McSame urges end to ban on offshore drilling (Flippity-Floppity)

[jefferson_dem]

McCain urges end to ban on offshore drilling
Posted on Mon, Jun. 16, 2008print email
By DAVID ESPO
AP Special Correspondent

ARLINGTON, Va. -- Sen. John McCain said Monday the federal moratorium on offshore oil and gas drilling should be lifted, and individual states given the right to pursue energy exploration in waters near their own coasts.

With gasoline prices rising and the United States chronically dependent on foreign oil, the Republican presidential contender said his proposal would "be very helpful in the short term resolving our energy crisis."

McCain also suggested giving the states incentives, including a greater share of royalties paid by companies that drill for oil, as an incentive to permit exploration.

Asked how far offshore states should be given control of drilling rights, he said that was a matter for negotiation.

He offered no other details for his proposal, which he is expected to describe more fully on Tuesday in an energy speech.

The current drilling moratorium is a perennial cause for controversy, pitting those who favor additional exploration on the one hand against environmentalists on the other.

The current ban on offshore drilling covers an estimated 80 percent of U.S. coastal waters. Given Democratic opposition in Congress to ending it, the Bush administration and congressional Republicans have been seeking the type of state option that McCain endorsed.

The GOP presidential candidate said a recent run-up in the price of oil was having an adverse effect on consumers.

"We've seen the impact of it in the form of food prices, in the form of gasoline, in the form of threats of inflation and indeed indications of inflation, and we must we must embark on a national mission to eliminate our dependence on foreign oil," he told reporters. McCain has sought to carve out something of a middle road on energy issues, parting company with many Republicans by opposing drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska, for example and calling for measures to reduce greenhouse gases.


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http://www.miamiherald.com/692/story/572267.html

[Eurobabe]

1. Aww WTF, you don't need those beaches and fish anyhow n/t

[wvbygod]

2. Canada, Norway, Sweden and many other liberal countries can drill safely

Technology has come a long way since the leaking oil rigs of past. There really is no good
reason to not tap our own oil until we can wean off it. It has nothing to do with McCain or
any other politic, it makes good sense to tap our own resources.

[Eurobabe]

4. what do liberal countries have to do with it?

:eyes:

[wvbygod]

6. It adds credence

In other words; it is being done by countries that care about the environment and health of
its people and drilling off shore is not some right wing ideal. I thought it would be obvious
what was meant.

Why the eye roll?

[Youphemism]

3. You'd think he'd be in Iowa, adding warm water to dehydrated babies. /nt

[NatBurner]

5. this will never get old

and i'm pretty sure it was "hot" water