Offshore Drilling: ‘America’ Is Now Demanding It
I feel as though I have become the Joan Of Arc of this nation’s oil industry …
Here’s [the thing] …
Our government, the Congress in particular, has duped the citizens of this nation into believing that once [they] are voted into the Elected Class, and take the posh office in the Capitol building that our voice(s) are no longer needed, hence NOT heard or to be listened to.
A little history refresher course for the snobbish Congress just might be in order. Wander back a bit over 200 years to see the last time the “ruling class” held the same indignation and dismissive attitude for the ass-busting, back-breaking, dirty fingernailed citizens of this country. The last time that ‘ruling class’ felt the answer to any problems was to slap more taxes onto said problems. A little reminder how that missive, ‘we know better than you lowly serfs’ belief system turned out …
The current oil/gas economic situation in this country is NOT non-grounds for political revolution. It sure as holy Hell IS! This country’s lifeblood IS energy sources to fuel our growth, economy, ingenuity, ability to aid and assist our foreign allies and the Third World, and sustain a somewhat even-strain of ‘peace’ throughout the entire world. To have our own government (Congress) continue to crush us and our economy under their restrictive growth thumb IS reason for revolt. Our standard of living in this country is NOT something to be ashamed of, simply because the rest of the world can’t deal with their own governments … although, we are not far behind that affliction here.
John McCain has the perfect opportunity to tap into the ire of this country’s voting population. I really don’t give a shit if he is labeled a “Flip-Flopper” … NOBODY paying upwards or more of $4/gal for gasoline, takes a trip to the grocery store to see the rising costs there, will give a shit either. The man needs to hold a presser and insist that the current [thinking] (or non-thinking) of our Elected Class is crippling this country and punishing the citizens and American business. Were Mac to stand up and take this stand he would quickly become ‘the man’ for those on the fence about this presidential election. McCain NEEDS to hear the growing outcry of “Drill Here! Drill Now! Pay Less!” He needs to approach this current crisis in a most non-tepid way too.
Brazil not only, in recent days/weeks, has discovered billions and billions of barrels of off-shore oil … But WILL be drilling off shore of our own Florida coast. China is drilling off our shores, among other countries. I have yet to hear or understand the [thinking] behind our NOT drilling off our own shores …
Hear our growing voices, and do something NOW … To do otherwise is suicide for our own insane Elected Class … I believe.
Most voters favor the resumption of offshore drilling in the United States and expect it to lower prices at the pump, even as John McCain has announced his support for states that want to explore for oil and gas off their coasts.
A new Rasmussen Reports telephone survey—conducted before McCain announced his intentions on the issue–finds that 67% of voters believe that drilling should be allowed off the coasts of California, Florida and other states. Only 18% disagree and 15% are undecided. Conservative and moderate voters strongly support this approach, while liberals are more evenly divided (46% of liberals favor drilling, 37% oppose).
Sixty-four percent (64%) of voters believe it is at least somewhat likely that gas prices will go down if offshore oil drilling is allowed, although 27% don’t believe it. Seventy-eight percent (78%) of conservatives say offshore drilling is at least somewhat likely to drive prices down. That view is shared by 57% of moderates and 50% of liberal voters.
Nearly all voters are worried about rising gas and energy prices, with 79% very concerned and 16% somewhat concerned.
McCain is expected to formally call today (Tuesday) for the lifting of the federal moratorium on states being allowed to explore off their coasts for oil and gas deposits. While acknowledging it is only a short-term response, he has described it as a good first step toward reducing U.S. energy dependence on overseas sources.
The Outer Continental Shelf moratorium, passed in 1981, bans exploration for offshore natural gas and oil deposits. Barack Obama, McCain’s opponent for the White House, voted against an effort to lift the ban last year in the Senate. He argued that it was only a short-term solution. National Democratic Party leaders and most environmental organizations for years have strongly opposed efforts to explore for oil off the coast of the U.S.
According to the new survey, 85% of Republicans are in favor of offshore drilling as opposed to 57% of Democrats and 60% of unaffiliated voters. Those who call themselves conservatives favor such drilling 84% to 46% of liberals and 59% of self-designated moderates.
African-American voters are less supportive of such drilling than whites – 58% to 71%.
Women are more skeptical than men about the impact such drilling will have on gas prices: Nearly one out of three male voters (32%) say prices are very likely to go down, a view shared by only 23% of women.
Four out of five Republicans (79%) think prices are likely to fall thanks to offshore drilling, a view shared by only 55% of Democrats. Sixty percent (60%) of unaffiliated voters expect it to happen.
Voters also believe 61% to 22% that oil companies should be required to reinvest at least a portion of their profits into alternative energy research. On this question, liberal and moderate voters are strongly supportive of the proposal while conservatives are more evenly divided (47% of conservatives in favor, 35% opposed)
Data released yesterday showed that Americans believe developing new energy sources is the best long-term solution to the nation’s energy problem. Forty-seven percent (47%) said private companies were more likely to solve the nation’s energy problem than government research programs. But, at the same time, only 52% said companies should be allowed to keep the profits from the discovery of any alternative fuel sources.
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Note to John McCain:
Voters Waiting For Candidate Who Will Drill
By LAWRENCE KUDLOW - (IBD)
The recent spike in oil prices and unemployment is dramatically changing this presidential campaign — virtually overnight. The near $20 jump in oil to $140 a barrel, the unexpected half-point increase in the jobless rate to 5.5% (the biggest monthly increase in 20 years) and the resulting 400-point plunge in stocks has created a new campaign issue right before our eyes.
Public worry No. 1 is now oil, jobs and the economy, with the inflationary woes of the U.S. dollar right underneath. The candidate who can connect with these issues will win in November. But so far neither Barack Obama nor John McCain is dealing with the new political reality.
In fact, it’s all about oil right now. The price has doubled over the past year, while the economy has slumped.
But here’s an eye-opener. Recent polling data from Gallup show that the percentage of voters blaming oil companies for skyrocketing gasoline prices has dropped from 34% to 20% over the past year. At the same time, support for more drilling in U.S. coastal and wilderness areas has increased to 57% from 41%.
And the candidates remain blind to these shifts.
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