DUMP DAVI$
GO SIMON
Posted on 06/09/2002 10:59:07 AM PDT by Dog Gone
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) -- GOP gubernatorial candidate Bill Simon, a millionaire former oilman, says he opposes drilling for oil off the California coast -- despite the Bush Administration's refusal last week to step in to protect the shoreline from drilling.
The Bush Administration on Friday rejected Democratic Gov. Gray Davis' request that the federal government buy 36 undeveloped leases off the California coast to prevent drilling there.
The following day, Simon announced for the first time that he is ``against any drilling of the undeveloped leases, and I'm in favor of the buyout of those leases.''
``All parties must get in a room and hammer out a deal,'' Simon told a meeting of The Associated Press Television-Radio Association on Saturday.
Simon contended he was not criticizing the Republican president -- whose support he sorely needs in his attempt to unseat Davis. Instead, Simon blamed Davis for failing to try to negotiate a compromise with the Republican White House.
Oil exploration off California's coast has been an explosive issue since 1969, when a massive oil spill soiled the Santa Barbara coast.
The argument now is over allowing new oil drilling off San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Ventura counties.
California took the federal government to court to block attempts to build the first new oil platform since 1994. A judge agreed with the state a year ago, and a hearing on the Bush administration's appeal was set for Monday.
Simon on Saturday called Davis' policy on offshore drilling hypocritical.
Republicans say dozens of new wells have been drilled in the past decade and the Davis administration has done nothing to stop them. The argument mirrors that made by Interior Secretary Gale Norton in her letter rejecting Davis' plea to extend protections against offshore drilling, similar to those granted to Florida last month.
Simon also said he supported retiring existing drilling operations after the oil was tapped out, which could take five to 15 years.
But Davis's campaign spokesman Roger Salazar said Davis has pushed that same policy. He dismissing Simon's criticisms that Davis hadn't done enough to stop the drilling as ``ludicrous and the height of hypocrisy.''
The wells are on leases made before 1968, according to Salazar, who added that the state has no choice but to honor them.
``These are private companies,'' Salazar said. ``If you try to deny them the right to get oil from the leases they own ... the state would be liable.''
Simon, a former vice president at Paramount Oil, has repeatedly said he opposes additional drilling off California, but he had not spoken out about the existing leases until now.
The candidate's history, closely tied to the oil industry, has made his stance on drilling someing drilling-opponents have been closely watching.
Simon's father, William E. Simon, was President Nixon's ``energy czar'' through the Arab oil embargo of the early 1970s before becoming treasury secretary. In 1988, Simon and his brother joined their father in William E. Simon & Sons, an investment firm with substantial holdings in the energy industry.
Financial disclosure documents show Simon has tens of thousands of dollars invested in companies with direct interests in the 36 offshore leases at issues in the federal drilling case. However, Simon's campaign said the investments are not connected to actual drilling.
``To have someone heavily invested in the oil industry overseeing California's coast is a little scary,'' said Carl Zichella, the Sierra Club's regional director. ``If he waffles (on offshore drilling) at all, it will be to his political detriment.''
Rove/Parsky is clearly running this campaign.
The candidate's history, closely tied to the oil industry, has made his stance on drilling someing drilling-opponents have been closely watching.
Simon's father, William E. Simon, was President Nixon's ``energy czar'' through the Arab oil embargo of the early 1970s before becoming treasury secretary. In 1988, Simon and his brother joined their father in William E. Simon & Sons, an investment firm with substantial holdings in the energy industry.
Financial disclosure documents show Simon has tens of thousands of dollars invested in companies with direct interests in the 36 offshore leases at issues in the federal drilling case. However, Simon's campaign said the investments are not connected to actual drilling.
``To have someone heavily invested in the oil industry overseeing California's coast is a little scary,'' said Carl Zichella, the Sierra Club's regional director. ``If he waffles (on offshore drilling) at all, it will be to his political detriment.''
Notice what caving in to these creeps gets you, a smash in the mouth anyway. Now they're making Simon an oil guy because he owns some stock.
Playing nice with liberals doesn't pay. Worrying about bad press doesn't work either. You'll get it anyway, and at least it is free exposure.
You guys out there have to understand, our beautiful state has become a giant trash can. It's everybody's concern now. The liberals have been in power for some time now and this is their 'environmental' legacy. They've all but ruined SF. They are irresponsible, illogical, power hungry Judas'. They could come for one of your beautiful states at any time. It's time for Republicans to steal this issue.
I asked a local guy what they were and he frowned and said oil drilling platforms.
I looked at him and said Aren't they beautiful? He didn't want to talk to me.
It's a good thing the people at this table were through eating...these busboys get there real fast...
I wonder if oil leases are not more valuable in a state where future drilling is restricted? This could actually aid his oil interests.
I believe in the basic concept of respecting the will of the people on this issue. The people in California and Florida are against oil drilling; people in Texas and Alaska want it. Seems to me drilling should be discouraged in states that hate it and encouraged in states where it provides more benefits than costs.
This isn't a big issue for me - I remember when I lived in Santa Barbara and had a peek of the ocean view, I actually liked seeing the winking lights of the oil rigs out on the ocean. At the same time, I respect that a majority of the state is against drilling, and this will probably help Simon overall.
Better to have a good governor than a venal one; that's my bottom line here.
D
Next time try this line and see what the idiot says:
I wasn't aware of Juan Cabrillo's observations but have observed tht myself as a youngster on the beach at Oceanside in So Calif.
When ever we would come back to the house we would have tar on our feet and have to use solvent to remove it...Mamo didn't want it on her carpet...lol
Bumping for relieving pressue off our Calif coast and for the Caribu in Alaska...who thrive on oil drilling.
Yeah, I thought that was a nice touch. Most balanced mutual funds have at least one oil stock in them, so a huge percentage of Americans are "oil men."
It's been done. A free market environmental management system with pilot programs and an implementing strategy has been designed, condensed, and is ready for presentation to the public. I put the book in Simon's hands early last November. He's too busy to read it don't you know. I met him at the convention and demonstrated a half dozen sound-bites. I'm now working on one page summaries. All they have to do is get their heads out of their defensive posture and ask. I'll help them out for nothing more than expenses.
If you aren't a grant-hustling Ph.D., or don't have a sack full of cash, they don't listen. It's damned frustrating.
Well, now, THAT'S a fervent endorsement, if I ever heard one ...
From the article:
Republicans say dozens of new wells have been drilled in the past decade and the Davis administration has done nothing to stop them.
So much for energy independence in a time of war.
Most people don't think the conservatives have a interest in this, much less a response. Before I began reading your posts on this forum, I didn't think there was such a thing as a conservative environmentalist. I've learned a lot from you. I think others can too. It's time to market YOU. Have you considered forming a nonprofit consortium with your colleagues? A conservative counter to the Sierra Club? What I'm thinking of is a vehicle to advance these issues: newspaper columns, internet news columns, even TV time. When do we hear the conservative counter to this issue when the liberals go on the talk shows and news magazines? Never as far as I'm concerned. Is there someone who is highly visible to call on for this? None that I've seen. There's a void here.
Funny you should bring up grantwriting. I'm starting to learn that in order to pay for graduate school. The most important thing I've learned so far is the necessity of a good project. If a good project and plan is in place, the actual writing of the grant is a piece of cake. That last part is only 10 to 15% of the project. You've already got that. All you need is a good PR person. I'm serious!
As for Simon, if he is listening to Bush/Parsky/Rove then he is making a pact with the devil. They were so successful in the CA primary, weren't they? They have no idea what Californians need or want. As far as I'm concerned they should have minimal input in this campaign. However, none of us have any control over that. Simon is probably being told not to focus too much on the environment because it's not an issue. Politicians have become notorious for sticking their fingers to the wind to see what the issues are. When all Californians realize that this IS an important issue for ALL of us, then the politicians will respond. Then they'll go looking for the experts. That's when they will come to someone like YOU.
Just my unsolicited two cents worth:)
I live in an agricultural area where valuable farmland is being swallowed up to make way for new homes for people fleeing the metro areas. There is not enough water and structural support in place to support this kind of growth. Add to that people drink bottled or filtered water here because they don't want to be exposed to leftover pesticides seeping into the drinking water. The concerns are endless, and I think we've reached the point where we have to pay attention.
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