First off let me just start by saying that I dont believe drilling in Anwar Alaska will solve our energy needs, not in the 10years to come and
certainly not for a long enough period of time. I think most americans are looking for a quick fix and when they hear about the possibility of
drilling on homeground they put their own current needs for energy ahead of the consequences for such a decision. No im not a tree hugger, Im a
realist and upon research on this situation, keeping an open mind, I have come to the conclusion that simply more drilling will only feed our oil
addiction for a short period of time.
Both Obama and McCain opposed drilling in alaska for envirnoment reasons, McCain was the first to flip flop, Obama eventually did as well and Pelosi
followed. Since both Obama and McCain appear to be flip flopping over what they claim to believe I decided to do some research myself. What I found is
well beyon what I expect, much of the facts I found got me wondering why those advocates for more drilling didnt bother to inform the public of the
reality of taking this on. All iv heard from those for drilling, for the most part on the right, is that drilling will ease the gas prices. Well
according to my sources it doesnt appear to be so.
Now that the Alaska drilling Legislation has passed through the house I feel that more could have been done to ammend the legislation to best suit all
sides of issue. Its too bad that months of Republican-Democrat finger pointing wasted so much valuble time. I well and truly believe that for most
part the Bush administration should take the bulk of the responsibility of the energy mess but that being said the democrats have done NOTHING to work
out a solution as well.
I am a firm believer in energy independence. That doesnt just mean independence of foreign oil but independence of any single source of energy. For
over a century now oil has been our only major source of fuel yet over all that time we have not seen major development in other kinds of fuels to
use. This disturbs me especially considering the great minds we have in the United Stades and around the world, nobody has been able to bring in other
sources of fuels. What further plays in with the years of silence over energy independence (until recent times) is the power of oil companies.
In the years following the invasion of Iraq or operation Iraqi freedom (OIL) major oil companies have made record profits over the rising prices:
abcnews.go.com...
www.boston.com...
Now while these companys make profits over the backs of hard working americans and other families around the world, they will will make more profit
off the desperation of the very hard working people. Further drilling a alaska will only serve the oil companys.
According to the EIA (energy information administration) it will take over 3years for the infrastructure to produce the fuel from Alaska to be
settled. Whats more interesting it will take a total of 10years for that fuel to come back to us:
"ANWR oil production would begin 10 years after legislation
www.eia.doe.gov...
10years, I mean seriously, people want to drill for oil now so that they can see prices decrease, do you really think waiting for 10years for fuel
that will ony give you temperary relief is going to solve you issues?
If the government gets a clue and focuses heavily on cheaper alternative fuel veichles over that ten years, I believe there will be more impact. If
public transportation is further developed, I am I firm believe that we will be able to let go of our addiction to oil. More drilling will just be
feeding this addiction.
It will take 10years for any of this to benefit americans and evens that that prices will ony drop a mere 3cents for only a short period of time.
In addition to this fact, drilling on Alaskas northern slop has already been done:
drilling in Alaska’s North Slope have declined over the past seven years as the volume of oil extracted from the North Slope fell from 800,000
barrels in 1980 to half that amount, which is part of the reason BP and other companies have been so eager to drill in ANWR.
www.scoop.co.nz...
So it is apparent that the same oil companies benefitting from hard working americans will benefit off their desperation aswell.
Both candidates have claimed to be for alternative fuel yet McCain seems to be more vocal about domestic drilling that the focus on alternative
energies.
www.johnmccain.com...
Obama was against drilling because he knows along with a large fraction of americans who actually do their research that drilling on home ground will
not amount to anything more than a short term 3cent drop in ten years. The Democrats have been slack over the years on this issue I admit but atleast
their focus is primarely on alternative fuels, atleast they know that drilling in alaska will only benefit to those already gaining from the current
fuel crises. The Bush administration has done nothing, it was only recently that republicans began looking to alternative fuels aswell. Meanwhile we
still have some righties closing their ears and ignoring the fuel crises. Drill drill drill is all we hear from them, this is their solution. Continue
to feed the addiction.
The only benefit we might have from drilling is to heavily tax the oil companies drilling there so that the money from these taxes can go into the
development of cheaper alternative fuel viechles. Sure, its what paris hilton said, but its been my thought for some time. Either that or we ditch
drilling all together and focus on alternative fuels development over the next 10years.
[edit on 14-8-2008 by southern_Guardian]