The President Continues to Slow Walk Americans on Energy Independence-FACTS

[babylonsister]

http://www.speaker.gov/blog/?p=1387

The President Continues to Slow Walk Americans on Energy Independence
June 17th, 2008 by Karina

In advance of President Bush’s speech tomorrow on energy, Speaker Pelosi issued the following statement:

The President’s proposal sounds like another page from the Administration’s Energy Policy that was literally written by the oil industry: give away more public resources to the very same oil companies that are sitting on 68 million acres of federal lands they’ve already leased.

In just the last year, Congress has promoted energy independence by raising efficiency standards for vehicles for the first time in 32 years, investing in American-grown biofuels, and forcing President Bush to increase gas supplies by suspending government purchases for the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. We have provided enforcement tools to go after those who are speculating on oil and manipulating the price and we will continue to push for solutions that end our dependence on foreign oil.

FACTS:

The fact is there are 68 million acres onshore and offshore in the U.S. that are leased by oil companies—open to drilling and actually under lease—but not developed.

If oil companies tapped the 68 million federal acres of leased land it would generate an estimated 4.8 million barrels of oil a day – six times what ANWR would produce at its peak.

The fact is 80 percent of the oil available on the Outer Continental Shelf is in regions that are already open to leasing—but the oil companies haven’t decided it’s worth their time to drill there.

The fact is that drilling in the Arctic Wildlife Refuge wouldn’t yield any oil for 10 years—and then would only save the consumer 1.8 cents per gallon in 2030.

The New Direction Congress is committed to bringing real relief to those feeling the pinch from high gas and diesel prices and ensuring the needs of families and businesses are put before the interests of Big Oil companies. We will continue to work to develop other innovative legislation that addresses high energy costs and our shift to a more energy efficient economy. The American people deserve a cleaner, greener, more energy efficient future. Learn more>>

[Ian_rd]

1. It's a dirty little secret nearly lost on everyone in the nation

Oil companies don't actually want to drill in the United States. Duh. It would reduce the price of oil. Does anyone see any other corporations making business decisions that they know will result in a decrease in their product's price? Of course not.

ANWR is an exception because the cost of getting that oil is tremendous, which means fat tax-payer contracts for getting such a small amount of oil that would hardly dent the pump price.

[babylonsister]

2. I think it's all one big fat distraction myself. But I think McCain

is making a big error. Why is he advertently pissing off the folks in Florida? It's almost like he doesn't want to win there, even though he desperately needs to win that state.

[Ian_rd]

4. It's yet another example of the balancing act that McCain must do, but fails to

He wants to capitalize on the knee-jerk right-wing fist-pumping whenever someone says "drill," but is also pissing off a vital state. It's like a microcosm of his national electoral problem. He needs the moronic wing-nuts and can't win without them. But he can't win enough of them over without losing voters who are capable of higher brain functions.

Barack's got his obstacles, sure. But McCain looks more and more screwed every time he opens his mouth.

[ColbertWatcher]

3. It's like the GOP are trolls...

...spamming a forum just to keep an argument going.

Bastards.

[OhioChick]

5. K&R

:kick:

[GreenPartyVoter]

6. K&R

[bdamomma]

7. he can take that slow walk and shove it.

he is pushing for this drilling and it cannot happen. Screwing up the environment for this little a$$wipe, he can shove it.