenstein and Sumana Chatterjee, “Oil, Coal Interests Score Big,” The Miami Herald, 11/18/03)
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Rhetoric |
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The Facts |
KERRY IN FAVOR OF DRILLING IN GULF OF MEXICO
Kerry In Favor Of Drilling In Gulf Of Mexico. “The largest unexplored oil field in the world is actually the deep water oil out in the Gulf. Now, there is a capacity to protect what we have today, the protections for the coast of Florida, and still be able to drill in those locations where they’re already permitting, already had the Environmental Impact Study, they already have the leases, and the only reason the drilling isn’t taking place is because it doesn’t pay – it’s not cost effective at this moment in time on the price.” (Brian E. Crowley, “Kerry Backs Drilling Off Fla., Governor Says,” Palm Beach Post, 4/22/04)
ü Just Not Off Of Florida? “Kerry Spokesman Mark Kornblau: ‘John Kerry has consistently opposed drilling off the Florida coast. He opposes it today and will oppose it as president. John Kerry only supports drilling in the western Gulf, off the coast of other states, where it is already taking place with the support of Democrats and Republicans alike.’” (“College Paper Backs Off Kerry Drilling Allegations,” Tallahassee Democrat, 4/24/04)
In 2002, Teamsters Ran Ads Against Kerry In Florida Criticizing His Gulf Drilling Stance. “Where does John Kerry think we should get that new energy? In pristine areas in the Gulf of Mexico. He’s calling for as much as four times more oil drilling in the gulf. He’s even criticized oil companies for not dramatically expanding deepwater drilling. In other words, Senator Kerry wants to prohibit oil production in states that want it and force it on states that don’t.” (Teamsters Advertisement, The Tampa Tribune, 2/14/02)
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This shows what a bunch of phony bull shiite these anti American scum bags are. Once again the truth of the rat postion comes to light. rats don't never truth. A good lie will do because the ends always justify the means to these swine.
BTTT!!!!!!
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