ANWR AND OFFSHORE DRILLING - DISTRACTIONS?

I totally agree, we have more coal than we can use and the Germans did this conversion years ago. The environmentalists shut this down in this country because the smoke and process polluted the air. Go figure!

This past weekend I drove through the valley from Naturita, CO to Grand Junction, CO. The oil shale is so concentrated that in places the oil literally seeps out of the shale from the heat of the day and in places it actually trickles down the side of the cliffs. Again the environmentalists have this shut down. Anyone who has been throufg that area would know that mining that oil out of there wouldn't change the looks of the area much. But then lizards probably would object.

I am tired of the Democrats voting no on every avenue available to get and use the oil in this country. I hope the people who vote for Democrats get sick of it to and vote those idiots out of office. If they don't get voted out, the people need to rally together and revolt/rebel and take this country back.

I haven't been there but I understand the area where the oil shale is located looks like the surface of the moon, so as you say we wouldn't be losing any scenic wonders.

The Democrats don't want to solve this problem. They want high gas prices to force people to drive less.

Let's hope people wise up and throw these rascals out.

It confuses me, why would the Democrats want us to drive less. Is it because they want our economy to continue to get worse? If that is their objective, it is because of the election year? The Democrats doing that for the election year doesn't make sense either because I don't expect them to suddenly allow drilling after the election. It is very confusing. I think the Democrats want to 'control all Americans', Democrats, Republicans, and Independents, which makes them superior to us. My thinking that makes me furious because they are supposed to be serving us, not us serving them. The Democrats position is that they only give us what they want to give us which is totally socialism and THAT is so confusing to me and it is mind-boggling for me to think that approximately one half of our population wants to be governed that way. I just don't believe that, I think people voting Demcratic just don't understand what is happening to them and this country but I don't know how to fix it. I feel it is our only hope that McCain with point it out with vigor, but I don't have faith in McCain. If he doesn't do it, who will? BUSH is the answer, he could do it but he won't do it either. We have wimps, what a shame.

Here's the way I see it, Larry. This is a power play pure and simple. If the economy is bad at election time the President usually takes the blame for it. So the Dems think it will be to their advantage. In addition they are beholden to the Green Lobby. Why they should be mystifies me as well. There can't be that many of them so it must be the campaign contributions.
You are absolutely right to think that the Dems want complete control of every facet of life in America. Power is as addictive as heroine.
As to why people vote Democrat in many cases it is tradition. A hangover from the Depression. FDR was considered a savior. He was an inspirational speaker but his economic policies probably prolonged the depression. In fact we didn't come out of the depression until we got involved in World War II.
As for Bush and McCain I wouldn't expect too much from them. Neither is a good enough speaker or forceful enough to get the people behind them and their lack of leadership permeates the Republican Party.
One last thing. I believe our public education system is purposely under-educating our children. Ignorant people are easily manipulated. The Democrats are very good at "giving" something to people. But the majority of people don't realize that the government that gives you a little something can take everything you have.

I agree. I am stunned that Bush would sit back and let the Democrats point the finger at him as being the cause of the ecomony and especially the current gas/oil situation. As laid back as I am I would be on top of my desk about who is really causing these problems. I suppose Bush might be so out of touch to think that it is obvious that it is the Democrats in Congress who make the laws/rules and not the President. Bush is wrong about that, most Americans sadly enough think the President is making the laws/rules and consequently the economy and oil/gas is his doing. Bush needs to get on top of his desk and TELL IT LIKE IT IS. His popularity is in the toilet anyway so all it could do is help people to realize where the real problem is. Democrats don't listen to talk radio or Fox News but a TV Presidential speech would work.
My parents were FDR Democrats and they would not budge from it so I understand.

Thanks for your replies to me, it helps. I get so bewidered why our leaders don't get mad and clear this whole blaming thing up.

I'm enjoying our exchange as well, Larry. I can't imagine Bush "Telling it like it is." He took office with the mistaken notion that the Democrats would want to work together for the good of the country.
This is akin to the Israelis negotiating with the Palestinians and thinking they are sincere in wanting peace. The only thing the Palestinians really want is dead Jews. In the same way the Democrats only want the defeat of the Republicans no matter what the cost to the country. How else to explain their refusal to consider any plan that might alleviate the energy problem.
Bush should declare a national emergency and order the development of all sources of energy.

I TOTALLY DISAGREE!

I am extremely disturbed that the issue of the oil and gas leases owned by the oil industry is not being covered by the media. As a result, the public is not getting the complete story about this issue.

President Bush's decision to ask Congress to drill in ANWR and end the federal ban on offshore oil and gas drilling along much of America's continental shelf is a terrible idea, and his arguments supporting this policy are completely specious. Roughly three-quarters of the 90 million-plus acres of federal land being leased by the oil companies onshore and off are not being used to produce energy. That is 68 million acres altogether, among them potentially highly production leases in the Gulf of Mexico and Alaska. These leases should be exploited before the oil companies are allowed to get any more. Both McCain and the administration have not been honest with the American people. There are suspicions that the oil industry's main objective is to stockpile millions of additional acres of public land before the Bush administration leaves town.

For further information on this issue, please click on the link regarding the Responsible Federal Oil and Gas Lease Act of 2008 (H.R. 6251) : http://resourcescommittee.house.gov/index.php?option=com_c ontent&task=view&id=389&Itemid=1

If the oil companies are stockpiling oil leases and not trying to produce on them it not only points the finger of guilt at the oil companies but is also another instance of negligence and/or incompetence by our so-called "representatives."

Why is this "abuse" by the oil companies only coming to light now? They should have been subject to the same regulations as the holders of coal leases who have to show signs of progress in a specified length of time.

As for Rep. Rahall's assertion of the amount of oil and natural gas that is available from these 68 million acres I'd like to know how he came by these figures. Did Rahall have exploration done on 68 million acres? I doubt it. Frankly, I take Rahall's estimate with a large grain of salt.

The main thrust of my article was that we should push for immediate exploitation of shale oil and coal-to-oil production. The Air Force is already flying jets using fuel derived from coal. Gov. Schweitzer of Montana is just waiting for a go-ahead to start producing diesel fuel from coal which is cheaper and cleaner than conventional diesel.

While the Demorats (sic) try to smear the oil companies and block every attempt to increase oil supplies the average American is suffering. I don't care where it comes from but we must have more oil and quickly. I believe the Demorats are playing politics while America burns. If the economy is bad it will help them in the election.

It's because of things like this that I advocate not voting for incumbents of either party.

I read with interest your "furious" post. It, and the following comments, provided great food for thought. While your views are different than mine in some respects, you certainly made some very good points.

Bobbie
http://speakupamerica.blogtownhall.com