Posted on 08/12/2005 6:19:45 AM PDT by PolishProud
House GOP Members Urge Delay on ANWR Thursday, August 11, 2005
WASHINGTON Two dozen House Republicans, including three committee chairmen, have asked Speaker Dennis Hastert not to use a congressional budget procedure to clear the way for oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska.
They said in a letter to Hastert, R-Ill., that the budget process "is an inappropriate venue to be debating this important environmental issue" and warned that it would further complicate already difficult budget issues.
"We believe the debate on opening this unique land to oil and gas exploration should be done outside the budget process," said the group led by Rep. Jeb Bradley (search), R-N.H., in an Aug. 4 letter made public Wednesday.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
And I don't want to hear this "Go back to DU," canard that is leveled at anyone who disagrees with the herd.
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I don't think you will, certainly with a clear number of people, including blind Bush-bots, as to what is really happening to the American people by virture of their Washington elitist/politically-driven agenda - I am an "ole timer" too, at least old enough to have experienced the Reagan years, and their grandure, as to what a President and Washigton could do FOR the American people, as opposed to what it is now doing TO the American people...it is really tragic, to see what the Repubs, in the absence of real America-caring leadership, has turned into.
We are on a precipice. We will fall hard, unless Washington has a "memory recall" as to WHY THEY ARE WHERE THEY ARE" and how the Repubs (we) worked hard for many years to give them the MAJORITY THEY NOW HAVE - WHICH THEY ARE USING TO NO AVAIL for the American people. It is gut wrenching to watch this ugly process...
And I don't want to hear this "Go back to DU," canard that is leveled at anyone who disagrees with the herd.
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I don't think you will, certainly with a clear number of people, including blind Bush-bots, as to what is really happening to the American people by virture of their Washington elitist/politically-driven agenda - I am an "ole timer" too, at least old enough to have experienced the Reagan years, and their grandure, as to what a President and Washigton could do FOR the American people, as opposed to what it is now doing TO the American people...it is really tragic, to see what the Repubs, in the absence of real America-caring leadership, has turned into.
We are on a precipice. We will fall hard, unless Washington has a "memory recall" as to WHY THEY ARE WHERE THEY ARE" and how the Repubs (we) worked hard for many years to give them the MAJORITY THEY NOW HAVE - WHICH THEY ARE USING TO NO AVAIL for the American people. It is gut wrenching to watch this ugly process...
There should be enough Dems to offset GOP defections on this issue - there were the last time around when Shays tried to put an amendment in to block ANWR. Of course...some may just oppose using the budget for this kind of thing. However, the precedent for using the budget for ANWR policy was set by Barbara Boxer in 2003 with her amendment - which passed. There were not enough votes in the Senate to pass such an amendment this time around with the GOP gains in the last election.
"We believe the debate on opening this unique land to oil and gas exploration should be done outside the budget process," said the group led by Rep. Jeb Bradley, R-N.H., in an Aug. 4 letter made public Wednesday.
Among those signing the letter were three committee chairmen: Science Chairman Sherwood Boehlert, R-N.Y.; Judiciary Chairman James Sensenbrenner, R-Wis., and Government Reform Chairman Thomas Davis, R-Va.
snip
While raising concerns, the 24 GOP lawmakers who signed the letter did not all say they would vote against the budget if an ANWR provision were included.
snip
ANWR drilling supporters failed to get an ANWR provision into the recently enacted energy bill. They were assured the issue would be taken up again as part of the budget process next month.
And this is at the heart of the matter. The enviros have stopped not only oil refineries, but nuclear plants, new coal refinery processes and natural gas exploration. The Pubs have done a horrid job showing the public these facts. It is time probably for the Prez to do it since he is the only brave Pub we seem to have to take on any tough issues. If Hastert does put ANWR through on a budget process, so what? It is constitutional as was the Prez' interim appointment of Bolton. Just do it. And then start the processes for initiating the above agendas.
I agree!
We should not only increase the construction of more new refineries, but also build a combination nuclear/desalination/electrical generating plants off ALL coasts.
There's enough oil there for 6 months. We'd be better off if we could drill the Florida coast, if not for Senator Martinez's obstructionism. God forbid we ruin his ocean view with oil towers.
Thanks. Good Post.
Your figures on ANWR production seem pretty right on. In addition, any benefit to the price at the pump would not be seen for 5-10 years, which adds to the argument that drilling in ANWR is not worth the destruction of a "pristine wilderness".
In regards to using ANWR as another strategic reserve, well that's a new idea, but no oil company in their right mind will drill a million dollar well and then cap it without gaining the deserved profit on their investment. Maybe the government could subsidize, but oil men are not the sort to take hand-outs.
But ANWR alone is not the target of the environmental lobby. <ANWR is only symbolic of all domestic production. If they can succeed in keeping drilling out of ANWR, then they will attempt to do so at some other location at some other time down the road.
When price per barrell was low due to the Saudis flooding the market ($9.00 bbl around 1997-98), oil companies were almost regulated out of business. Oil companies were required to pay fines for "possible environmental damage" prior to placing the bit to the ground! Most independent oil companies could not produce because it was not economically viable to do so. Oil companies were brought to their knees, and now we are literally paying for allowing environuts to run the industry.
The Oil Industry, instead of being demonized, should be allowed to continue providing energy to this Country until alternative fuels can be completely researched, developed, and implemented. Hobbling them will not help this country, but it will hurt us in the long run.
Enviros believe they are so progressive, yet they still see oil production through 19th century eyes..discounting all modern day technology for environmentally friendly extraction.
Just some things I know...no links, it'd take forever:
Did you know that in the early days, when horses were the common transportation, cities such as Chicago and New York considered manure major pollution? In the country, it could be spread around and used as fertilizer, but in the city, there was no place to put it. The stench and flies were horrendous, not to mention all the horse droppings in the busy streets. When cars, and then gasoline (yes, they had to formulate a propellant) came on the scene, Gasoline was touted as the SOLUTION TO POLLUTION. The idea of pollution is not a new thing to this world.
In Iraan Texas, some years ago during the early days of drilling, when oil started coming out of those rigs,.no one knew what to do with so much of it. So, they put it directly in a small valley area. There were acres and acres covered with oil..an oil lake if you will. The earth took care of itself (oil is a natural product after all) and now if you were to go out and look around where all that oil was..you would never know it.
Yep. Great tagline material!
Using ANWR as a strategic reserve would have to be paid for by the public in some fashion. A seeming violation of "small government", but again perhaps justifiable as a "national defense" expenditure.
The various environmental lobbies are going to try to keep drilling out of anywhere, regardless of their success or failure in ANWR.
And on that same note, I'd like to see some serious public money behind getting us off of the oil economy. It's too essential to the security of this country to be left to the short-term interests of private enterprise. I don't see where the current administration thinks this is a priority.
Finding and developing alternate energy sources should be right on top of the Presidents list. I have not read the new energy bill, but the word is that Bush has put some money into research for hybrid vehicles and is promoting ethanol. Whether or not that translates to "priority" is yet to be seen since it only addresses transporation fuels..not the total energy picture.
Out here near Crane, Texas, they have developed a wind farm, clean energy (electricity) from Windy West Texas..but enviros are tramping all over that as well..they are afarid thousand of birds will die a horrible death in the turbines blades. Give me a break! We just cant win for losing...
"Two dozen House Republicans, including three committee chairmen"
Where are we going to get oil? If the self appointed kings are not going to allow us to drill, the price will keep rising.
Should things get really out of control, it will provide fuel for the military at a bare minimum to take action against whatever is shutting down the oil.
I meant to comment on this earlier. At the rate this Country uses energy, the big picture..not just gasoline..our current oil reserve would keep this country in ice and TV shows for approximately 13.5 days.
We'd have two weeks to get some more fuel..including to run the militray..another reserve would be an excellent idea.
"They don't want to piss off any enviromentalist"
Republicans wouldn't want to lose the environmentalist vote. /sarcasm
The US uses very little oil to produce electrical power.
Your 13.5 days is still way short of reality. Are you supposing all domestic supplies also stop? And every single country in the world that we import from all stop at the same time? It is a misleading and meaningless number.
Sure,while we pee-ons pay $3.00 per gallon, these morons say no-drilling in ANWR. Too bad the GOP does not know how to be winners.
... the debate on opening this unique land to oil and gas exploration .
What unique land? Have these uninformed morons bought into the mountains, mirror lakes and wildflower photo propaganda from the Bugs and Bunny crowd?
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