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What Part of 'Drill Now' do they Not Understand?
humanevents.com ^ | 07/24/2008 | A.W.R. Hawkins

Posted on 07/24/2008 2:13:58 PM PDT by kellynla

Out here in West Texas we love our guns, we support our troops, and we treasure our freedom. We are an independent bunch and -- pardon me, Senator Obama -- fiercely but not bitterly so. We are proud to have our own things to do with as we choose to, as free people of the freest nation in the history of the world.

We also walk around on top of oil: yes it’s far beneath us, but it’s there. And all these aspects of West Texas come together to our astonishment and anger over the fact that our independence is limited by an intrusive federal government that tells us what oil we can and can’t access through drilling, and ultimately makes us dependent upon other nations for our own fuel supplies.

This dependence is made worse by the fact that it is arbitrary: that is, we don’t have to rely on foreign sources of oil because we lack our own but because our government has chosen foreign importation over domestic production. And we name names where I am from, so for clarity’s sake allow me to say that Senators Mitch McConnell, John Cornyn, and Kay Bailey Hutchinson are not keeping us in this position, but are pushing for common sense changes in energy policies that will result in greatly expanded domestic production.

The two main culprits here are Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, who are currently enjoying a 9% favorable approvable rating among the American people. Perhaps you will remember Reid as the man who boldly declared we had lost the war in Iraq a year ago: the war we are clearly winning today. His poor judgment in war-fighting and his lack of faith in our troops are matched by his energy policies that keep us dependent on oil from the very parts of the world with which we are at war.

Reid, and his cohort Pelosi, mock Republicans like McConnell, Cornyn, and Hutchinson for their belief that we can “drill our way out of this energy crisis.” But why can’t we drill out way out? Is oil that much different than other commodities? It is traded on the futures market and its elevated prices currently result from a demand that promises to be greater than future supply. Gold is a commodity, what would happen to it if we suddenly realized it is more plentiful than needles on a pine tree? I can tell you what would happen -- the value of an ounce of gold would plummet: its value is directly linked to its scarcity.

Recently, President Bush did something that should have been done years ago: He lifted the Executive Ban on off-shore drilling. This means we not only have the oil deposits throughout the western United States which we could access in order to be energy dependent but the great oil deposits miles away from our shores as well.

In Colorado and Wyoming alone we have oil deposits sufficient to rival those of Saudi Arabia. Those, plus the use of ocean rigs, would easily result in over a hundred years of fuel for our nation. Yet Reid and Pelosi will not even consider removing the Congressional ban on offshore drilling. Rather, they spend their time talking about the current “energy crisis.” But with oil supplies such as those in Colorado, Wyoming, and the ocean untapped, this doesn’t really seem like an energy crisis as much as it seems like a concerted effort on the part of Reid and Pelosi to keep America from enjoying her independence.

And there’s more -- We also have a rock quarry named ANWR from which we could double the amount of the oil we would draw from the western U.S. and ocean rigs. (I know all of ANWR doesn’t look like a rock quarry; but the part we would drill in does.) And there is nothing pristine about a rock quarry; no viable reason for keeping our oil companies from drilling there. Yet Reid and Pelosi oppose President Bush’s attempts to let Exxon and others pull oil out of ANWR as well. What’s wrong with these people?

The common opposition given against drilling offshore is the fear of oil spills. Does anybody remember hurricane Katrina? The havoc she wreaked on oil rigs in the gulf was unbelievable. Some of these were so damaged that they are yet to be back online. Winds well over 70 miles an hour and the resulting ocean surges pummeled the oil rigs late in the night of August 28 and into the early morning hours of August 29, 2005. And how much oil was spilled? Not one drop. (I am sure that Reid and Pelosi believe President Bush, “an oil man,” orchestrated the hurricane in such a way as to displace a hundred thousand New Orleans’ residents while sparing the oil in the gulf.)

On the other hand, the opposition to drilling in ANWR is usually cited in terms of the damage it would do to the caribou. In all honesty, how out of whack can things get? My friends and I shoot animals as big as caribou in our part of the country every year. We shoot deer, elk, bear, antelope, and aoudad, yet guess what happens without fail? Every few years the hunting seasons are lengthened because the animal populations are still so great that they require more thinning. Add to this the fact that the caribou around the current Alaskan pipeline are thriving and the arguments against drilling in ANWR go from ridiculous to asinine.

I am worried about having politicians in office who are more concerned about hoofed creatures than they are about human beings. Like President Bush, we still read our Bibles in West Texas and from it we learn that mankind was placed over nature not under it. Our Founding Fathers concurred.

We need to drill here and we need to drill now, as Newt Gingrich, McConnell, Cornyn, Hutchinson, and others who value America’s independence assert. It’s not a question of whether the oil is or isn’t there -- we know it’s there -- the question is whether we as a people will muster the wherewithal to tell politicians like Reid and Pelosi to remove the Congressional ban on drilling because America, rather than the Democrat Party or the caribou, comes first. In the end, this is tantamount to saying people come first; people of all economic classes who need gasoline for their cars, diesel for their trucks, oils to heat their homes, and the natural gas required to produce the electricity we are accustomed to having at the flip of a switch.

Just what part of “drill now” do they not understand?


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; Editorial; Front Page News; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: 110th; anwr; congress; democratcongress; democrats; domesticoil; drillheredrillnow; drilling; energy; gasoline; gasprices; greens; offshoredrilling; oil; pelosi
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DRILL HERE! DRILL NOW!
1 posted on 07/24/2008 2:13:58 PM PDT by kellynla
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To: kellynla

I believe the time for corporate civil disobedience has arrived. It won’t happen, but one of the major oilcos should head down to the continental shelf and start drilling. I would just LOVE to see the public reaction to the government stopping or prosecuting the issue.

MM


2 posted on 07/24/2008 2:21:25 PM PDT by MississippiMan
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To: kellynla
Just what part of “drill now” do they not understand?

The whole thing, I guess.

3 posted on 07/24/2008 2:23:46 PM PDT by shekkian
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"I am worried about having politicians in office who are more concerned about hoofed creatures than they are about human beings."
4 posted on 07/24/2008 2:25:00 PM PDT by kellynla (Freedom of speech makes it easier to spot the idiots! Semper Fi!)
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To: kellynla

July 24 —We need an EMERGENCY ALERT THREAD
but this will have to do....

I am sick and tired of members of Congress playing games with the
American people — pretending to address the energy crisis but not
even allowing a real debate!

BREAKING NEWS: We just learned that Sen. Harry
Reid is blocking any amendments to his energy bill.
Reid will not allow a real vote on lifting the offshore
Drilling ban! A key vote is tomorrow. Please see below
and take action today!

From the Desk of:
Steve Elliott, President, Grassfire.org Alliance

7/24/2008
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is pushing for a vote tomorrow on his
version of an energy bill that does nothing to decrease our dependence
on foreign oil.

Reid’s bill does nothing to lift the offshore drilling ban, or open up
rich oil fields in northern Alaska, or expand our nuclear capacity.

Even worse...

Reid is using Senate rules to BLOCK any and all attempts to get a vote
on lifting the offshore drilling ban! This is classic hardball political
tactics and we need to strike back just as hard!

+ + Action Item #1 — Fax The Senate Now!

Reid is pushing for a “cloture” vote tomorrow (Friday) that will block
any amendments. That means we have very little time. That’s why I want
to flood every Senate office with faxes right now demanding that the
Senate have a real debate on the energy crisis — and pass a bill that
lifts the ban on offshore drilling BEFORE Congress takes it’s month-
long summer holiday.

Go here right now to schedule your faxes:

http://www.grassfire.net/r.asp?U=9431&CID=108&RID=17623090

Or send your own faxes. We have sample letters
and contact information for you at the above link.

+ + Action Item #2 — Call Harry Reid Now!

In addition, I want to flood Harry Reid’s offices with calls from
citizens demanding that he allow the Republican amendments be heard
to his energy bill. We must shut down the phone lines in the Senate!

TALKING POINTS:

#1 I am outraged that Sen. Reid is pushing for a “cloture” vote
on S. 3268 without allowing amendments to be heard.

#2 The energy crisis deserves a real debate in Congress. I want
Sen. McConnell’s proposed amendments to be debated.

#3 I demand that Congress take action to lift the ban on drilling
on the Outer Continental Shelf BEFORE Congress takes its month-
long summer holiday.

PHONE NUMBERS:

Sen. Harry Reid: DC —202-224-5556 or 202-224-3542
Nevada numbers: 702-388-5020, 775-686-5750, 775-882-7343

Thank you for taking action!
Steve

P.S. Again, the key vote is expected to take place tomorrow.
Please forward this message and alert your friends.

P.P.S. A reminder—we are delivering petitions EVERY DAY to Sen. Reid’s
office. Thank you for signing the petition! Your voice is being
represented!


5 posted on 07/24/2008 2:25:42 PM PDT by TribalPrincess2U
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To: kellynla

The ‘Rats are doing the GOP the biggest favor they have ever done them by refusing to drill. If I were the head of the GOp, I would tell them to push the issue into the public consciousness but not so much as to cause the ‘Rats to actually allow drilling before the election.


6 posted on 07/24/2008 2:33:43 PM PDT by Blood of Tyrants (G-d is not a Republican. But Satan is definitely a Democrat.)
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To: kellynla
Yes! If Congress unified and said " DRILL NOW!", the price of oil would go down to about 60 to 70 dollars a barrel.

What Ass Hats Pelosi and Reid are. Every time I go to a gas pump I utter a curse against them.

May they rot in petroleum jelly and have it smeared all over their congressional offices.p>

7 posted on 07/24/2008 2:36:09 PM PDT by Candor7 (Fascism? All it takes is for good men to say nothing, (Expose Obama))
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To: kellynla
"What Part of 'Drill Now' do they Not Understand?

Probably the part about not getting enough information out to the brainwashed public.

Whole generations have grown up having this Gorebull warming stuff hammered into their skulls over the past 10 years and being taught in our educational indoctrination factories that conservatives and the big oil companies are responsible for all of the evils in the universe.

Socialists and liberals usually stay with their own kind and rarely hear a countering point of view to what they believe. The only way this can be counteracted is through a concerted effort in education and the media to educate the masses about the TRUTH.

Question: when was the last time you heard or saw an advertisement using the term "Global Warming?" This is definitely where the liberals excel in getting the point across. No matter whether the principle is right or wrong, the more you hear something the more likely it will be that you will remember it and the greater likelihood that you will repeat it to others. .

It is amazing what a large informational advertising campaign on the internet as well as the cable and network stations would do.

We need to get the children as well as the adults to start asking the right questions to the parents as well as to community leaders and politicians.

We can't be timid about this! It may take a lot of money and time, heck, it may take another generation, but we need to start turning this thing around NOW or we may end up living in an idiocracy.

8 posted on 07/24/2008 2:40:57 PM PDT by R_Kangel (`.`)
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To: kellynla
What Part of 'Drill Now' do they Not Understand?

They understand it perfectly. Their sponsors want to make more money on less oil. They also want their Slave Party agents to have the power to control public movement. They want you dependent on them for your survival. They want a tax funded pit of money to play with (carbon credits).

What's not to like?

9 posted on 07/24/2008 2:41:13 PM PDT by Carry_Okie (There are people in power with desire for evil.)
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To: All

SENATOR HARRY REID

Reno
Courthouse & Federal Bldg
400 S. Virginia St, Suite 902
Reno, NV 89501
Phone: 775-686-5750
Fax: 775-686-5757

Washington DC
528 Hart Senate Office Bldg
Washington, DC 20510
Phone: 202-224-3542
Fax: 202-224-7327
Toll Free for Nevadans:
1-866-SEN-REID (736-7343)

Carson City
600 East William St, #302
Carson City, NV 89701
Phone: 775-882-REID (7343)
Fax: 775-883-1980

Las Vegas
Lloyd D. George Building
333 Las Vegas Boulevard
South, Suite 8016
Las Vegas, NV 89101
Phone: 702-388-5020
Fax: 702-388-5030


10 posted on 07/24/2008 2:42:00 PM PDT by kellynla (Freedom of speech makes it easier to spot the idiots! Semper Fi!)
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To: kellynla
The rats know perfectly what they are doing. They have lifted $700Billion out of the USA to cripple the development of oil reserves and also alternative sources of energy. Trains, airplanes, and freight move by oil and they have chosen to cripple these industries. They seem to want to take over transportation.
11 posted on 07/24/2008 2:42:24 PM PDT by mountainlion (concerned conservative.)
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To: All

SENATOR BARBARA BOXER

Washington, D.C.
112 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
(202) 224-3553
(202) 224-0454 fax

Sacramento
501 I Street, Suite 7-600
Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 448-2787
(916) 448-2563 fax San Francisco
1700 Montgomery St., Suite 240

San Francisco, CA 94111
(415) 403-0100
(202) 224-0454 fax

Los Angeles
312 N. Spring St. Suite 1748
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 894-5000
(202) 224-0357 fax

Fresno
2500 Tulare Street, Suite 5290
Fresno, CA 93721
(559) 497-5109
(559) 497-5111 fax

San Diego
600 B Street, Suite 2240
San Diego, CA 92101
(619) 239-3884
(619) 239-5719 fax

Inland Empire
201 North E Street Suite 210
San Bernardino, CA 92401
(909) 888-8525
(909) 888-8613 fax


12 posted on 07/24/2008 2:44:11 PM PDT by kellynla (Freedom of speech makes it easier to spot the idiots! Semper Fi!)
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To: kellynla
"I am worried about having politicians in office who are more concerned about hoofed creatures than they are about human beings."

I read that after the Alaska pipeline was put in, the caribou (I think it was) loved it and sheltered near it in bitter weather and storms -- and the "nature-lovers" were outraged! They thought the animals should suffer the way nature intended.

13 posted on 07/24/2008 2:44:50 PM PDT by maryz
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To: All

Senator Dianne Feinstein

United States Senate
331 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510

Phone: (202) 224-3841
Fax: (202) 228-3954
TTY/TDD: (202) 224-2501


14 posted on 07/24/2008 2:45:36 PM PDT by kellynla (Freedom of speech makes it easier to spot the idiots! Semper Fi!)
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To: kellynla

wonder if they understand re-call election?


15 posted on 07/24/2008 2:46:57 PM PDT by Waco
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To: Candor7

If Congress announced a government program to rapidly develop oil, oil shale, natural gas, and coal resources by suspending Federal impediments, offering additional funding for roads and education to states that similarly suspend local impediments, and then giving oil companies deferred tax credits and tax breaks on investment in developing new energy resources that will become available within 5 years...

Oil would drop fast over the weekend. The markets would react with exuberance and then drop rapidly when the MSM starts yammering away at the public confidence in the market using terms like “credit crisis” and “worst economy since the Great Depression”.


16 posted on 07/24/2008 2:47:29 PM PDT by coconutt2000 (NO MORE PEACE FOR OIL!!! DOWN WITH TYRANTS, TERRORISTS, AND TIMIDCRATS!!!! (3-T's For World Peace))
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To: kellynla

17 posted on 07/24/2008 2:48:12 PM PDT by doug from upland (8 million views of HILLARY! UNCENSORED - put some ice on it, witch)
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To: maryz
"I read that after the Alaska pipeline was put in, the caribou (I think it was) loved it and sheltered near it in bitter weather and storms -- and the "nature-lovers" were outraged! They thought the animals should suffer the way nature intended."



Caribou run next to the Trans Alaska Pipelinea alongside the Dalton Highway south of Deadhorse, Prudhoe Bay, Alaska on July 25, 2006

18 posted on 07/24/2008 2:49:39 PM PDT by kellynla (Freedom of speech makes it easier to spot the idiots! Semper Fi!)
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To: kellynla

Awww, how cute! Certainly they deserve every consideration — let’s build lots more pipelines! ;-)


19 posted on 07/24/2008 2:51:35 PM PDT by maryz
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To: kellynla

Drill now! Do it for the caribou!


20 posted on 07/24/2008 2:56:57 PM PDT by InsensitiveConservative
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