Obama: Drilling would "merely prolong ..failed energy policies"

Here's what Barack Obama's campaign says about President Bush's lifting of the ban that prevents offshore oil drilling:

"If offshore drilling would provide short-term relief at the pump or a long-term strategy for energy independence, it would be worthy of our consideration, regardless of the risks. But most experts, even within the Bush administration, concede it would do neither. It would merely prolong the failed energy policies we have seen from Washington for 30 years. Senator Obama believes Americans need real short-term relief, which is why he has proposed a second round of stimulus with energy rebates for working families. And over the long-term, Senator Obama understands that our national security and the survivial of the planet demand a real strategy to break our dependence on foreign oil by developing clean, new sources of energy and by vastly improving the energey efficiency of our cars, trucks and our economy. He is ready to lead such a transformation."

Comments

[Frank]

This is going to happen overnight but drilling won't? That doesn't make sense. Just declaring that you will drill will spend the speculators running. It's either the speculators or the market, you can't have it both ways

[Jeb Obama]

There are millions of acres open for drilling already, but the gas companies don't want to use them! Dubya just wants to pad the pockets of his big oil friends one more time...

[Frank]

Hey Jeb Obama:

I have 30 acres of farmland available for you to work, except the soil has a nitrogen deficiency. It's still soil though, you COULD grow something there if you used hydroponics but it is cost prohibitive.

Get it?

[BernieEarnie]

Neither drilling nor these so-called rebates will solve our 'overall' energy problems. In my opinion, we need to throw everything at this problem. Start out by drilling offshore and issuing energy rebates for the winter. (We are definitely going to need help for heating energy this winter.) Long term goals should be coming up with alternative methods for energy. Wether or not you like this TBoone Pickens, he is correct that wind energy can be a great resource. Also, as consumers, we should be doing everything we can to ensure that we are getting the best mileage we can, by means of tune-ups, checking tire pressures, reducing unnecessary trips, etc. America is bigger than this. If we would quit arguing and get to work, we can solve this problem.

[Chuck]

Drilling is a terrible mistake. At the current production rate the US will be out of oil in less than 20 years. Then what? Where is our independence then? Exxon Mobil posted record earnings this week. Could it be that the oil companies are increasing the price of gasoline to pressure Congress to award them off-shore drilling rights? How about we give each family a $3000 rebate on a high mileage vehicle? That would cut fuel consumption and stimulate the economy. The only way to get cheaper gas is to use less.

[Dave]

We should be working on all fronts including drilling. There is no reason why we cannot do both. Everyone knows that drilling is not the complete solution, but neither is the fantasy that we can snap our fingers and make alternative energy abundant and cheap over night. We need diversify by conserving in reasonable ways, innovating, building (nuclear/wind/solar) AND drilling.

Unfortunately Obama's answer is to inflate your tires and then throw taxpayer money at Detroit. His version of change is to go back and relive all our past mistakes and it's silly.

[Jerrod]

Wind farm will kill the birds. PETA will FREAK.

Jeb, are you serious? Of course there are millions of acres to drill. Is there any oil there? The oil companies first have to get the land to prospect it. (to see if there is oil) So there are millions of acres that they prospected that ended up with no oil. How is this helping? Read a book.

[oilfield equipment]

i agree with obama so much on this.