Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Obama sells out to Big Oil

I knew it was too good to be true.  No major legislation happens in this country without back-room deals and sell-outs.

Headline in today's NY Times:

Obama to Open Offshore Areas to Oil Drilling For First Time

WASHINGTON — The Obama administration is proposing to open vast expanses of water along the Atlantic coastline, the eastern Gulf of Mexico and the north coast of Alaska to oil and natural gas drilling, much of it for the first time, officials said Tuesday.

The proposal — a compromise that will please oil companies and domestic drilling advocates but anger some residents of affected states and many environmental organizations — would end a longstanding moratorium on oil exploration along the East Coast from the northern tip of Delaware to the central coast of Florida, covering 167 million acres of ocean.

Offshore drilling has been a fight in Florida for decades.  The right wing argued that the "billions" of barrels of oil would "save the country" and make us free of the Arabs.  Environmentalists contended that there was no such thing as billions of barrels of oil off of the coast and that the devastation to Florida's beaches and wetlands a major oil spill would cause made drilling simply not worth the risk.

Finally, both sides agreed to a major study to determine the truth.  About a month ago, the study was completed and made public.  The local rag carried the story on page 4, Section B.

Headline in the Florida Times Union:

Report:  Oil Supply Negligible

TALLAHASSEE - Estimated reserves in Florida waters would provide the United States with less than a week's worth of oil and have no discernible effect on prices at the pump or U.S. reliance on foreign oil, according to a report released Friday as part of the state Senate review of whether a ban of off-shore drilling should be lifted.

It appears that Change We Can Believe In comes at a price.  I wonder what we're going to get in return since the Red states mostly effected by this turn of events didn't vote for health care in the first place.  When Obama visited the area some time ago, our local congressman, Ander Crenshaw, a blue-blood, lock-step Republican, who damned sure doesn't support change we can believe in, was quick to be seen hanging with the President at every opportunity.

I thought to myself at the time that he's (Crenshaw) angling for more military spending in this Navy town and sure enough, a few weeks later, big proclamation in the paper, the local navy base is being considered for a nuclear aircraft carrier.

I think it was Mark Twain who said, "Don't believe anything you hear and only half of what you see."

10 comments:

  1. It's a shame, really. Obama has demonstrated he is beholden to all of the same interests, from oil to banks, that are opposed by the people who elected him. Maybe he's so sure Democrats won't vote Republican that he's willing to sell his own constituency short in order to secure re-election funds.

    This is why I don't vote. That once-every-four-years nonsense doesn't change anything. Your real vote, the only real power an individual wields in America, is with your purchases.

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  2. It ain't over 'till it's over.

    I would suggest, he has CO-opted the 'Drill Baby, Drill' Tea Backers.
    Now, they have to sign on.
    I takin' betts, no Dickey,(odds to be determined) on South NOT-IN-MY-FUCKIN'-BACK-YARD Carolina sayin' yeah, buddy, Drill, Baby, just fuckin' Drill, off the shores of Myrtle Beach. Whatcha SAy, buddy, lay that money down.

    Hey It could happen!

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  3. Ginx... all the evidence supports you.
    Punch... I hope you're right. Clinton was a master of turning the bad guy's wishes against them.

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  4. Are you saying it is not worth it for a week's worth of oil?

    Killjoy.

    ;)

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  5. Mo...you most likely are correct. That is the bluff that is being played out. Everybody yelled 'Drill, Baby, Drill'. So lets see if them Texas Oil Boys, will spend their money on drillin' for WTF. I'm again takin' bets that they will want the GOV., that is too big, to pick up the tab. Nation Securiy and All, ya know?

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  6. He has inserted "Offshore Drilling" into a bill he wants passed, the Republicans can't be against it now, unless they have all gone green overnight.

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  7. Odd how the expectation is it will be 2035 before any oil hits the market which is about how long it would take to convert the country to natural gas, hydrogen, solar, and wind power. Look at KOCH industries. The 2nd largest privately owned company in the US.

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  8. All of this still boils down to back-room deals and things that go bump in the night.

    Holte... what piece of legislation? Something we really want?

    Punch... again, hope you are right. If so, Jesus is a black man.

    WM... so in 25 yrs we should be energy independent? Let's hope so, but I'm afeared it'll take longer than that.

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  9. Yes, I could hardly believe this. Bad news. And a great disappointment. All for something that will do so little to solve any problem with energy.

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