The Spillage Idiot

[babylonsister]

And Krauthammer gets paid the big bucks? :crazy:

http://www.tnr.com/blog/jonathan-chait/75206/the-spillage-idiot


The Spillage Idiot
Jonathan Chait


Charles Krauthammer has a genuine conceptual breakthrough. The BP oil spill is the fault, at least in part, of... environmentalists!

Environmental chic has driven us out there. As production from the shallower Gulf of Mexico wells declines, we go deep (1,000 feet and more) and ultra deep (5,000 feet and more), in part because environmentalists have succeeded in rendering the Pacific and nearly all the Atlantic coast off-limits to oil production. (President Obama's tentative, selective opening of some Atlantic and offshore Alaska sites is now dead.) And of course, in the safest of all places, on land, we've had a 30-year ban on drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

As a description of reality, this is pure idiocy. But as a form of right-wing rationalization, it's genius, to the point where I nearly have to admire it. Let's tally up the fallacious assumptions here. First, the large fallacy is that environmentalists are the ones controlling American oil drilling policy. They support deep offshore drilling? Really?

Then there are smaller, associated fallacies. Krauthammer implies that drilling closer to shore on the East or West coasts would foreclose the possibility of accidents, even though close offshore drilling has also resulted in accidents, and the proximity to shore would make such accidents even more disastrous.

Next, there's the assumption that world demand for oil is completely static -- drill a little more here and we'd necessarily be drilling less there. If we had opened the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil drilling, that would sate the oil companies, and they'd have no longer had any need to drill in the gulf. I'm pretty sure it doesn't work that way.

All in all, a memorable effort from Krauthammer.

[time_has_come]

1. you seem to be reveling in it. n/t

Barely contain your admiration for Krauthammer. Genius. Conceptual breakthrough. Exclamation point and all.

[babylonsister]

3. Excuse me? When someone provides a link, that pretty

much indicates the person posting didn't write the article as in this case. Very odd you don't know that.

You might want to actually read the piece; it's quite critical of Krauthammer, though if you didn't pick up on that, I don't know what to tell you.

[time_has_come]

6. Then maybe you shouldn't have posted this at all

The blogger is obviously reveling in it, admiring the logic and probably rooting for the leak to continue.

Why would you post it? Don't you think this is a bit to serious an issue to be giving space to political opportunists rubbing their hands together in glee as the Gulf is wiped out?

[babylonsister]

7. The only thing Chait is reveling in is Krauthammer's idiocy. You sound

like you're a fan of Krauthammer and you want everyone to stop picking on him. :cry:

And no, I didn't ask for nor do I care what you think I should post. If this annoys you, don't read it. Simple.

[time_has_come]

8. maybe take your own advice

[hobbit709]

10. There are many who appear to be sarcastically challenged.

[time_has_come]

11. indeed. n/t

[Name removed]

13. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Javaman]

14. Honestly, are you really that disconnected from reality? nt

[time_has_come]

15. No, you just don't get it.

Don't trouble yourself over it.

[Javaman]

18. perhaps if you explain yourself rather than being condescending

people would listen to your point of view.

You are now blocked. :)

Ta!

[time_has_come]

19. good

That thrills me.

[Urban Prairie]

2. All the oil produced goes into a global "kitty"

So how does drill baby drill help the US when the proceeds aren't owned or sold by the government. Increased production here= production cuts by OPEC to counterbalance a glut of oil on the global market

[BeFree]

4. Love thine enemy, eh?

It was a good piece and a nice stab. Touche!

As an environmentalist, and a sometime realist <grin> I looked at oil drilling years ago and decided that if we are going to use so much oil, the only way to not be hypocritical is to allow drilling everywhere.

And do so before it became a crisis. Had we allowed drilling anywhere, like they do in Texas, or La, or Ala, or Miss. and had placed very strict controls on the process, we may not be staring at this crisis right now.

Maybe, maybe not.

Oh, when I came to this realization I decided to cut back on my personal use of oil as much as possible. Down probably 50% since then. Ya do what ya can, right?

[secondwind]

5. doesn't he KNOW that there are thousands of rigs closer to shore?

[KharmaTrain]

9. Watch The Corporate Media Follow Up On This...

To many this is just an "accident". Ya know, "shit happens"...and we still need/want the oil. While sea drilling may get a black eye out of this...and hopefully cool the jets of the "drill baby drillers" out there for now, be assured they aren't going away, nor are their enablers in the coporate media. Remember, many of these outlets get nice coin from folks like the American Petroleum Institute and other corporates who will spin this disaster as best they can.

Just watch how there'll be a clamor that the only "safe" drilling will be to open up ANWAR or other federal lands or to send thousands of troops to get "our oil from under their sand". The oil company profits that grease the corporate media wheels will not be denied.

[Jeffersons Ghost]

12. K&R

[deaniac21]

16. Why would it be safer to drill in shallow water? These people

are truly stupid!

[City Lights]

17. Another right-wing contortionist.

I suggest he join the circus, where his antics would be much more appreciated.