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House Republicans vow push on oil drilling ["We cannot drill our way out of this," Nancy Pelosi...
Reuters ^

Posted on 06/12/2008 2:14:02 PM PDT by Sub-Driver

House Republicans vow push on oil drilling Thu Jun 12, 2008 3:57pm EDT

By Donna Smith

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Congressional Republicans vowed on Thursday to make a major push for more U.S. oil and gas drilling and in the process force Democrats to cast difficult votes at a time of skyrocketing gasoline prices.

With the November congressional and presidential elections looming, Republicans and Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives are blaming each other for rising energy costs and gasoline prices that are topping $4 a gallon.

Republicans cited Democratic opposition to opening up the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and more offshore areas to oil and gas exploration and drilling.

House Minority Leader John Boehner of Ohio said Republicans would try to raise public awareness and force more votes on the issue. He said Republicans would back a comprehensive approach of more oil and gas drilling as well as energy conservation and moves toward alternative fuels supported by Democrats.

"Over the next five months, House Republicans will fight every single day to hold Democrats accountable for their dismal record on producing more energy in our country," Boehner told reporters.

(Excerpt) Read more at reuters.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Government; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 110th; congress; drilling; energy; pelosi
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To: popdonnelly

To Nancy Pelosi, who two years ago said she would bring down the price of gasoline, I say YES WE CAN drill our way out of this. You are a disgrace and your arguments completely full of lies. If you have your way, we’ll be riding bicycles to work. Truckers, unite. The Dems are NOT your friends. At $5 a gallon for diesel, you should be making your trip to Washington in your rigs and blow your horns for immediate action.


41 posted on 06/12/2008 3:19:39 PM PDT by rtbwood
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To: Sub-Driver
"We cannot drill our way out of this," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California countered. Opening the wildlife refuge in Alaska would reduce U.S. gasoline prices by one penny per gallon, she said.

I've heard the Democrats and their enviro-overlords trot out this line repeatedly, and I don't buy it. There are over 10 billion barrels of oil in ANWR and even the promise of getting that oil into the pipeline would immediately let a lot of air out of the current oil bubble.

She and other Democrats blame President George W. Bush's energy policies for the gasoline price spike.

I blame every politician who has pandered to the environmentalists by banning offshore drilling and drilling in ANWR. Although Bush's dad is in that list, most are Democrats.
42 posted on 06/12/2008 3:21:26 PM PDT by AnotherUnixGeek
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To: MinorityRepublican

Not going to do much good when the top of the ticket is still stuck on stupid.


43 posted on 06/12/2008 3:55:00 PM PDT by Oldhunk
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To: Sub-Driver

even a sign that these rat bastards will allow drilling would help out the market. They are blaming speculators, well crap, if there is more oil beinbg pumped in the future, the price will go down. I canot stand these traitorous SOB’s in congress.


44 posted on 06/12/2008 4:03:57 PM PDT by vpintheak (Like a muddied spring or a polluted well is a righteous man who gives way to the wicked. Prov. 25:26)
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To: Sub-Driver
"We cannot drill our way out of this," Nancy Pelosi...

But we can depend on technology that doesn't exist?

45 posted on 06/12/2008 4:06:04 PM PDT by RJL
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To: Sub-Driver
Recently, I saw an ad on TV claiming that in a few years, we would need far more energy than we presently produce. Where would it come from, they asked. Indeed, for every year since oil has been used this alarmist question could have been breathlessly asked.

Excuse me, but if one looks at the graph of oil consumed per year and compares that with oil produced every year, surprise, goooleee (!!) like magic the supply-demand relationship of the free market works every time. Production and consumption roughly track over time.

46 posted on 06/12/2008 4:17:39 PM PDT by theBuckwheat
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To: Sub-Driver

Is there any substance or refute to the Dems’ charge that oil companies are actually sitting on millions of acres of explorable land?

Is there any there there?

Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore., dismissed the need for oil explanation, speaking with FOX News Wednesday.

“There are 68 million acres right now that is available for exploration right now that the oil companies have — an area the size of Illinois and Georgia. We ought to be focusing on doing that,” Blumenauer said, adding that a legal gap he referred to as the “Enron loophole” exempts energy trading from oversight of the U.S. Commodities Futures Trading Commission.


47 posted on 06/12/2008 4:26:07 PM PDT by tnvol01
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To: tnvol01
Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore., dismissed the need for oil explanation, speaking with FOX News Wednesday.

“There are 68 million acres right now that is available for exploration right now that the oil companies have — an area the size of Illinois and Georgia. We ought to be focusing on doing that,” Blumenauer said, adding that a legal gap he referred to as the “Enron loophole” exempts energy trading from oversight of the U.S. Commodities Futures Trading Commission.

It may not have occurred to Rep. Blumenauer (or Sen. Dodd, who raised the same talking point in the Senate) that it could be there is no oil there. Or not enough oil to warrant exploitation with current technology. Or, perhaps, there are other minerals -- even gravel -- which aren't economically feasible at this time.

If oil is going for $130/bbl, do you really think that Exxon Mobil, Chevron, Valero, Marathon, et al aren't going to bring it out of the ground? Why aren't their lessors screaming bloody murder about their land not getting drilled?

Blumenauer is evidently a dumbass. But you should know better.

48 posted on 06/12/2008 4:35:02 PM PDT by okie01 (THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA: Ignorance on Parade)
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To: okie01

“But you should know better.”

Thanks for the help...

The left started parroting this point (68 million acres) early this morning. I’ve seen/read their latest defense from S. Hoyer, E. Blumenauer, C. Dodd, T. Ryan, & B. Sanders.

The only (R) response to this charge I’ve seen came from J. Barrasso. He was just on “Larry Kudlow” and noted the land may be ready for exploration but little details such as permits may be pending.

If the Dems have saddled up to this red herring, then the Repubs need to call them on it. The Repubs have the Dems on the defense right now on this issue and they need to keep pounding away.


49 posted on 06/12/2008 5:16:22 PM PDT by tnvol01
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To: tnvol01

Congress accuses Saudi Arabia et. al. of restricting output, while Congress restricts output in the US, causing us to be more dependent on foreign oil and pay higher prices. Congress is the problem, and not just the Demos. Republican Senators Martinez (FL), Snowe (ME) and Collns (ME) all oppose drilling offshore or in ANWR. Their line of thinking is in the Stone Age. Voters should get rid of any US Representative or Senator who opposes maximum use of our own resources, including nuclear power.


50 posted on 06/12/2008 5:21:33 PM PDT by pleikumud
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To: John123
About. Damn. Time!

They should've done it EARLIER!! Now, maybe, the GOP massacre won't happen.

51 posted on 06/12/2008 5:39:14 PM PDT by EagleandLiberty (El Rushbo Tribal name -- RinoHunter Coming Soon - a new CONSERVATIVE PARTY --- www.falconparty.com)
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To: Sub-Driver
We can drill, harvest oil from shale, convert oil from coal, and build nuclear. So Nancy, sit down shut-up and let real Americans fix the problems that decades and decades of following your party's evil policies have caused. Unlike you witch, I have served my country and work at generating nuclear electricity every day. You are just a self absorbed leech.
52 posted on 06/12/2008 5:41:33 PM PDT by Nuc1 (NUC1 Sub pusher SSN 668 (Liberals Aren't Patriots))
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To: Sub-Driver

Realistically, drilling isn’t going to help. Despite leftist claims that Big Oil is a monopoly, it is pretty much close to perfect competition as anything can get. The price is set on the global market, and there are comparative advantages to building refineries into other countries as opposed to the USA. Alaskan oil, for example, could easily be sold to Japan as to California.

Granted, when people like Durbin and Obama try to stop BP from expanding its Whiting Indiana facility to process heavy Canadian crude, they can’t seriously yell supply is being constricted domestically because of a conspiracy. But anyone who says that we can drill our way domestically out of high oil prices is not being honest.


53 posted on 06/12/2008 5:47:26 PM PDT by JHBowden
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To: Sub-Driver

Pelouse-si: “We will not let you drill our way out of this!”


54 posted on 06/12/2008 6:55:50 PM PDT by DGHoodini (Nor shall my sword sleep in my hand)
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To: Sub-Driver
The Congressional Republicans need to get McCain on board and declare that the party's message between now and November will be very simple:

We Won The War

Drill Here, Drill Now

55 posted on 06/12/2008 8:11:50 PM PDT by InterceptPoint
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To: Sub-Driver

Pelosi is truly an ignorant witch.


56 posted on 06/13/2008 6:18:52 AM PDT by Bitsy
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