Posted on 07/14/2008 9:16:00 AM PDT by kristinn
For those of us with limited knowledge of the ins and outs of the debate on off-shore drilling along American coastal waters, it is important to understand this fact:
The ban by the U.S. Congress on off-shore drilling has to be imposed every fiscal year and is scheduled to expire Sept. 30, 2008.
This explains President Bush's announcement that he will repeal a separate executive order on off-shore drilling leaving only the Congressional ban in place.
The gambit by the President will force both houses of the Democrat-led Congress to vote before the elections on keeping the ban in place at a time of record high oil prices and record global demand that has driven domestic gas pump prices to over $4 per gallon.
Even if Speaker Pelosi and Majority Leader Reid are able to pass the ban, they would still have to get the ban past President Bush, either with his signature or by over-riding a veto.
President Bush has laid the groundwork for a battle the environmental extremists and anti-drilling politicians in both (but mainly the Democrats) parties don't want.
I wonder if the Republicans in the Senate will have enough cojones to filibuster it.
Finally, hehehehehehehe!!!!!!
I foresee a chicken livered Congress that might just let it expire without vote or comment. That would be the only way to avoid a political fight they can’t afford to lose at this time.
I hope they wouldn't. Force a vote and get the democrats on record, a month before the election, banning the expansion of domestic oil production.
Well, at least it will now be a campaign issue. If there are any pubbies left with a spine and a brain, this should be advantageous, regardless of the liability at the top of the ticket.
Looks like good news.
can I buy that new Hummer yet?
I hope they wouldn’t. Force a vote and get the democrats on record, a month before the election, banning the expansion of domestic oil production.
-——————————BINGO !!
On the nose, papasmurf!!
Phil E. Buster.
Ah jeez. Why does it always have to be cajones? Can't it be something they have for once? :)
Oh man this is getting more and more interesting. The Dem’s will be screwed - they’ll either lose their leftwing nutroots loonies or the entire centre... whoo whee. Nice.
Yup. Then they can take credit for the ban expiring in speeches to more center or conservative crowds, but they can Blame Bush in speeches to more left or ecohobbit crowds.
Is this neat or what!!
I didn’t know this!!(The annual renewal...)
It’s going to be fun to watch the “perfect storm” of off-shore drilling. What a great time to get on the phone to Congress Critters and Sinators. (Spelling intentional).
if it is not renewed, on october 1, what would have to be done to start drilling? could the states ok the drilling?
i read that the department of the interior is involved somehow - that after they PAY for the lease (on those 58 or 68 or 100 million acres - it keeps inflating), they have to get a permit from the department of the interior - and that is a holdup - is that only for land owned (taken) by the federal government?
That might reduce oil prices a bit, but we need actual supply coming online. I would expect supply to start rising over the next couple of years, but every oil rig and drilling ship in existance is already booked for the next few years, so don't expect prices to drop to below $100/bbl for several years if ever.
I'm driving the 'Intimidator Edition' Monte Carlo. Supercharged V6. It's on board computer shows me that I get 27.6 MPG combined average. At 65 it gets 30-32 MPG highway.
It's a 2004, and yet I see commercials bragging about new cars that get worse mileage.
And they aren't half the car this baby is!
We provide the jones of steel to our Republican and other right thinking Congresspersons.
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