Oil and energy issues coming to a head

June 27, 2008 by jim

President Bush asked Congress on Wednesday to permit drilling for oil in deep water off America’s coasts to combat rising oil and gas prices. There is no excuse for delay,” the president said in a Rose Garden statement. The proposal met opposition from governors from California, New Jersey North Carolina, and New Mexico. “We are in this situation because of our dependence on traditional petroleum-based oil,” California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, a Republican, said in a statement, according to The Associated Press. “Our $35 billion economy is driven by tourism and the use of the shore,” AP quoted New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine, a Democrat, as saying.

“It’s a very bad idea. First of all, it will take 30 years before it affects gas prices — lowering them — and it will take 10 years to start the drilling,” New Mexico Governor and former U.S. Energy Secretary Bill Richardson, a Democrat, told CNN. “The answer is a long-term policy that deals with — substantial policies that promote — conservation, fuel efficiency in vehicles, an emphasis on renewable energy.” “It’s doesn’t work for states to decide. If the state above or below you has a problem it affects your shores as well,” North Carolina Gov. Mike Easley, a Democrat said, according to AP. “It’s too much squeeze for the juice when you look at real estate on the coast, recreational fishing and tourism that could be adversely affected by some problem.” Virginia and South Carolina have largely supported lifting the moratorium, AP reported.

Oil production cost,Here’s what the price of a barrel of oil needs to be for different sources of petroleum to be profitably extracted: - Accessible land: $19 - Shallow water: $20-60 - Deep water: $60 - Shale mining: $30-50 - Oil sands: $50-60 Current price per barrel: $134 Sources: U.S. Govt. CERA, Rand, EnCana Bush also renewed his demand that Congress allow drilling in Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, clear the way for more refineries and encourage efforts to recover oil from shale in areas such as the Green River Basin of Colorado, Utah and Wyoming. Bush said that the basin potentially contains more than three times as much recoverable oil as Saudi Arabia’s proven reserves and that the high price of oil makes it profitable to extract it. Bush tells Congress again do it my way

We have discussed our shale oil numerous times since Bush first clandestinely announced a program to make it’s capture economical! It is interesting that Bush is finally saying it out loud! It seems to me like it should be equitable to produce our energy needs from already existing and unused existing sources rather than instituting programs that will only give the oil industry more work and employment while doing nothing for our cost and energy needs! This is only one of the numerous issues that is coming to a head conveniently just before elections!
What really bothers me is tha I believe nothing will prevent prices to continue skyward and once again the lying idiot McCain proves while he says he is different he is a clone of Bush as McCain wants to lift ban on offshore drilling

Also right in line with Bush McSame has bought into Bush’s “Green Energy” nuclear proliferation as Sen. John McCain proposed Wednesday to dramatically increase America’s commitment to nuclear power, calling for a crash program to build 45 reactors by 2030 and a long-term goal of building 100 such plants across the country. McSame also mirrors Bush on nuclear energy
You can see for yourself exactly where Obama and McCain stand on the issue

* The frightening thing to me is House Democrats responded to President’s Bush’s call for Congress to lift the moratorium on offshore drilling. This was at an on-camera press conference fed back live.Among other things, the Democrats called for the government to own refineries so it could better control the flow of the oil supply. They also reasserted that the reason the Appropriations Committee markup (where the vote on the amendment to lift the ban) was cancelled so they could focus on preparing the supplemental Iraq spending bill for tomorrow. At an off-camera briefing, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) said the same. And a senior Republican House Appropriations Committee aide adds that “there were multiple reasons for the postponement” including discussion on the supplemental. But the aide said there was the thought that Democrats may wish to avoid a debate today on energy amendments.

Here are the highlights from briefing: Rep. Maurice Hinchey (D-NY), member of the House Appropriations Committee and one of the most-ardent opponents of off-shore drilling 1115 We (the government) should own the refineries. Then we can control how much gets out into the market. Hinchey on why they postponed the Appropriations markup 1119 I think there aren’t enough votes for the Peterson amendment. It wasn’t taken up (the Interior spending bill) because of the omnibus Appropriations bill. That’s the main focus of the Appropriations Committee. Rep. Rahm Emanuel (D-IL) 1116 They (Republicans) have a one-trick pony approach. please check this out

This is very scary! Part of me wants to say Yeah but all of me knows the Government and Congress can’t do anything right. They are all complicit and corrupt! What the hell is the answer? the problem is just beginning like all of the rest of them as we try to progress successfully into the twenty first century. We know it is a world wide problem and our friend in Wales explained nicely the over taxation and fuel problem in Britain as the people are starting to rebel. from Landsker

* I wish I could sound rosy but I can only say stay together and hold on!