Obama: "Drill baby, drill"

[Cain]

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/31/science/earth/31energy.html?emc=na

The Obama administration is proposing to open vast expanses of water along the Atlantic coastline, the eastern Gulf of Mexico and the north coast of Alaska to oil and natural gas drilling for the first time, officials said Tuesday.

The proposal — a compromise that will please oil companies and domestic drilling advocates but anger some residents of affected states and many environmental organizations — would end a longstanding moratorium on oil exploration along the East Coast from the northern tip of Delaware to the central coast of Florida, covering 167 million acres of ocean.

Wasn't this one of the big McCain/Palin talking points during the election? 

[Bebek Sincap Ratatosk]

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/31/science/earth/31energy.html?emc=na

The Obama administration is proposing to open vast expanses of water along the Atlantic coastline, the eastern Gulf of Mexico and the north coast of Alaska to oil and natural gas drilling for the first time, officials said Tuesday.

The proposal — a compromise that will please oil companies and domestic drilling advocates but anger some residents of affected states and many environmental organizations — would end a longstanding moratorium on oil exploration along the East Coast from the northern tip of Delaware to the central coast of Florida, covering 167 million acres of ocean.

Wasn't this one of the big McCain/Palin talking points during the election? 

Hope for Change baby!

[LMNO]

What the fucking christ?

[Bebek Sincap Ratatosk]

On the other side... Oil from the Gulf of Mexico is probably going to be less expensive than oil from the Gulf of Arabia.

And, until we have existing alternative infrastructure, oil is a necessity. So if he does this in conjunction with moving towards new infrastructure options, it may be a reasonable decision.

Hey, at least we'll have plenty of American Made petroleum jelly for when we bend over.

[Cramulus]

Obama is the master of compromise. On NPR this morning, they suggested this move is a diplomatic one - aimed at getting Big Oil comfortable with him and his new energy bill.

it's not even that much oil.

[Jenne]

It might be sleight of hand, it might be...what it looks like.  I'm sure we can all look up his campaign so-called-promises and find where he said NO MO' DRILLIN'...

EITHER WAY: TEH SMILER STRIKES AGAIN.

[Requia ☣]

Obama is the master of compromise. On NPR this morning, they suggested this move is a diplomatic one - aimed at getting Big Oil comfortable with him and his new energy bill.

it's not even that much oil.

troof.

Most of the remaining oil in the world is in Utah and Wyoming, the oil companies are just cheap bastards who don't want to pay for the gear they need to drill in shale.

[LMNO]

It might be sleight of hand, it might be...what it looks like.  I'm sure we can all look up his campaign so-called-promises and find where he said NO MO' DRILLIN'...

EITHER WAY: TEH SMILER STRIKES AGAIN.

I'll check politifact.

I'll wager, however, that he only remarks on developing green energy, and doesn't address the drilling issue at all; he probably let Aristotle wave his magic wand, and let people assume that "if McCain=Drill, then Obama=No Drill."

[Cramulus]

he probably let Aristotle wave his magic wand, and let people assume that "if McCain=Drill, then Obama=No Drill."

so very well said!

[LMNO]

So, here are the promises relating to "energy".

As expected, none of them say, "No Offshore Drilling".  In fact, #440 says "I will set a clear goal as president: In 10 years we will finally end our dependence on oil in the Middle East."

Which, if you think like a weasel trained in Chicago politics, completely allows for domestic offshore drilling.

In his favor, he is not allowing drilling in ANWAR nor in any other highly sensitive ecosystems.  Just the moderately sensitive ones.

[Cain]

I just find this sort of thing amusing.  I wonder if next Obama will create a global League of Democracies (and Uzbekistan)?  It still wont get Republicans to like him.

[Jasper]

Politically sound maneuver or not, this displeases me.  I may be moderately less displeased if he actually passes strong energy reform.  I tend to doubt he can succeed, based on how much resistance his weak healthcare bill had.

[LMNO]

This could be amusing, actually... There is such a knee-jerk reaction to Obama, that the Teapartiers and Conservatives might fight him on this.

OUR KENYAN MUSLIM FASCIST SO-CALLED "LEADER" WANTS TO STEAL OUR OIL AND CAUSE GIANT SPILLS, DESTROYING AMURRICA!  HELL NO!  
  \

[Jasper]

What the world needs is a Tea Party faction that insists, nay demands, that Obama forego breakfast links in favor of bacon.

[Cain]

It would prove he isn't a Muslim.  Sell it on that premise, and you'll have your faction.