Originally Posted By plpeters70 Well, I understand the position the Democrats are in, but this is just so disappointing. The oil companies and Republicans have lied to the American people, and somehow convinced them that drilling off our costs will somehow magically lower the price they pay for gas. Of course, it’s all crap – the price of gas won’t be affected much by this, short-term or long-term. And yet, the people seem blind to these facts, and the Republicans and oil companies are using the people’s ignorance to make themselves richer – and continue this countries dangerous dependence on a substance that is destroying the environment, and running out. Our children and grandchildren are going to be left with a big mess to cleanup, and it’s just sad. Some highlights: <<Anna Aurilio, director of the Washington office of Environment America, said Congress was on the verge of sacrificing 30 years of coastal protection. “It is a huge power grab on the part of the oil industry and its allies,” Ms. Aurilio said, “and it won’t do anything to help the public and will hurt the coast.” Ms. Pelosi and her fellow Democrats say that they are making the change reluctantly but that the political climate rendered it impossible to try to retain the drilling ban this year. So rather than see the moratorium expire and open the way to drilling as close as three miles from the coast, they said they were pushing any drilling at least 50 miles offshore, requiring states to agree to it and tying the whole package to a series of clean energy initiatives that have so far languished in Congress. “The reality,” Ms. Pelosi told reporters Thursday, is “if we don’t have something in the bill, it’s drilling three miles offshore.”>> Of course, the Republicans, and their oil company masters, still aren’t happy – they want even more for the fossil fuel companies… <<Though they have not seen a detailed measure, Republicans said early indications were they would not favor the bill despite the new offshore drilling. They said the measure evidently would not promote nuclear energy and other potential oil sources like oil shale. And the oil industry does not like it since it would eliminate an estimated $17 billion in tax breaks over 10 years, a change the industry sees as a tax increase that could drive oil investment overseas. And it keeps parts of Florida’s gulf coast, where large natural gas deposits have been found, off limits.>>
Originally Posted By plpeters70 Forgot the link: <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/12/us/12cong.html?ref=washington" target="_blank">http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09...shington</a>
Originally Posted By Mr X Here's the "duh" part for all you gas paying folks... At the moment, oil is crashing. It's close to under $100 a barrel, and would be much lower if not for OPEC posturing and the horrible hurricane barreling into texas soon. Nightmare of nightmares...energy might very well be a NON issue, before November 7th. Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha. (looking for $75 a barrel by late October...that would be hilarious, as McCain would have NOTHING to stand on)
Originally Posted By mawnck >>that would be hilarious, as McCain would have NOTHING to stand on<< Oh, they'll have a podium for him to stand on on inauguration day. Sigh.
Originally Posted By fkurucz OK, assuming he wins, here is a question: Will we invade Iran? And if we do, who will go? Will "economic conscription" provide enough boots to put on the ground? Or Will the draft return?
Originally Posted By plpeters70 << Nightmare of nightmares...energy might very well be a NON issue, before November 7th.>> That would be a nightmare, but mostly for the American people’s future. From my wallet’s point of view, it’s great that oil prices are down – hopefully gas prices will start falling too. (They haven’t really yet, you know - I’m still paying $3.50 here in Maryland.) But from an environmental, and energy independence, point of view – it’s a bit of a disaster. The only thing that will galvanize voters, and politicians, to change how America gets its energy will be high prices. And this isn’t an issue we can safely ignore for ANOTHER 30 years. We may not be out of gas yet, but that day will come – and if we wait around until the last minute to curb our dependence on oil, then the pain of switching to something else will be that much harder – and maybe impossible.
Originally Posted By mawnck >>OK, assuming he wins, here is a question: Will we invade Iran? etc.<< What I'm hoping is that the McCain that's going to show up at 1600 Pennsylvania is the guy I saw speaking at the convention, and not the guy who keeps approving all the messages and giving all the speeches with the blatant lies in them. I don't think we can answer your questions until we find out which McCain it is, and how much or how little he's going to be able to affect things with Congress being what it is. And I'll be praying, HARD, for his continued health. If he has the intensely bad judgment to keel over, it sounds like we'll be at war with *everybody* within a couple months.
Originally Posted By Sport Goofy << At the moment, oil is crashing. >> Do we need any more proof that Big Oil in the White House has been manipulating energy prices for the past 7.5 years? With an election on the horizon, the prices drop precipitously beforehand? Give me a break.
Originally Posted By utahjosh <With an election on the horizon, the prices drop precipitously beforehand? Give me a break.> Acutally, high oil prices could be used by either candidate for fodder: Obama: You've seen the prices rise over the last four years. I'll make a difference and bring prices down. McCain: With oil prices at an all-time high, more than ever we need stability in the middle east. We'll keep our troops there until the job is done.
Originally Posted By dshyates Great, The Dems are on the same page as the Repubs. Energy problem solved. No everyone go buy a Hummer.
Originally Posted By Sport Goofy << McCain: With oil prices at an all-time high, more than ever we need stability in the middle east. We'll keep our troops there until the job is done. >> Wasn't our warmongering in the Middle East essentially the cause for escalating oil prices to begin with? Is you memory that short? Besides, the Big Oil bubbas in the White House have already promised the Saudis that they can have elevated oil prices as long as they bail out some of our Wall Street investment banks and money center banks (Citi). If the administration changes, the Saudis risk losing a lot of money they have dumped into Citi. You can bet they can manipulate oil prices lower before the election to keep their interests in check.
Originally Posted By utahjosh <Besides, the Big Oil bubbas in the White House have already promised the Saudis that they can have elevated oil prices as long as they bail out some of our Wall Street investment banks and money center banks (Citi). If the administration changes, the Saudis risk losing a lot of money they have dumped into Citi. You can bet they can manipulate oil prices lower before the election to keep their interests in check.> Do you have sources? Or is this just another "paranoid liberal talking point?"
Originally Posted By Sport Goofy Oil briefly dropped below $100 a barrel today, even in advance of Hurrican Ike -- which analysts are all predicting will cause significant damage to oil producers in the Gulf and near Galveston. Did prices drop in advance of Katrina hitting the Gulf Coast? This is pure price manipulation before the election. Very predictable. Just as predictable as it was to buy oil and defense contractor stocks in December 2000 if you wanted to make some money.
