Why the Candidates Dodge Offshore Drilling

Barron's ^ | May 12, 2008 | Jim McTague

[Rennes Templar]

Too little too late to avert the present shortage. It would take years for this to impact US production.

[penowa]

I've come to the conclusion there is only ONE reason why our elected officials prefer to see our economy in shambles instead of doing ANYTHING constructive to address energy problems. They are lining their pockets and putting personal profit ahead of the people who elected them and the future of the country.

NONE of them (including the 3 remaining presidential possibilities) deserve to be elected or re-elected IMO. Why should our choice in November be between two candidates who will be far worse presidents than Jimmy Carter?

[roses of sharon]

Sounds like we need a “maverick” nipping at the ankles of the candidates.

Will McCain’s maverick please stand up!

[Squantos]

Ping

[spanalot]

“And wealthy Californians, some of whom own property overlooking the oil-rich Santa Barbara Channel”

Will they wait till real estate falls another 40%

[milwguy]

They said that in 1997 when Clinton put ANWR off limits. I think 1-2 mil bbls a day from there right now would be looking pretty good. Do nothing, and then 10 years from now, we will be in worse shape. Typical American attention span of a gnat. we want it all, and we want it now.

H. Obama wants a public works campaign to put people to work. Building bridges and roads. The private sector could do MUCH more if we opened our waters and lands to drilling for oil and nat gas. If you want any proof of that, look no further than Pennslyvania where the Marcellus Shale deposits are turning poor farmers into wealth lnadowners overnight. Those farmers

[elpadre]

those who oppose the drilling and refining of oil, one our abundant resources, are not only doing a great disservice to the American people, but are also weakening the nation’s defense and economy, are causing hardship on citizens in a dozen different ways and, IMHO, acting in an extremely anti-American, if not treasonous manner.

They should each be fully exposed for who they are.

[rellimpank]

—IMHO, if legislation passed our jackassified Congress and was signed that forced drilling of the mentioned areas , along with the promotion of refinery construction (over the graves of assorted environuts, if necessary ), the ink wouldn’t be dry on the President’s signature before petroleum futures would take the fastest, longest drop in commodities trading history-—

[tractorman]

The price of oil would drop instantly if the President would declare through executive order the lifting of all restrictions on domestic drilling and refining. And then do it.

[SauronOfMordor]

Too little too late to avert the present shortage. It would take years for this to impact US production.

And it was judged "too little too late" to have helped in the last shortage. But if we start NOW, it might help us survive the NEXT shortage better

[ZX12R]

From the politician’s perspective, it has nothing to do with the environment. I think it is quite simply the politicians pleasing their voting base, or doing what’s good for the country. And which is more important to democrat politicians?

[Rennes Templar]

I agree on privatizatiion. Fact is, our visionless politicians and enviros put us here, it’s going to get a lot worse before it gets better.

[elpadre]

we will never get there is we don't take that first step.

once the process begins, the foreign suppliers and manipulators will reassess and begin to see the writing on the wall. We can get this thing under control with some dedicated leadership in Congress.

[penowa]

"It would take years for this to impact US production."

Exactly what Clinton said when he vetoed the energy bill to drill ANWR in '95.

As long as producers know that we are willing to be held hostage by our own gov't, oil prices will continue to escalate whether demand does or not. The minute our elected officials free us from our self-inflicted wounds, the ME producers will pump like mad, flooding the market with oil, trying to bring the price down below where it would be feasible to drill for our own resources.

[Thommas]

We know that our government is constricting our energy intake in order to exert more control of our behavior. Conservatives will scream about this while liberal, communist Dems will only laugh at our impotence. When we've reached a true 1984 community, the dullards on the other side of the political fence won't even see their castration scars.

[dennisw]

We need a right wing military coup to smash down these anarchists and eco-traitors and get this nation on a correct energy course. It won’t happen any other way. It can be like Pinochet is Chile. Military rule for a decade then let intelligent civilians come into power.

[elpadre]

don’t just look at presidential candidates. How do the Congressmen from YOUR state vote on matters concerning drilling and refining??

By your yardstick do they belong in Congress?? My Senators are for it, but not my congressman, for whom I have not voted.

[dennisw]

We know that our government is constricting our energy intake in order to exert more control of our behavior. Conservatives will scream about this while liberal, communist Dems will only laugh at our impotence. When we've reached a true 1984 community, the dullards on the other side of the political fence won't even see their castration scars.

Idiocracy

Ever see that movie? The idiots take over America because they reproduce more and faster

[Thommas]

How do the Congressmen from YOUR state vote on matters concerning drilling and refining??

Here in California, our Congress is elected by the welfare populations of San Francisco and Los Angeles. The rest of the state pays the taxes, provides the water and agrarian economy; but, has no effect on Federal elected officials.