Posted on 06/22/2008 7:23:52 PM PDT by Coleus
The high price of gasoline pushed the possibility of drilling in the Atlantic Ocean for oil onto the front burner this week, and politicians from New Jersey and other coastal states are pushing back. Republican presidential candidate John McCain, who had previously supported an existing ban on drilling in the Atlantic and most of the Pacific, said yesterday he would support giving states the option to allow offshore exploration. President Bush followed up today, blaming Congress for high energy costs by standing in the way of expanded production. In reality, the ban is contained both in an executive order by the president and an act of Congress, and Bush said he would not lift the executive order unless Congress acted.
Governor Corzine today called it deception to talk about offshore drilling as a solution to high prices at the pump because of the years it would take to issue leases, begin exploring, and then bring oil to the market. “This helps the stock price of Exxon and other oil companies a heck of a lot more than it’s going to have anything to do with supply and demand conditions in the oil market,” Corzine said in a conference call arranged by Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama’s campaign. Also on the call were North Carolina Gov. Mike Easley and former Florida Gov. Bob Graham.
Corzine also said more drilling would “support a pattern of dependency on oil” and could destroy the state’s tourism economy if there were an oil spill offshore. Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., worked to defeat four attempts over the past year to lift the ban on offshore drilling. He said Wednesday that oil companies already own 30 million acres of offshore exploration leases that they are not using. “When John McCain and George Bush talk about opening up our coastlines to drilling, they make it sound like gasoline is going to run straight out of the ground and right into your car,” Menendez said.
McCain spokesman Peter Feldman said each state would be able to veto any plan for drilling off its shores and that “nothing has changed” in regard to McCain’s position. “There’s an energy crunch right now, and New Jerseyans are hurting at the pump,” Feldman said. “This is an initiative that seeks to ease some of the pressure points, to limit the effect it’s having on everyday New Jerseyans.” But two Republican candidates who will be on the ballot with McCain in November put out statements opposing Atlantic exploration.
“In the U.S. Senate, as I did in Congress, I will support a ban on oil and gas leases off our coast because of the risks they pose to our environment and our economy,” said Republican Senate candidate Dick Zimmer. “I am strongly against any drilling or exploration off the New Jersey coast or in any area that poses a risk to our beaches.” A similar statement was issued by Rep. Frank LoBiondo, a Millville Republican whose district covers part of the Jersey Shore. Only one New Jersey Republican in the House — Rep. Scott Garrett of Wantage — has voted to lift the offshore drilling ban.
Hey, why don’t you come and fill up my tank!
Come November, throw out all who oppose drilling, irregardless of party.
I guess his driver hasn’t taken him to fill up the limo in a while....
Why not let the states that oppose offshore drilling pay an extra premium for gasoline? That would encourage voter who are sick and tired of their elected officals from making dumb stands against offshore drilling.
Since when do these states have control of federal waters? They belong to all of us. I think a special Parasite Tax should be levied on all coastal states that block the use of our oil. Have all Florida, California, Virginia and New Jersey drivers pay an extra dollar a gallon for using Texas, Louisiana, and Oklahoma oil, and thus depleting the resources of those states.
It is utter nonsense to have practically all our oil and refinery capacity situated in one spot...and that happens to be Hurricane Alley. Are we crazy?
I think that is going to be the theme of the 2008 election.
Yeah. The medical waste I have to dodge in the surf every August might be hidden by an oil slick.
How many people go to New Jersey for the beaches?
Maybe we could subcontract with the Chinese to have them do the offshore drilling for us. The environmentalists and other drilling opponents don’t seem to have a problem when it is China doing the drilling.
Millions. Every year.
gag them and throw them back under the rock they came out from.
Who wants to make a bet when winter comes around these same NJ reps will be going on TV complaining about how home heating oil is over $4 a gallon and poor people are forced to choose between heating their homes and food. Of course we will all be asked to go into out pockets to provide some sort of subsidy to these people.
The roof blew off my house last week. Since I can't get someone to fix it right away, I'm not going to fix it at all...
Corzine also said more drilling ... could destroy the state’s tourism economy if there were an oil spill offshore.
If gas keeps going up there will be no tourism but politicians can’t be expected to think ahead.
I would think that people would want to visit beaches and see the oil rigs that saved our economy and ended the wealth transfer to natiions that want us destroyed and helped save our country.
Psssssst, a little secret... drilling does not automatically mean there’s anything there !
Sorry, but you're wrong. Allowing off shore drilling will have an immediate impact on gas prices as speculators cool off. The argument all governors seem to be offering is really this: "The long run for me is my term of office and if it doesn't produce results while I'm in office, screw you."
Just once, politicians, do what's right for the country. It will have both immediate and long run benefits.
And, if absolutely necessary, so as not to offend Corzine's discriminating eye, the rigs could be camouflaged.
Okie01's Offshore Camouflage Kits would come in five styles:
1. Three-masted schooner.
2. Lighthouse.
3. Grain elevator.
4. Clipper ship.
5. Skyscraper.
For the adventurous, we are investigating the market for an extra cost specialty design: The Alcatraz (available one per state).
Note: No windmill kits are offered due to prior consultation with Sen. Kennedy.
How dare you be creative. Don’t you know there is nothing the greatest nation in history can do to solve a simple problem?
We can only be creative when it comes to rat voters, e.g. illegal aliens and “yes we can”.
-S-
Hey highway speedster...world demand for oil is way up and the USA supply is way down. Pushing aside your pontificating about Exxon stock prices we need more oil here in the USA. What can be more of an eyesore than northeast NJ anyway. Oh I know liberals want to sue OPEC and increase taxes on the Oil Companies and American drivers. That will certainly solve the high gas prices for sure ay? MORONS to the nth degree!
Millions. Actually, from Sandy hook to Cape May, NJ has the best Atlantic Ocean beaches in the country.
Bingo!
What a genius !
If you know we are DEPENDENT on oil, why on earth would you limit our access to it ?
Democrats - “Drilling for oil will take too long. We need to come up with a new plan instead.” /cognitive dissonance
The US Tax Payers also said more taxes would “support a pattern of dependency on taxation”..
Ahhh, good old Spring Lake! We lived there 19 years (Mrs. JimRed grew up there) then downsized to Wall.
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