Bush 43 urges offshore drilling that Bush 41 banned

President Bush today called on Congress to clear the way for offshore drilling by the states, saying that it could match current production for 10 years and that new methods allow drilling that protects habitats against oil spills.

With Democrats in Congress opposed to drilling, Bush said their opposition is "outdated and counterproductive" and that it "helped drive gas prices to their current level." Saying that $4-a-gallon gas prices should be "enough incentive" for Democrats to act, Bush asked, "How high do gas prices have to rise before the Democratic Congress will do something about it?"

Bush also called for exploration of Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, a new push for refineries (he blamed "lawsuits and red tape" for the fact that no new refineries have been built in 30 years) and mining of shale rock for oil.

The president made no mention of his father, President George H.W. Bush, who banned coastal oil exploration in 1990, or his brother, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, who long opposed it. Except to say that much of U.S. energy now "comes from abroad, that's what's changed in the last few decades," putting "our economy and our security at risk."

The White House statement came one day after Republican John McCain called for lifting the ban on off-shore drilling.

White House press secretary Dana Perino, asked about whether the son will lift the ban put in place by the father, told Fox News today, "We  need to make a change...so that we can have more control over our own destiny."

Most Democrats were immediately skeptical.

"To hear George Bush and John McCain say it, you’d think gasoline is going to run straight out of the ground and right into your car,'' said Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.). "This is not a relief plan for American families, it’s a relief plan for oil companies.”

But Democratic Sen. Mary Landrieu of Lousiana faulted the White House for taking so long. In a letter headlined, "Welcome to the off-shore energy fight, Mr. President...we've been waiting for you," she argued that Bush should have taken the position seven years ago. "When we urged lifting the nation’s ban on such production while there was a real possibility to act, this administration’s courage could not be found."

-- Johanna Neuman and Richard Simon

Photo credit:  Spencer Weiner/Los Angeles Times

Comments

[J.Nichols]

Another aspect of the energy problem is the economic illiteracy of much of the American public.

When you have people who seriously propose that high oil and gas prices can simply be explained away by a conspiracy, when you have people who just assume without a second thought that it's all due to greed, then you will have pandering politicians who cater to them and who will exacerbate the problem.

The level of ignorance of some of these posts is pretty discouraging.

[Jeff Saeli]

It took America four years to produce an Atomic bomb, and nine years from the time Kennedy declared the man on the moon project If we can accomplish these momentous tasks, it won't take us long to find the oil and to come up with alternative fuels. We have to do both. Those of you who want to wait for alternative fuels need to get a good bike and good pair of walking shoes. Or, you can move to Brazil. That county had leaders smart enough to look for oil, which they found, and develop a viable ethanol industry using sugar cane. Today they are energy independent. Just remember, when you are walking, Reid, Pelosi and Obama will still be riding in their air conditioned limos, courtesy of all you saps that want to vote or continue to vote for these illustrious leaders.

[Diver]

When is this Republican "leadership" going to understand that it's time to move on. If they had put half as much effort into seeking alternative fuel source research and development as they have trying to talk the Saudis down in price, we wouldn't even be discussing drilling off our shores. I saw the damage done in Santa Barbara in 1969. This cannot be allowed to happen again. In his feeble attempt to leave some kind of positive legacy, our esteemed President has seen fit to blame the Democrats for high gas prices and is attempting to solve the problem in his last 5 months in office. (Oil was $34 a barrel when he took over) Loser. I don't know about the rest of the country, but I can't handle another 4 years of this crap. Good riddance, cowboy.

[David Moll]

It took nearly 8 years, but Bush's true colors as a Texas oil man came out in full force today.

The cold reality of the situation is that if open up our shores to drilling, we are running away from the conservation that will keep us alive. We'd be charging full steam ahead to the day when there is no more oil to drill.

I'm not one to blatantly mooch traffic, but I'd be much obliged if you read the rest of my two cents here:

http://preview.tinyurl.com/3melfy

Cheers.

[Gailstrial]

I have to quote Steve from Long Beach:

"The oil industry already has access to 63M acres of undeveloped potential sites. The ANWR was "set aside" PRECISELY to protect it from exactly this kind of corporate rape. Exploit the existing fields, concentrate on newer technologies, commit to an "Americanization" of resources and let's talk -- but until then giving away natural resources in the hope that multinational corporations will act differently from the way they do currently is a fool's errand.

What's the old quote? "The definition of insanity is doing the same thing but expecting different results.""

[Edabel]

The oil companies indicated at congressional hearings that there is enough gas supply right now in the U.S. to meet demand. The Bush administration has done nothing to put pressure on the oil companies to build more refineries, pressure the commodities exchanges to increase oil futures purchase margins, reduce tariffs on cheaper ethanol imports, or apply pressure on Saudi Arabia. The oil companies all meet at the Bush administrations energy task force to discuss energy policy and then kept those meetings private. Ken Lay at Enron also attended those meetings and we know how Enron created an artificial energy crisis under the Bush administration. The oil companies executives are trying to make as much money as they can while Bush is still in office, they along with Bush’s people know higher gas prices will now pressure Americans to support allowing them to get what they always wanted which is more drilling off the U.S. coast and Alaska. The oil company executives and lobbyist’s know they will only get drilling rights under while Bush is in office and they know high prices will influence additional support for drilling. If we grant U.S. gas companies permission to get new drilling rights. Will they refine it and cause prices go down, since they could pump their own oil cheaper than oil on the world market? or will they just sell it to the world market, then buy it back at inflated global market prices to maximize profits. Remember we have enough oil right now; we are not waiting in line at the pumps because of shortages. We are paying high prices because of market manipulation both by gas companies and oil commodity speculators. The Gas companies know their time of reckoning will expire when Bush and Cheney leave. Unfortunately, the gas companies as well as other corporations like Haliburton who are friends of Bush and Chaney will continue to rape the American taxpayer for as long as they can.

[James Hagan]

George Bush has been trying for 7 years to allow drilling in Anwar. If he had his way American drivers would soon have additional oil according to estimates from various news sources. Of course the Republican party has wanted nuclear energy development for decades. Nuclear subs have been in existance for 40 years with NO ACCIDENTS. The problem seems to be that the democrats and Obama socialists don't seem to understand the problem. Must we wait another 40 years until their comprehension catches up?

[Kenny]

Why am I not surprised?

The Devil (George W. Bush) and his Demon-Worshipping Disciples (the Republican Party) would naturally want to destroy the oceans after dismantling most environmental policies set to protect the air, water, and soil in the continental USA and the rest of the planet.

It will be Bush's and his Hell Hound's (Chenney) crowning achievment of their scorched Earth policy.

[C Marshall]

I can't believe that Bush jr's run is almost over, and it can't come fast enough as far as many of us are concerned. Open up protected areas for the oil companies to drill? What, did he realize that there was more of his "legacy" that he could improve upon?!?! Who is he trying to kid? Oh...probably all of us, who fell for that "Iraq war as a necessity thing" some time ago. Was that as good for you as it was for me? Because it sure was horrible for over 4000 of our young men, and many corporations have profited from that war, which was part of the plan all along. Just ask Cheney if his buddies at Halliburton are making any money in Iraq. You bet they are. Is any of that money "trickling down" into our pockets? Of course it isn't. Who ever said that it was supposed to? Oh yeah, they did.

Has the average American benefited financially from the war in Iraq, like so many companies have done, and will the average American benefit from further drilling in our protected lands and waters? No and no. When will we learn?

Bush jr was a failure at business, and wouldn't have gotten anywhere in life without his father and his name. He's run this country like one of his early, failed, business ventures, and he's run this country into the ground just like he did them. It was only a matter of time. Now, the only thing left for us is to be handed off to be helmed by another, worth much less now. Bush and Cheney and friends have made sure that they made a bunch of money, and are set to make even more in the decades to come. Two terms was just enough to ruin us, no doubt.

As a 43 year-old father of 2 preschoolers, I can only hope and pray that The People will elect the Democrat in the next Presidential election, and perhaps even replace more of the Senate with Democrats as well. It's going to take a long time to recover from the financial damage that's been done to this country by Bush jr, and I want my kids to have a chance at a decent future, even though my present and future is already in the trash can.

Yeah, drilling in protected areas.....I'd like to know what the Secretary of the Interior has to say about that, and why HE hasn't spoken up about this great idea for America before now.

This country and the majority of it's people have been dragged across the coals and raped for long enough. Good riddance, Bush jr. After you're long gone, your "legacy" will tell the ghastly truth of all that you've done to hurt this great land and most of it's citizenry, and when it does, your legacy won't be worth the paper its wiped on.

[Am]

How dare that country called "United States of America" NOT let us drill oil from their shores? Let's bomb them and bring "democracy" to the rescue of oppressed Americans!

[geo magn]

We nees a citizen oil Company which drills the federal and state land. Ration this oil to americans and cut big oil out of our free gift oil. This could ensure a good supply of low priced domestic oil for the americans who own the oil in the first place. Don't let a corrupt congress & president sell our oil to exon etc for fractions of a penny per gallon and charge us world market prices.

[Bonaficio de Brentwood]

Why don't we just blow up China?

They're the ones sucking all the oil.

We really can't expect our economy to slow down or our environment to be harmed. So I say - Blame China!

Not to mention that most other nations highly subsidize gas prices for their citizenry, especially China & India.

So lets stop attacking each other and look across the Pacific for the root of our problems.

[gerrrg]

Push back against the GOP: Insist the Federal Government spend money on increasing R&D towards clean technology for the extraction of oil from sands and shale. With potentially over a trillion barrels of oil between the Athabasca sands and American shale, this is our REAL chance for energy independence from OPEC and the Middle-East. Drilling ANWR and offshore is a stop-gap measure with no long-term effect on our dependency issues of foreign-based energy.

[RP]

President Bush is doing his best to get the Democratic congress to allow drilling for oil off the coast, what are we waiting for, isn't gas expensive enough already. It's apalling the negative comments here against drilling for the oil we already, have and won't be dependent on imported oil. Something like this will keep our economy from collapse, we need to have our own source of oil, and there's plenty off the coast and in Alaska.

[Howard]

New Situation Wanted: Two Oilmen with vertical management skills seeking new employment in late January. Skillful in regime modification; handling large sums of cash; taking care of business; and dancing. Very good friends with Karl Rove and can get him on the phone every once in a while. Select references available. Am on kneeling terms with Saudi King. If interested, please reply to next Iraqi RFP and we'll talk. Salary negotiable; 10 weeks vacation. GWB

[Intelligent Lady]

C A L I F O R N I A.......W A K E U P A N D S M E L L T H E T R U T H

Cuba wants to drill for oil 50 miles off the coast of the United States, which is international water, in the Gulf of Mexico, so they will get the oil that the United States should have and need. Offshore drilling is happening and has happened for years off the coast of Texas & Louisiana and this drilling has ben very successful and clean. We get very little junk on our beaches, most from trash from ships going into the Port of Houston.

What next: Will China drilling 50 miles off the coast of California for oil? WAKE UP AND DO NOT BE SO DUMB

[Tophe]

Bush wasn't even aware of $4 per gallon gas until he was asked about it at a press conference a couple months ago ( http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2004250068_bush29.html ) and now he's using those prices as a partisan attack on Congress? Tell me Mr. Bush, what have you done to reduce our dependence on oil? What have you done to foster a stable and peaceful Middle East which would help lower global oil prices? Why is your energy policy secret?

[bruce becker]

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a California Democrat, said in a written statement that the president's plan ``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.''

The oil companies could produce more oil if they wanted to. They have to keep supply below demand.

The way to deal with $4 gas is to stop making 440 HP Dodge Rams.
Stop letting people register cars that get less than 20 MPG.
Adolescents rule the USA. Let them do anything they want, it is a free country. Well, apparently not. We are all in this together.
We can have $6 gas if we all drive 440 HP Dodge Rams.
We can have $2 gas if we all drive 42 MPG Toyota Echo's.
Oops. They dont make Echo's anymore, Toyota wanted to drive up demand for Prius's. But you get the idea. Or do you?

[bruce becker]

Bush promised to spend $7 billion on ALTERNATIVE ENERGY RESEARCH.
He forgot that promise in the war excitement. We won you know. Victory in Iraq, the banner said. We were supposed to be reimbursed for the war with Iraq oil profits. Not. We were supposed to get oil at $20 a barrel. NOT.

He is not repeating that $7 billion ALTERNATIVE ENERY research idea now, because McCain voted against the ALTERNATIVE ENERGY RESEARCH bill.

[Nathan Lewis]

Wow, this is the greatest news I've heard in a while. If Clinton would have not vetoed domestic oil drilling in the 90’s we would have already been producing an extra 1,000,000/day barrels of oil or better. Even though it will take years to get this oil to the market we will still see gas prices decrease now. We will see this because investors buying oil today counting on prices being higher tomorrow (so they can sell it and make money) will quit buying; decreasing demand/decreasing price. Also, the countries we buy gas from now will definitely consider dropping their prices (by increasing their supply) hoping we will change our mind about drilling for ourselves.

[Brent]

Finally, after 7 years this president gets 1 thing right. Sure, this will take years to develop and deliver but at least its a start.

[Wake Up]

We are still stuck in 5th grade science, which I think G Bush got a C in. Why doesn't our leadership step up and make college level decisions about smart alternative energy usage (solar, wind, hydro, magnetic)? If the answer is they are bought/influenced by oil company special interests, then stop electing them in office. The rise in gas cost is the best thing to happen, because it will force a change. The only people that are gonna make a change are ourselves. So let's step up to the plate.

[Shawn]

I totally know how long it would take to get new oil to market. And I also know how long it would take to get alternative energy to market. You do hope to still be around in 10 years, right? So if you can't have it right now, you're not interested?

The Chinese and everyone else is drilling for oil out there. Why do we have to buy from them...?

[mogogoo]

Why should we believe ANYTHING shrub has to say with regards to oil? He lied about the war, he lied about oil prices going down. He's lied and been the MOST damaging president this country has ever seen. Why should we believe that off-shore drilling will do anything but harm the environment and provide more windfall profits for the oil companies?

Drilling is not a solution, it is a cop out. It is a stupid cop out that will only create more problems than is supposedly will fix.

He's a cocain head, a C student, a LIAR, and a complete dumb Azz. Legacy? Legacy. That's all he's concerned about.

[sell all]

freaking hippies!!!