THE NO ZONE and China in our backyard? - plenty of oil but the Democrats won't let us get it

Larry "I Am Not Gay" Craig website ^ | July 5, 2008 | Larry "I Am Not Gay" Craig

[doug from upland]

SOURCE

Video, charts, audio, and text at the site.

[radioman]

plenty of oil but the Democrats won't let us get it

Republicans held the White House.
Republicans held the Senate.
Republicans held the Congress.
We wouldn't have this problem today if Republicans would have given us an energy policy but they were more concerned about Terry Schiavo and internet poker than they were about oil.

[gorush]

We are doomed. We’re asking the Feds for permission to drill for oil when the Constitution doesn’t give them the power to prohibit it.

[Lumper20]

BS

[RightOnTheLeftCoast]

You certainly have a point: the GOP and especially its RINO contingent (cough McCain cough) have been asleep at the switch regarding energy and energy independence. They had their chance to make a profound difference, but due to many factors (not the least of which was horse-trading to get what was needed to pursue the War on Terror) they allowed a DemocRat Lite agenda to run.

But the problem long predates the GOP’s brief ascendancy. For example, it’s been three decades since a refinery was built in the U.S., due to NIMBY-think and environmental obstructionism. That wasn’t the GOP’s doing, though they can be faulted for failing to spotlight the damage such creeping leftism caused.

We’re paying the price now, with $5 a gallon looming in a few months.

[Dogbert41]

I’m sad to say, you are talking $5 a gallon in today’s money. Tomorrow that $5 a gallon may actually be $10 or more as the dollar loses value daily.

[doug from upland]

Republicans have tried and tried and tried to drill. They have been stopped every time by the Dems and their leftist supports. The blame is on the Dems.

[RightOnTheLeftCoast]

"I’m sad to say, you are talking $5 a gallon in today’s money. Tomorrow that $5 a gallon may actually be $10 or more as the dollar loses value daily."

There's a silver lining in that. Change "loses value" to "gains aggressiveness" in your last sentence, and you'll see it.

Exchange rates were anomalous in the '90s. (One might conjecture they were a gift from Bill Clinton to help shore up the uncompetitive economies of his fellow soft-socialists in Europe.) The past several years represents a return to comparative historical normalcy in exchange rates, and manufacturing's return to these shores after decades of ill-considered tinkering like GATT and the NAFTA Shaft-a is evidence of the macroeconomic benefits of an aggressive dollar. It's painful for those addicted to imports, of course. Which brings me back to my original point: we import our energy today. Didn't used to be that way. It's a bad idea, it well predates the GOP's ascendancy, and it's time for a return to American self-sufficiency.

[radioman]

Doug, both parties are to blame.
Republicans had the power...they waffled the looming energy crisis. Many of us complained about that right here on FR when we were in power.

[truthguy]

Not really radioman. Yes the Republicans held the Presidency and the Congress but they were slim majorities. There are also a contingent of RINO’s that are just as bad as Democrats. They did not have the numbers to push through the type of legislation that would have began to fix our energy problems.
Then there is the issue of the Courts. Liberal “environmentalists” have found a way of stopping energy projects by filing lawsuits to foolish, stupid, corrupt judges who will stop the projects and run up the costs so as to make the projects uneconomical.
Then there is the knuckle dragging public. Most people in the United States are simply too stupid to understand the energy issues. Of this much I'm positive. I have seen so many news reports of people talking about high gas prices and without breaking stride they will start talking about Solar and Wind energy. What in the world do Solar and Wind have to do with transportation fuels?

[jesseam]

Thats ok, we can just buy our oil back from the Chinese after they pump it out of our back yard

[doug from upland]

Passed in the Senate in 2005.....the Dems killed it

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/216352_anwr17.html

[Ben Ficklin]

"if the Republicans would have given us an energy policy"

If you will look at the last map that doug posted above you will see a light green area that the GOP congress opened to drilling in Dec 2006. It is 8.3 million acres.

Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006

[radioman]

Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006....bans oil and gas leasing within 100 miles of the Florida coastline in the Eastern Planning Area, and a portion of the Central Planning Area, until 2022;
Our continental shelf is loaded with oil, gas and gold. We had the political power to open the shelf in 2000 but waffled and replaced a real energy policy with this anemic plan in 2006.
...Where's the oil?

[radioman]

But the problem long predates the GOP’s brief ascendancy. For example, it’s been three decades since a refinery was built in the U.S., due to NIMBY-think and environmental obstructionism. That wasn’t the GOP’s doing, though they can be faulted for failing to spotlight the damage such creeping leftism caused.

I agree but we spent decades getting enough power to make changes...then we blew it.
Now that the GOP has become RINO Democrat Lite we'll have to wait for an economic crash to regain power and that isn't going to be fun.

[Salvation]

 

 

Contact your Congress critters to let them know that you are tired of high gas prices.

U. S. Senate

U. S. House of Representatives

[kabar]

The Reps could never have gotten the stuff thru the Senate. We didn’t have 60 senators to invoke cloture.

[Ben Ficklin]

Bush auctioned the first leases in Dec 2001.

The Sierra Club-Judicial watch suit was filed spring 2002.

SCOTUS ruled for Bush in 2006.

Click here and scroll down to Exhibit 1

[radioman]

They did not have the numbers to push through the type of legislation that would have began to fix our energy problems.
You're right. We said "we don't have the numbers" and gave up without even putting a bill on the floor.

Then there is the issue of the Courts. Liberal “environmentalists” have found a way of stopping energy projects by filing lawsuits to foolish, stupid, corrupt judges who will stop the projects and run up the costs so as to make the projects uneconomical.
Did we fight the environmentalists?
I sure don't remember any opposition to them and I'm not seeing any now.

What in the world do Solar and Wind have to do with transportation fuels?
Not a damn thing. In a nutshell, liberals are willing to spend money to push their cause. Republicans aren't. I still have not seen a determined conservative response to global warming or any other kook cause. They spend millions on pap smear propaganda and all we do is pander.

It sure seems strange that the oil corps aren't spending some of those profits on public relations...makes me wonder whose side they're on.

[radioman]

Thats ok, we can just buy our oil back from the Chinese after they pump it out of our back yard
We'll be able to buy a new Chinese pickup and fill it with gas at COSCO!

[radioman]

Passed in the Senate in 2005.....the Dems killed it
The Dems couldn't have killed it without RINO help.
The big hurdle was no guarantee that the oil would stay in the US to lower gas prices. If we wouldn't have caved to speculators demands that oil be fungible the bill would have passed by a landslide.

This was a day late and a dollar short. We were losing power in 2005. From 2000 to 2004 we had the power to do anything we wanted. If we would have put half the effort into energy that we put into Terry Schiavo we wouldn't be in this mess today.

If we want to fix this mess we need to concentrate our efforts on energy instead of morality wars. Open the shelf now... The states don't own the shelf. Stop pretending that they do.

[radioman]

From the dep: "Congress's investigative arm, has sued Cheney to obtain details of his task force's meetings, hoping to learn more about efforts by energy executives and others to shape White House policy".

The GAO had to sue to get public information?
Can you spell fungible?
Is it White House policy that we must give our oil away?
Drill here. Drill now. Screw the rest of the world!

[Ben Ficklin]

"our oil"

What does that mean? What is "our oil"?

[radioman]

What does that mean? What is "our oil"?
Oil that is produced here in America.

[Ben Ficklin]

And the axiom to that definition is that if "we" open all the continental shelf and all the federal lands, the equipment and manpower and capital will materialize, to find and produce an adequate amount of oil(and natural gas) to make ourselves truly energy independent.

Dream on.

[doug from upland]

Why did you have to bring Terry Schiavo into this thread. That was not necessary. Drop your agenda and talk about energy here.

Our side has fought for drilling and nuclear power for decades. The Dems, supported by the environmentalists and obstructionist lawsuits have stopped it.

[radioman]

It’s not my agenda, Doug. I was one of those on the Shiavo side...along with you. I used Shiavo as an example of what went wrong. Sorry if that offended you but we need to stop everything else and concentrate on energy.

We aren’t getting the support we need from the middle because of our excursions and energy trumps everything including terrorists.

Give me a plan to run with and I’ll put as much energy into it as I did to defeat Clinton. Get the ball rolling and give us some FReeper targets.

[radioman]

Open the shelf the same as we opened the west to mining claims. There will be no shortage of machinery and manpower.
Right now a Japanese/American company wants to pump methane from the Gulf of Alaska. There’s enough methane to power both the US and Japan for the next two hundred years. The only thing standing in the way is government.

[doug from upland]

Okay, I understand. I wasn't one of the people out front regarding Shiavo, but I thought it was truly disgusting what they did to her. We begin with McCain. Finally, he saw the light on offshore drilling, at least allowing it to be determined by the states. As much as he is the not the right leader for our time, Obama would destroy this nation. We have no choice. The plan is to put pressure on McCain until he realizes he has no chance to win without pushing the energy issue. He needs to show leadership, drop the RINO nonsense, and announce that he will issue executive orders to get our energy. He must take leadership on drilling in the stinking frozen icesheet called ANWR. The fools on the left have to understand that Global Warming won't matter if our economy is destroyed. The entire world will go into chaos and repressive governments. It will be a perfect opportunity for radical Islam. How about this? Are we able to send in "conditional" donations? A check that can only be cashed at such time as McCain gives public support to open ANWR. If he got tens of millions in small conditional checks, perhaps he would listen.

[radioman]

I agree with you and the conditional check is the best idea I’ve ever heard of. If we could get that going it would be difficult for McCain, or any other politician, to break his word without looking like a thief!

[RightOnTheLeftCoast]

" I agree but we spent decades getting enough power to make changes...then we blew it."

You are, unfortunately, exactly right.

That's why I regularly pee in the punchbowl on threads extolling Newt Gingrich for VP or such. Had his chance, rather blew it. Talks a good game, though, I'll admit.

[radioman]

Talks a good game, though, I'll admit.
Sure does but in the end bs walks.

[Ben Ficklin]

There is something wrong with either your knowledge or your logic.

While you focus on some project or technology to "pump methane" from Alaska to Japan, most people would immediately think of a proposed natural gas pipeline from the North Slope to Chicago. Or, they would think of the numerous LNG terminals being planned, permitted, and built to bring natural gas to the US. Hello out there. In a few years, 20% of the US's supply of natural gas will be imported.

[PSYCHO-FREEP]

Sadly, it was McCain’s vote that defeated the latest near passing for drilling ANWR. His statement has been widely quoted on this forum for why he decided we should not have that oil.

Had he voted for it, we would be very close to producing it today because it would have passed, and the President would have signed it.

[radioman]

There is something wrong with either your knowledge or your logic.
The project is a fact. They've mapped the deposit and are ready to go. This isn't north slope. The gulf has frozen methane deposits that don't require drilling. When brought to the surface the frozen methane thaws.
The problem is idiocracy not a shortage of gas or technology.