Obama to Open Offshore Areas to Oil Drilling for First Time

Originally posted by Benevolent Heretic
I have no idea why Obama has made this flip flop. I find I agree with several people in this thread on different sides of the matter.

We don't need more oil. We need to learn how to conserve that which we have.
Solar power should be the next thing we concentrate on.
Obama is probably doing this for SOMEBODY'S election prospects.
I don't trust this. I don't trust that he's telling the truth. He's flip-flopped without an explanation (except for some mumbo jumbo)

I really don't know what to think. For once.

I agree with you and I dont know why he flipped on this. I understand that its going to take time to ween off from oil and convert to a renewable energy environment but when this issue was brought up during the election(with the dems on the other side)the data against drilling in my opinion was a stronger argument.

There is data out there showing that this will not significantly increase oil production, partly because of the lack of refineries.

Another thing that some fail to realize when chanting "drill baby drill", is that oil drilling and refining is not a nationalized industry. If more drilling area is opened up domestically, the contracts are given to private corporations and the oil that they retrieve is subject to the same global oil market. Shell/BP/Exxon/Etc. are not going to give the US a price break.

Whether the oil is drilled in Iowa or Iran, its still going to sell for the current market price to whomever is willing to buy it. The only way we pay a cheaper price for domestic oil, is if the US oil industry is nationalized and run by the govt.

I am not happy about this move, not on principle alone but for the lack of explanation. When this issue was being discussed during the election I could have been swayed if the data suggested that it would make a difference and it could be proven that it could be done in an environmentally fashion, unfortunately the facts do not dictate that.

I want to continue pushing towards renewable energy but I'm not so naive to think that we can instantly make the switch. It is going to take oil and coal to help build an infrastructure and the materials to switch to a renewable economy. But once that base is put into place we can start the drawback from the dirty energy to the clean. And while it may be expensive to make the switch, the long term cost savings will out weigh the current energy infrastructure.

Renewable is just that...renewable and in the long run will make energy much, much cheaper.

Originally posted by iamcamouflage
I am not happy about this move, not on principle alone but for the lack of explanation.

Yes. Same here. There was some sort of speculative(?) answer on Rachel tonight, having to do with the money behind global and environmental change, which sounds likely, but I didn't hear it all. I'll look forward to seeing it when it's up on her site.

One thing I did see that was cute: Drill, Barry, drill.

Solar energy is a cute little local-oriented boutique solution being heralded by non-scientific minds.

Imagine powering the huge fleet of tractor trailers that constantly criss-cross our nation with solar. Impossible. Or the network of trains that carry thousands of tons of cargo. Hah!

Then tell me that you are going to rely on a solar cell to deliver the clean, pure, uninterrupted source of energy to power a precision nuclear tool used in a brain operation.

Forget it.

We need coal, nuclear, and oil energy for years to come, until sources such as hydrogen become viable.

reply to post by lpowell0627


I want you to look up this word for us: Compromise. Do you understand what that word means now?

I would think the "Drill baby Drill" proponents would be happy for this. But of course, if Obama supports it, people are going to be against it.

Socialism

You tried to warn us


What a socialist

God, USSR here we are

Obama is a liar. He claimed he was handing over the Gulf of Mexico oil because he was turning towards alternate fuels. Now he goes and ganks 3 million acres off of Virginia cost? HOW CAN YOU BELIEVE ANYTHING HE SAYS!!!??? This man lies openly and gets away with it every time. Seriously, I have never loathed a President even remotely as close as I do Obama.

EDITORIAL: Obama surrenders gulf oil to Moscow

Originally posted by whatukno
reply to post by lpowell0627

 

I want you to look up this word for us: Compromise. Do you understand what that word means now?

I would think the "Drill baby Drill" proponents would be happy for this. But of course, if Obama supports it, people are going to be against it.

I am a fan of compromise and pride myself on being able to facilitate compromise in my daily life...but when you are dealing with someone who has no concept of the word or is completely unwilling to compromise, the efforts for compromise will be futile.

Some people operate pretending to want compromise only to undermine the matter at hand or to get their own way. I see this all the time.

Sadly with this issue, i have yet to see what the compromise is and that is my problem. I honestly think that this is attempted compromise for the Republicans but as you and others have noted, the Republicans are unwilling to compromise or even admit that Obama is trying to compromise.

If this is an attempt at compromise, fine. I can accept some offshore drilling if it gets the ball rolling on green energy. But as we have seen, the Republicans are opposed to this offshore drilling because it doesnt go far enough. They should be happy for any compromise, as it is not required for one party to compromise with the other, its usually only done to garner votes.

reply to post by iamcamouflage


Well for them, there is only one question left...

Do you want a Shmoke and a Pancake?

Originally posted by Xcouncil=wisdom
"The proposal is intended to reduce dependence on oil imports, ....

LOL ... LOL again. More proof that Obama is a short sighted MORON!

So, okay, suppose our dependence for foreign oil is significantly reduced. Now what happens when all those dollars we exchanged for foreign oil stop flowing back into this country as them OPEC nations spend them? YUP, more lost domestic jobs .. jobs producing things WE still export.

Man I tell ya, I'm starting to understand why Odummy doesn't want his education transcripts to be revealed. What a dope, ha. Apparently he can't see past 2012 in so far as consequences are concerned, ha.

I don't know if it is true but I have heard of hemp being a good renewable energy. If someone can elaborate it would be much appreciated. As for the drilling, good for him. We need new resources badly that won't damage the earth in such a way but right now oil seems to be our only choice.

Originally posted by whatukno
I would think the "Drill baby Drill" proponents would be happy for this. But of course, if Obama supports it, people are going to be against it.

It's funny, they're split. Half for them are crying "Liar! Flip-flopper"! And the other half are saying, "Well, it's about time he did something right"! And they're arguing with each other... Who knows? Maybe that's part of Obama's motivation...

reply to post by Benevolent Heretic

It's funny, they're split. Half for them are crying "Liar! Flip-flopper"! And the other half are saying, "Well, it's about time he did something right"! And they're arguing with each other... Who knows? Maybe that's part of Obama's motivation...

Good god, who knows anymore! I think it's Obama derangement syndrome, (happened with Bush too) no matter what he does, it's an evil plot.

There is no winning with these people. Who knows what their motivation is. Many of them think that Obama is the Anti-Christ or Hitler, or whatever.

When McCain and Palin were screaming "Drill Baby, Drill" they were all for the idea. But Obama starts it, and NOOO it's a bad idea.

I personally don't see the point in opening offshore drilling. The Oil companies aren't going to increase production because they get to drill in new places.

Originally posted by whatukno
When McCain and Palin were screaming "Drill Baby, Drill" they were all for the idea. But Obama starts it, and NOOO it's a bad idea.

Exactly. And if they don't think the public is smart enough to see that, they're in for a big surprise.

I personally don't see the point in opening offshore drilling. The Oil companies aren't going to increase production because they get to drill in new places.

I don't either. I'm very puzzled by this.

Here's the segment on Rachel that I talked about earlier. Koch Industries It's a MUST SEE!

They fund the "global warming is a hoax" organizations.

I was in line at the grocery store the other day and in front of me was a man who was talking to several people. Eavesdropping, I learned that he was an environmental engineer who was stationed in Antarctica for 6 months a year. He was talking about how, during the Bush administration, their team was told that if they released any of their findings they would lose their grants. That's when the "global warming is a hoax" business really started moving.

Since Obama got elected, those threats have been lifted, so the environmental teams have been releasing their findings like crazy, but the "hoax" machine was already in full swing, doing a pretty good job of counter-acting it (as witnessed here on ATS).

My suspicion is that Obama is doing this because he's under someone's thumb. In other words, he's chosen this course as the lesser of two evils. Who knows where the drilling will go or if it will ever result in any actual drilling? But it's appeasing someone for now. That's my conspiracy theory.

I think maybe Barry knows that gas prices are about to spike in the coming summer months and he needs to be seen by the American people as having done SOMETHING to counter it. Remember the Bush years and high gas prices? There were times when Bush's approval rating actually went up or down whole points based solely on gas prices rising and falling.

I thought people voted in Barack Obama?

So far he seems like Mitt Romney!

Romneycare...Drill baby drill!!

Haha

He's turned politics over on it's head.

The last few weeks have completely blown my mind. We are still getting shouts of Obama's radical socialist agenda....and quite frankly I haven't seen it.

I see Republican bills being passed. Even the stimulus package had 300 billion in tax cuts.

Romneycare (Why aren't we calling Obamacare...ROMNEYCARE??)...oil drilling...nuclear energy...etc etc.

Where is this socialist marxist I keep hearing about?

I find the HCR reform the most intriguing though.

If Romney had been elected...and signed this bill....Republicans would be yelling that this was awesome (except for Ron Paul)...and Democrats would be screaming it was a handout to the health insurance industry.

Politics.....it's all BS. The big boys ALWAYS win and the little guy continues to get leftovers.

This is Socialism? HA!!!!! This is Corporatism...it's here and it's not going away anytime soon.





[edit on 1-4-2010 by David9176]

reply to post by sos37


sos37...this move by Obama is strictly political IMO. This takes away "Drill Baby Drill" for Republicans in the coming elections...and 2012.

Originally posted by David9176
reply to post by sos37

 

sos37...this move by Obama is strictly political IMO. This takes away "Drill Baby Drill" for Republicans in the coming elections...and 2012.

But was "drill baby drill" even an agenda item in the coming November elections before Obama made this move to open offshore drilling? I had only heard of the GOP basing their campaigns on health care reform.

reply to post by sos37


It would have been to battle cap and trade.

It makes sense to me....of course it's just my opinion.

Drilling won't happen for a long time...if it ever actually happens.

BTW....as soon as the news of this broke....Sarah Palin tweeted, "Drill Baby Drill"....but later in the day....she changed her tune and started the regular..."Obama is destroying the country mantra."



[edit on 1-4-2010 by David9176]

Originally posted by Benevolent Heretic

I really don't know what to think. For once.

The price of oil has doubled since this time last year.

Summer is comming and with it the annual rise in gas prices and consumption. The economy is starting to turn and it is arguably in the Middle Easts interests to delay a full economic revovery in the Untied States. They can do this by jacking up gas prices this summer.

Compromising and allowing the off-shore drilling in certain areas sends an early warning shot to the foriegn oil providers that he is willing to source US oil and they should think carefully about price guaging the USA during the current economic climate.

Alternative energy...or drilling off-shore won't make any immediate difference to our power consumption this summer, but calling the middle easts bluff could save the economy yet one more hit as we try to recover.

What this was not...An attempt to curry favor from GOP lawmakers, he is not that naive.

OPEC decides to leave output unchanged
www.usatoday.com...

reply to post by maybereal11


If the economy improves....gas prices will go up...and it will stifle any real economic recovery.

Remember how much gas was before the economic meltdown?

It was nearly 4.00 dollars a gallon...at least here in Michigan. It was breaking me at the time.