Bush Drilling Plan Splitting GOP, Unifying Democrats In Florida - LA Times

[hatrack]

MIAMI — Opposing offshore drilling for oil and gas has traditionally been a bipartisan affair in Florida, where the $57-billion annual tourism industry is greatly dependent on unsullied, inviting beaches. But an announcement by Gov. Jeb Bush may signal the end of that political unity — and a split in his own party.

The Republican governor has endorsed a plan, part of a bill proposed by a California congressman that would allow, among other things, oil rigs 125 miles off the coast. In exchange, Bush said, the state would get other coastal protections. But environmentalists and Republican and Democratic critics say what Bush advocates would actually allow for oil and gas exploration and production in the Gulf of Mexico closer to Florida. "The governor is seeking better protection, and lasting protection, for Florida's coasts," Bush spokeswoman Deena Reppen said in defending his stance. She said the governor wanted a secure 125-mile ban on oil and gas drilling off the state's shoreline from Jacksonville on the Atlantic Ocean to Pensacola on the gulf.

EDIT

Republican Sen. Mel Martinez said he had a "little different strategy than Bush." "It's not the right thing for our environment, it's not the right thing for Florida's economy, and frankly it's not the right thing for the military who rely greatly on the eastern Gulf of Mexico as a training ground for the military presence that we have in the Florida Panhandle," Martinez said. Florida's other senator, Bill Nelson, a Democrat, also is adamantly opposed to opening up waters nearer to the state to drilling, spokesman Dan McLaughlin said. McLaughlin said the Interior Department had estimated that hydrocarbon reserves off western Florida and the Panhandle would cover about 200 days of the nation's gasoline and heating oil needs.
EDIT

Bush's position appears to have sown disarray in his state's 27-member congressional delegation, which, Wexler said, had been virtually unanimous as recently as late September in opposing major changes in where offshore drilling is allowed.

EDIT

http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/asection/la-na-drill11oct11,1,4806289.story

[Lasher]

1. How typically Republican to say they're doing the exact opposite...

of what they're really doing:

"The governor is seeking better protection, and lasting protection, for Florida's coasts,"

[zbdent]

2. Didn't Jebbie get into a little bit of a dispute with his brother

because W was going to press for drilling off of Florida's coast?

I remember that Jebbie was kind of on the "Not in my (back yard) beautiful beaches!"

[Nimrod2005]

3. Mark my words

A nice fat lobbying job is waiting for Jeb when he leaves office. Whoever he is doing this 180 for already has him on the payroll - there is no other explanation, the son of Bush in bed with BIG OIL.