Posted on 06/10/2008 1:32:50 PM PDT by Dawnsblood
Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain is "open to the possibility" of tapping America's domestic oil and gas reserves, but it is not clear from his voting record whether he would actively push to expand offshore oil recovery efforts.
On ABC's "This Week -with George Stephanopoulos," Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C), a McCain friend and supporter, said the Arizona Republican would be open to talking about looking for oil and gas "in our own backyard."
"John McCain would allow offshore explorations, if the states consent," Graham said Sunday.
Graham's statement echoed the position McCain took in response to a survey conducted by the League of Conservation Voters last year. The League questioned all the 2008 presidential candidates about whether they supported maintaining current moratoriums on new offshore oil and natural gas drilling.
Congress passed the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Moratorium in 1981, which prevented the leasing of coastal waters for the purpose of fossil fuel development.
McCain said he supported expansion of oil recovery in the OCS -- with qualifications.
"I believe there are some OCS areas that can and should be developed for their energy potential but the areas should not be those that are ecologically sensitive to such development," McCain said in the survey.
"I also believe that the will of the people of coastal states like Florida and California on issues related to OCS development off their shorelines must be respected and they should have a say in where moratoria are kept in place as well as the terms of such development that is permitted," he said.
McCain added that if oil retrieval is conducted in the Outer Continental Shelf, it should be done according to strict environmental standards and oversight.
(Excerpt) Read more at cnsnews.com ...
The American people need clarity and certainty about expanded oil drilling, and all he can offer is uncertainty.
And yet, where uncertainty is needed — namely, in rushing off headlong to embrace all sorts of ill-considered and counterproductive policy initiatives to address man-made global warming that may or may not even exist — he somehow is able to have certainty and clarity.
McCain’s opinion matters not. If he wants to get in front of the parade, he’ll be for drillin’.
Understandable given his long standing feud with Senator Stevens (AK)
It's personal!
Let the Polar Bears barbecue as many Penguins as they want.
McLame is simply looking for a “conservative” headline. He figures to throw us a “verbage bone”. Maybe a few of us will say, “Wow! McCains my Man”! “Woo Hoo etc...” Then, when/if elected it’s...no deal. Can’t. Might hurt a baby seal etc.
Great weasel words. Senator Mel Martinez has fought consistently to block drilling off Florida's coast -- and he's the same guy touted to "deliver the state for McCain" -- so there you have "the will of the people."
Couple this with his opposition to drilling in ANWR and his cap and trade advocacy and he's dug a nice deep hole for himself.
If McCain was truly a conservative on all of the issues, then McCain would definitely be crushing Obama politically right now! To truly not have a “major conservative candidate” running for POTUS this time around is extremely frustrating for too many reasons to count!
If McQueeg campaigned strongly on securing our border and full use of our energy resources he’d win in a landslide. Too bad he’s too stubborn and too stupid to do that.
You think his recent trip to Alaska was just to look at igloos?
Okay, MacCainiacs, tell us all precisely what this means? If he won't fight for you, why in the hell should you waste your time on him? You're like the abused spouse who blames herself: "If only I were more loyal to him, he wouldn't have to give me a bloody nose."
* Cease all ethanol production. It takes away from food production and the unintended consequence is higher food costs. As diesel prices go up, the cost of farming tips the balance of cost to make ethanol a bad idea. Just say "no" to ethanol! Even Jimmy Carter says that diverting farm production from food to fuel is dumb – even HE gets it. This will create only ONE "blend" of gasoline and will cease regional "boutique" blends (gasohols) which are stupid, costly, and meaningless. Trucking custom blends around the country is wasteful. Ethanol blends get fewer miles to the gallon, and adds to the cost of production and transportation. Newer cars do not need oxygenated fuels.
* Lift the restrictions in order to drill for oil in Alaska, Gulf of Mexico, and other sites in the CONUS as a matter of national security.
* Encourage the petro industry to construct state-of-the-art refineries and/or retrofit current and dormant ones and crank up production for our newly-accessed oil in the CONUS.
* Make all “carbon credit” scams unlawful. Discrediting Algore should have been a slam-dunk a long time ago. Stop electing Reps who buy into the Global Warming / Global Cooling / Climate Change Hoax. CO2 is not our enemy!
* Construct SEVERAL, regional Pebble-Bed Modular Reactors (or other similar modern designs) that are not considered "breeders", are rechargeable, and cleaner than any current nuclear generator design. Breeders are OK, but PBMR's are better. Refine spent nuke fuel for recycling. DO SOMETHING NUCLEAR to resolve energy problems.
* Use the residual heat from the reactors above to process motor fuel from coal and/or shale. Even though Clinton "stole" some of the best coal reserves, we still have a lot to use.
* Become independent enough to make the cartels (i.e. OPEC) inconsequential.
* Convince local taxing bodies to lift or cap the sales tax on gasoline so that as gas prices go up, the local tax collectors don’t see a windfall revenue jump at the expense of the consumer. The Federal government could compel the states (and locals) to cap the fuel taxes.
If you squint real hard, and read between the lines, the ‘manifesto’ will require the dismissal of all RINOs and LibDems and the election of some clear-minded conservatives to even consider any of the above.
In my opinion, the only difference between Obama and McCain is the amount of time it will take for the handbasket to reach it’s destination.
I'm listening to Fox, supposedly on our side, parroting Harry Reid calling for new forms of energy and never once mentioning the possibility of drilling. It's truly us versus our elites.
Drill Here. Drill Now.
Here’s an issue McCain can use to beat rats over the head until November. Even the latest poll shows most Americans are in favor of opening ANWR and drilling off the coast. I’m starting to believe McCain is more stupid than obama.
OK, John. I would be open to talking about voting for you -- with qualifications.
“McCain’s View on Expanded Oil Drilling Uncertain”
As much as I strongly dislike this man, should he come out in favor of massively expanded drilling in all of our territories and states, and push for nuclear power (as he has been) then I will be forced to vote for him.
Allowing... Drilling for Oil !
Mexican, Canadian and every other world government
Doing the job the American government won't do!
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