"Deep Throat said, "Follow the money." Duh!"

[Coexist]

http://gristmill.grist.org/story/2008/7/28/141523/647

In part 1 we saw that lifting the moratorium on coastal drilling can't possibly reduce gasoline prices. After all, two years ago, we opened most of the Gulf of Mexico -- with its estimated 41 billion barrels of oil -- and oil prices then doubled. The remaining prohibited coastal areas have only 18 billion barrels, of which 10 billion is off of California and likely to be blocked by the state. Another four of the 18 billion is in the Eastern Gulf off of Florida, which most Republican bills do not fully open for drilling since that would piss of Sen. Martinez.

Tom Cole, chair of the National Republican Congressional Committee, sent out an email (reprinted below) titled "Democrats Want You To Pay High Gas Prices." The email quotes a conservative publication claiming, "Given that lower gasoline prices would defeat the purpose of their entire environmental program, Democrats are in a very awkward position on the energy issue."

That is among the most laughable things I've read. It is conservatives who want high gas prices because energy companies are among their biggest donors, and high prices mean bigger profits. That's why Republicans have consistently opposed serious efforts on energy efficiency, fuel economy standards, conservation, and alternative for over a quarter of a century. That's why former maverick and now card-carrying hard-core conservative John McCain flip-flopped on this position.

Deep Throat said, "Follow the money." Duh!

A reminder, some quick responses to friends/co-workers who think we need to drill more:

- Republicans won't release the Strategic Oil Reserve, which belongs to the taxpayers.

- Republicans want to drill, which will only make oil companies richer, Democrats want to create new working class jobs in solar and wind for millions of American workers.

- PLEASE, even T. Boone Pickens agrees we can't drill our way out of this one.

- A few year's worth of oil isn't worth trashing the environment any more.

- Guarantee me that the price of gas for the U.S. consumer will go down, and that the oil companies will not sell to the highest overseas bidder, namely China ...

- Refineries are running at full capacity, what is the point of getting more oil into the pipelines if it can't be refined?

- Where will all of this new oil be refined? Which new refinery? Oh, right, there are none. There are tankers full of oil sitting in line to be refined into gasoline. That wouldn't change if we drilled. How about one of these companies try to build a refinery? Oh, right, that would increase supply, and reduce their profit per gallon. Not gonna happen.

- since we're sending 2/3 more gas OUT of the country than we did just last year, why bother to drill more, since we don't keep it here anyway?

- ANWR contains about 10 billion gallons, US consumption is about 20 million gallons a day. This works out to be about 500 days supply, about a year and four months. This isn't about supply, it's ABOUT profit!


... add to that - two years ago, we opend up the Gulf, and prices doubled! We can't take any more 'help'!

[H2O Man]

1. It was a great line

in the movie "All the President's Men," and is worth keeping in mind. But Mark Felt did not actually say that to Woodward.

Nominated.

[Coexist]

2. he never said that?

I learn something new every day, don't I.