Bush and lifting the offshore drilling "ban."
July 14th 2008 18:34
Washington, D.C. - President Bush today called for lifting the "ban" on offshore drilling again, this time lifting the executive order signed by his father in 1990. There is still a Congressional moratorium too. But it is important to note that neither is a complete ban. They are simply moratoriums on new leases. Oil companies currently hold thousands of leases (both at sea and on land) that they are not using. And if you follow "free market" thinking, why should they? Oil companies are enjoying the largest profits in the history of the world. They are quite happy with things the way they are. Starbucks could sell you a caramel machiatto for 2.50, but as long as you are buying it for 4.00, they won't lower prices either.
What the president did today was nothing but a crass political ploy, designed to make Democrats look bad. One thing Democrats have been doing far too much is allowing themselves to be politically manipulated by a Republican Party that cares for nothing but it's own power and catering to it's base to hold that power. I say the Democrats should say yes to lifting the offshore drilling "ban." With some additions, that is. Send the president a bill doing exactly what he is asking for, but add windfall profit taxes to be used for alternatives.
A provision could also be added requiring oil companies to adhere to a "use it or lose it" policy with current leases they hold. That would discourage what they are now doing, just locking up leases and not using them. If they choose not to use leases they are holding, they would be returned to the federal government as public lands and/or open water.
If the president wanted to do something for immediate price relief, he could release some oil from the strategic reserve. It's full, and it doesn't need to be when there is supposedly a "shortage." He could take action against speculation, a driving force in the price run-up. He could go along with a windfall profit tax and use it for alternatives. He could pressure the oil companies to expand refinery capacity and stop the lie that Democrats have prevented them from doing just that.
Of course, he won't do any of that. He will continue to throw out bellicose rhetoric designed specifically for political ends. I say call his bluff, and raise him windfall profit taxes. Our oil exec in chief will no more do that then he would call Dick Cheney an S.O.B. What the move would do is to show the American people just whose side Bush is on. And it's not theirs.
What the president did today was nothing but a crass political ploy, designed to make Democrats look bad. One thing Democrats have been doing far too much is allowing themselves to be politically manipulated by a Republican Party that cares for nothing but it's own power and catering to it's base to hold that power. I say the Democrats should say yes to lifting the offshore drilling "ban." With some additions, that is. Send the president a bill doing exactly what he is asking for, but add windfall profit taxes to be used for alternatives.
A provision could also be added requiring oil companies to adhere to a "use it or lose it" policy with current leases they hold. That would discourage what they are now doing, just locking up leases and not using them. If they choose not to use leases they are holding, they would be returned to the federal government as public lands and/or open water.
If the president wanted to do something for immediate price relief, he could release some oil from the strategic reserve. It's full, and it doesn't need to be when there is supposedly a "shortage." He could take action against speculation, a driving force in the price run-up. He could go along with a windfall profit tax and use it for alternatives. He could pressure the oil companies to expand refinery capacity and stop the lie that Democrats have prevented them from doing just that.
Of course, he won't do any of that. He will continue to throw out bellicose rhetoric designed specifically for political ends. I say call his bluff, and raise him windfall profit taxes. Our oil exec in chief will no more do that then he would call Dick Cheney an S.O.B. What the move would do is to show the American people just whose side Bush is on. And it's not theirs.
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Comment by RubySoho
Music Zone
Thought Zone
Though of course Bush is aware that the Democrats in Congress will not vote contrary to the position of their nominee who is against offshore drilling. It's just another ploy to make the Democrats look bad to the public.
Comment by Anonymous
The Prisoners of Mental Health in the United State of America.
The causes of mental disabilities and destructions of family values are the reasons behind the rate of growth in prison population and expansion of hospital in the United State. At this time roughly 2.5 million people are behind bars not including hospitals and mental institute. Mental health is one of the most urgent health problems of the twenty first century in the world. One simple example is the richest country is the largest jailer in the world for humanity. Thus, it is wake-up call for all state in the union to legislate social justice system of united state for family values and for system of prison camp of humanity. The real question we should ask all law makers, why a person becomes murderer, rapist, thief, robber and drug user? The longer sentence for all criminals are unquestionably necessary and helps to drop in such crimes, but system should be focused on how many criminals and how to warehousing them to change there mental illness. The fundamental links in our spiritual and martial evolution that changed us from violent to sober human being is the force of love for family. It is time for each state in the union especially for the state of Connecticut to consider special rehabilitation program for family values and special incentive for poor families to keep them together for better society. The benefit of redirecting non violent, first time drug offenders and other who are small criminals for rehabilitations based on family incentive, and for their kid's futures. All states in the union should consider reducing hard penalties for non violent those who have families. It is time to reduce cost of prison camp of humanity that has been astronomical and estimated 60 billion dollars annual expense of hard working American tax payers. The second most urgent issue is the mental health of future generations. Autism in America and cerebellum function in Middle East, Asia and South Asia. It is all about Genes that are contributing about 60 percent to Childs risk of developing mental problems. One study has shown that the marriage between first cousins doubles the risk of cerebellum functions and other learning defects for brain. The shared ancestry is increasing the risk of many neurological problems in all parts of the world. Other study has shown that baby food with too much iron can be contributing risk of learning problems it is time to reexamine baby food and family drinking habits for child health. We believe that it is time for change the system of treatment for old problems. It is time to stop chain of tragedies that are making United State of America a prison camp of humanity and one big emergency room of a big hospital. My chain of problem started when one member of human faith religious was held in the prison camp of New Britain General Hospital . Human faith religious is a public school for humanity .The leisure of learning truth, honesty and freedom. It is the eminent brain for batter society and the library of knowledge. It is the sacred water of life that emerges with the seven colors of human diversity to dissolve racism . Human life is spiritual force of affirmations in which nine sisters are the museum of humanity. It is the religious in which muses is dedicated to the nine affirmation of human faith. The spiritual change from loneness to loveliness is based on love by giving unlimited trust in God (Rab). Human mind is miracle of Supreme Being when we struggle to boil it at luck warm temperature of wisdom to understand fundamental of life by reading (Rabi). The ever lasting stage of satisfaction for mind is to reach Supreme Being before death. The journey of memories can be pleasant with nine affirmations of human faith. We believe that it is time to joggle every conscious to show them that human mind is superior matter not material. The festival of life can be celebrated with wisdom of human faith knowledge once we realize that we all are part of the superior race. It advocates spiritual and moral principles on very high scales for the longest term in human history. Human faith is Adam's monotheistic faith and knows that God is the creator and overseer of the universe at all the time and all matters. It is time to modernize our faith by adopting true faith and educate mankind in accordance with basic principle of life. Our vision is to introduce true human religion by mobilizing communities and faiths around the world to improve people's lives .Our mission is to strength the bond of humanity (Rabi) by introducing human faith religion.
IN GOD (Rab) WE TRUST WE HAVE FAITH IN HUMANITY (Rabi).
Comment by Jeff Musall
Secular Humanity
Comment by RubySoho
Music Zone
Thought Zone
Jeff, you've been spammed.