Posted by
Roxanna M. on Saturday, May 24, 2008 10:43:47 AM
Congressional democrats are scrambling like crazy. That drip, drip, drip of sweat is turning into a downpour that threatens to engulf them and, unfortunately, us as well.
Carl Levin (Michigan) says "We can't drill our way out of this crisis." Let's explore that. I live in the country and am on a well. If that well were to run dry, I would drop another one as soon as humanly possible. Unless there were no more water to be had, drilling would get me out of a crisis. No different with oil. What Mr. Levin is really saying is that since we can't drill our way out of this crisis, congressional democrats did nothing wrong in refusing to allow more drilling. It's circular logic, but that's the only kind democrats have. It's also major CYA.
Herb Kohl (Wisconsin), with a keen sense of the obvious, said, "We need to get prices under control. We can only conclude that the oil markets have failed." Thank God we didn't do anything wrong. It was the "oil markets" that failed, not us. We're so relieved.
Charles Schumer (New York) took to the senate floor to proclaim that 1 million more barrels a day from Saudia Arabia would help ease the crisis. So would 1 million barrels a day from ANWR or Colorado or off America's costs. But to blame Saudi Arabia is to shift focus from the actions of congressional democrats. Once again, it's them, not us.
Maxine Waters (California) did nothing to distinguish herself when, in an imitation of the best tinpot dictators of the world, she threatened to nationalize the oil industry because one exec, in a rare display of courage on Capitol Hill, had the nerve to tell her that she was responsible for the problem. The truly frightened often react in unexpected ways.
As recently as May 13, 2008, senate democrats voted to block exploration in ANWR and the offshore areas of the Pacific and Atlantic coasts. So, they were exacerbating the problem at the very same time they were blaming everyone but themselves for the problem. I would like to say that such breathtaking incompetence is rare, but I would be lying.
There is a bright spot on the horizon, however, that could get bigger with time. Dianne Feinstein (California) opened the door to finally looking out for the bests interests of the people who pay her salary by saying, "There may be places that make sense, I am not saying, 'Let's not drill anywhere'." Unfortunately, she went on to say No to ANWR and No to the California coast.
Mr. Levin, feeling the hot breath of his constituents on his back, said, "I can't say categorically we shouldn't open any drilling." Unfortunately, he went on to say No to the Great Lakes.
Byron Dorgan (North Dakota) said that there are increased drilling operations in North Dakota, and he's in favor of allowing increased drilling in the Gulf of Mexico.
Unfortunately, one idiot from Massachusetts could prevent that bright spot from ever growing. Last year, Ed Markey introduced H.R. 39, which would permanently place ANWR off limits for oil exploration and drilling.
According to analysts, there's oil a plenty to be had right here in the good old U.S. of A. So, why do congressional democrats insist on keeping it off limits? What is their rationale for allowing an economic crisis to get worse with every passing day when they have it in their power to begin taking steps right now to if not solve, at least alleviate the problem? What are they thinking?