Posted on 09/18/2008 11:22:49 AM PDT by jazusamo
How lame is the energy bill that Speaker Nancy Pelosi had her House Democrats pass through the House on Tuesday? Louisiana Sen. Mary Landrieu said before the vote that Pelosi's handiwork would be "dead on arrival" in the Senate. This from a Democrat who's up for re-election in an oil-and-gas state that would seem to gain from the bill's much-ballyhooed expansion of offshore drilling?
What gives? For starters, Landrieu knows that the limited drilling the House leadership allows in principle -- it opens up waters 50 miles from shore with state approval -- is made next to impossible in practice. How? By not allowing states to share in the revenues. Why would they agree to oil rigs off their shores when there's nothing in it for them?
Why would Pelosi and company pass a bill that really doesn't increase domestic oil production? Don't they realize Americans favor greater reliance on our own resources and want long-term relief from high gasoline and natural gas prices? Yes. Which is why they put together an energy bill with a drilling component and scheduled a vote. They were getting hammered for not even allowing a vote on the House GOP's energy bill. It's also why the House Democrats' "drilling" provision is, as Landrieu understands, a sham. The Pelosi bill does not constitute an energy strategy to bring down prices over the long term. It's a political strategy to give the illusion of action.
"Democrats appear to be aiming to bring their bill up for a vote in order to say they've held a vote on drilling ...," Congressional Quarterly reported.
Mere speculation? A conclusion based on the chasm between what the Pelosi package promises and what it delivers? Hardly. A House Democratic leadership aide told the quarterly that "members are concerned that they are getting beat up on the issue ... and want to be 'armed to hit back.'"
The bill's sham drilling provisions are clear when set against the House Republicans' drilling provisions. Unlike the Pelosi bill, the GOP's comprehensive energy alternative -- comprehensive in that 40 percent of royalties from the new oil leases (an estimated $1.2 trillion) would go to renewable research and development, environmental cleanup, carbon sequestration and nuclear waste recycling -- allows development of the 2.5 million barrels of oil per day in domestic shale oil resources. The Pelosi bill requires that states "opt-in" and does not allow communities to share in the revenues. Again, there's no incentive for states to allow shale-oil development.
Unlike the Pelosi bill, the GOP alternative provides a real lifting -- not a faux lifting -- of the current ban on offshore drilling. It not only includes financial revenue-sharing incentives for states that approve coastal drilling, but also opens up a far larger area where drilling can take place. The Pelosi bill limits all oil and gas drilling to 50 miles. The GOP alternative allows states to decide if they want drilling from 25 to 50 miles offshore -- where most of the oil and gas is located. On the Pacific Coast this cuts off more than 97 percent of our Pacific oil and natural gas reserves.
The Pelosi bill "allows" drilling from 50 to 100 miles out if states "opt in." Without revenue sharing for the states, however, this won't happen. The GOP alternative gives states that decide to allow offshore drilling 30 percent of the revenues.
In practice, the Pelosi bill fences off outer-continental shelf oil and gas production within 100 miles of our shoreline. Right now, Congress' annual ban puts 85 percent of the outer-continental shelf off-limits. This is an area with up to 86 billion barrels of oil and 420 trillion cubic feet of gas. The Pelosi bill keeps 88 percent of this resource-rich area (the 85 percent of the outer-continental now under lock and key) off-limits for good. This is an energy policy?
It's not even clear it's a good political strategy. Pelosi's bill is an obvious charade. Recall Landrieu's dead-on-arrival warning. Then there's this: The offshore drilling ban must be renewed each year. Thus, if Congress does not pass another ban -- or something in its place -- by Oct. 1, the whole drilling ban is no more. They'll be no distinctions between 25, 50, 100 or 200 miles offshore or putting 40 percent of the royalties into conservation and renewable energy. Then, Pelosi will have conspired through a mix of intrigue and ineptness to produce an energy policy that will rightly be called "Drill, baby, drill."
SHAM BABY SHAM
IMHO, I think she is either on drugs or mentally ill.
And to think under a bho administration, 9% Nancy would be two heart beats away from being president. Scarey!
The only drilling she wants to do in Alaska is to dig up dirt........
Pelosi wants gas prices as high as possible because California adds 7.5% tax on every dollar spent on gas.
Nancy is a fraud who will NOT be in ANY leadership position, come February. Irrespective of the election results.
Her 2 years of failed “leadership” will be remembered in infamy.
The Democrat "No Domestic Energy Policy!"
All of that puts the U.S. in a position that war for oil or
complete economic collapse will be our only choices.
You can't frustrate every source of domestic energy
without consequences. Our enemies will blackmail us
to the extent that we are vulnerable to blackmail.
The Democrats are leading us into a real war for oil.
A war we won't have the energy to fight.
She’s putting up this bill so that she can use it against republicans. “Democrats in congress voted for an expansion of drilling, Republicans voted to block it. Is this who you want running your country?”
I agree, she has to be the worst Speaker in our lifetime and the Dems know it.
The high gas prices are hurting Virginia. They charge gas tax as so many cents per gallon. With consumption down, so are revenues.
What the Demoncrats are doing is responding to the people’s demand to drill here and now the only way they can. By making it look like we can drill, but in reality making it virtually impossible.
It’s all about public perception. I think she wants to make Lincoln a liar. You recall that Lincoln said, “You can’t fool all of the people all of the time.”
Earth to Pelosi!.....Smooth move ex-lax!....most of the oil is inside 50 miles.
The bill also requires we pump and use 10% of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve.
Pelosi doesn’t even know the reserve is for the MILITARY and situations if foreign oil is not available.
Yes, the RATS are fixated on tapping into the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, that’s so lame it’s difficult to put in words.
Pelosi should be fired from her job.
Can’t we drill her brains?
Looks like we have..
Granted it aint oil, but maybe we could set up a methane processor like Bartertown.
we don’t really know the long-term effect of botox, do we?
it would explain for some of the insane behaviour and comments from more than a few dems including
Nanny Pelosi, John $kerry and bArney and rangel
If we can vote out enough House Dems, this can happen. If we don’t, forget about it.
The Republicans should just keep repeating that Pelosi’s bill is a ‘JOKE AND A FRAUD’ The RNC has plenty of money for ads saying this over and over.
And, this is today's Democratic Party. Specious claims of drilling support, while undermining U.S. energy production.
Why would the Dems undermine U.S. energy production?
As nearly as I can figure it, they want to mess up our economy so horribly, that they will literally torture voters into opting for "change".
.
The one year “renew” provision is an even bigger sham.
Who will spend any moeny even doing “exploration” if they have one year renewals?
This isn’t registration for your car, for cripes sakes.
Even my small country gives 3 year renewals on dog licenses!!!!!!
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