Bush Chews Up, Spits Out Democrats For Opposing Offshore Drilling
August 2, 2008
WASHINGTON - President Bush chastised Democrats on Saturday for refusing to allow a vote on whether to lift the federal ban on offshore oil drilling before lawmakers departed for their summer recess.
“To reduce pressure on prices, we need to increase the supply of oil, especially oil produced here at home,” Bush said in his weekly radio address. It was the fourth time this week that he has called for Congress to end the drilling restrictions off the Atlantic and Pacific coasts and in the eastern Gulf of Mexico.
Some of the drilling moratoriums have been in place since 1981 for environmental reasons and concerns that energy development might harm coastal tourist industries.
Bush acknowledged it would be years before any of the oil beneath the offshore waters could be pumped, but he said “lifting the ban would create new opportunities for American workers and businessmen.”
“But the leaders of the Democratic Congress have refused to allow a vote” on whether the drilling moratoriums should be lifted, Bush complained.
Most energy experts and the government’s own research agency at the Energy Department have said drilling in the Outer Continental Shelf, which is now off-limits, would have no impact on current gasoline prices and probably would have none for years.
Congressional Democrats have argued that oil companies already have large areas of federal land and waters where they can drill for oil, especially in Alaska and off its coast.
“The president knows … that the impact of any new drilling will be insignificant, promising savings of only pennies per gallon many years down the road,” says House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who has called the demand to lift the drilling bans a hoax.
Pelosi, D-Calif., has refused to bring up for House consideration various Republican proposals to lift the offshore drilling moratoriums that Congress has renewed annually for years.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada offered to consider a GOP offshore drilling proposals, but when Republicans demanded votes on a number of other energy proposals, he withdrew his offer.
Congress began its annual August recess on Friday without having enacted any substantive responses to public outcries over high gasoline and other energy costs. Reid blamed Republicans, who have filibustered a number of energy measures, for the congressional gridlock.
A proposal presented Friday by a bipartisan group of 10 senators — five from each party — would allow oil and gas drilling beyond 50 miles of the coast in the South Atlantic and eastern Gulf of Mexico, but leave the ban in place elsewhere.
Bush in his radio remarks also urged Congress to end restrictions on developing shale oil on federal lands in the West and to allow drilling in Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
Bush called these actions “vital steps to help reduce pressure on gas prices,” although none of the actions would produce any new oil for years.
(AP)
Be respectful of others and their opinions. Inflammatory remarks and inane leftist drivel will be deleted. It ain’t about free speech, remember you’re in a private domain. My website, my prerogative.
If you can't handle using your real email address, don't bother posting a comment.
Pelosi deserves what she gets. Even the SF Chronicle has over 1900 blog comments from the left and right. Oil will be sooner if the new platform was shut down by the 9th circus in Alaska is taken out of mothballs. Search bloomberg for last summers story. WTF, years, no, oil can start now.
August 2nd, 2008 at 11:19 amPelosi can stay AWOL at her wine press after this recess.
Ain’t ya heard W?
TheOne (Peace Be Upon HIM) is floppin’ agin and NOW says as long as it is in HIS interest then HE will not be rigid and HE will consider a compromise.
“My interest is in making sure we’ve got the kind of comprehensive energy policy that can bring down gas prices,” Obama said in an interview with The Palm Beach Post.
“If, in order to get that passed, we have to compromise in terms of a careful, well thought-out drilling strategy that was carefully circumscribed to avoid significant environmental damage - I don’t want to be so rigid that we can’t get something done,” Obama said.”
Hallelujah?
August 2nd, 2008 at 11:19 amDemocrats NEVER change. The Democrat Party is the anti-America party. Lets hope enough voters wise up to that fact and give the majority back to the Republicans who I believe have learned the lessons of 2006.
August 2nd, 2008 at 11:40 am“The president knows … that the impact of any new drilling will be insignificant, promising savings of only pennies per gallon many years down the road,” says House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who has called the demand to lift the drilling bans a hoax.”
Me: Wrong oh Queen of Botox. The price of oil nose-dived after GW dropped an old Executive Order preventing drilling offshore.
The real hoax, Nan-baby, is you. And you get my Non Compos Mentis award for the week.
August 2nd, 2008 at 12:58 pmW ‘08
August 2nd, 2008 at 1:32 pmBUSH BUSH BUSH BUSH BUSH BUSH BUSH BUSH BUSH BUSH BUSH BUSH BUSH BUSH BUSH BUSH BUSH BUSH BUSH BUSH BUSH BUSH BUSH BUSH
One of the greatest Presidents ever. Enjoy the your upcoming vacation sir, but don’t get too rested, we’ll probably still be needing your courage in the days to come.
August 2nd, 2008 at 1:33 pmMark Oct 1 on your calenders because thats the date the Congressional moratorium on domestic drilling expires. Republicans and citizens need to be on their toes that the democrats do not slide an extension in one of their unanimous consent bills.
August 2nd, 2008 at 1:38 pm
August 2nd, 2008 at 1:59 pmThe Dems confound me. The whole thing is a chess game.
The short term effects of the U.S. drilling will be to
put fear into the oil speculators and OPEC. This WILL drop
prices right away. The real oil benefit will come in the future.