Bush to ask Congress to clear way for offshore oil drilling

[CavsSuperFan]

When this subject comes up I am forever tormented by that photo of Ted Kennedy getting "amorous" with a woman on his sailboat and Senator Howell Heflin remarked that it appeared that Kennedy "had done changed his position on offshore drilling."

[clambake]

this year, alone, i used 400k of capital investment to seach for an invisible car.

any windfall profit taxes will prohibit this endeavour, and then you'll be sorry.

[01.20.09]

I see Gov. Crist, Republican of Florida has flip-flopped on his stance of no drilling in his beloved state. But then again maybe he does want that VP slot.

[T Park]

I see the democrats have proposed nationalizing refineries.

Wow.

Just, wow....

[scott]

I see the democrats have proposed nationalizing refineries.

Wow.

Just, wow....

You saw this where?

[Nbadan]

You saw this where?

Don't bother T-Park for details...he's on a roll!

[T Park]

Represen ive of New York proposed it today and has many backers.

Just saw him have a press conference about it on Fox Business news.

[scott]

Represen ive of New York proposed it today and has many backers.

Just saw him have a press conference about it on Fox Business news.

Cool. Well, I just saw a press conference where Jim Bunning says he will propose rounding up all single virgins and breeding them with pit bulls in order to create an Army of Manamals.

[T Park]

Cool. Well, I just saw a press conference where Jim Bunning says he will propose rounding up all single virgins and breeding them with pit bulls in order to create an Army of Manamals.

Typical.

[scott]

I bet I can find a link for my claim before you for yours...

[T Park]

I'm sorry i can't link live television.

Link to where you can do that?

[scott]

This doesn't seem like news that would be worthy of being broken anywhere other than a brief mention on FoxNews to you?

[Nbadan]

Here's a link from ole 19% Approval rating himself....

Cheney Pushes for More Drilling
Vice President Also Calls for Extension of Bush Tax Cuts

[JoeChalupa]

Dems to Bush: Drop dead on oil drilling

[scott]

At one point during press conference, Hinchey of New York seemed to veer from the Democratic talking points to suggest that U.S. refineries be nationalized.

Our Republican friends also talk about the need to, you know, set up ways in which the material can be refined; refineries. Well, do we own refineries? No, the oil companies own refineries.

Should the people of the United States own refineries? Maybe so. Frankly I think that's a good idea. Then we could control the amount of refined product much more capably that gets out on the market.

When it came time for reporters to ask questions, a reporter jumped on this:

Q I've got a question about the issue of -- you mentioned the issue of nationalizing refineries and having nationally owned refinery capacity. A lot of other countries have nationalized their oil industry. You mentioned that the oil and gas companies may not want to drill on these lands, so that they can take advantage of ever- higher gas prices. Is there any thought to having bills that would nationalize some of these refineries or start a national oil company?...

... REP. HINCHEY: Yeah, there's thought going on about this. Frankly, this is something that I think is essential. And I think it's only a matter of time before it takes place. I think that the -- we'll -- what we have to do has to be in the interest of the American people, primarily, basically, in the interest of the American people, not in the interest of some major corporations. And the determination as to how much of this very important material gets refined, and consequently out on the market, is in the hands of the oil companies. And they just do. They make those decisions based upon their efforts to drive up the price as high as they can and keep it as high as they can for as long as they can.

So I think that this is something that this Congress should be thinking about. And certainly it's something that I'm thinking about, and I think that there are a few others already in the Congress who are thinking about it as well.

REP. EMANUEL: Let me just add one thing -- and then I you know have a question, and then we got to get going -- is as it relates to the refinery issue, there's been a tremendous amount of incentives, tax and otherwise, given to the oil and gas companies to expand or build new ones.

As I -- now I'm a little on weaker grounds. I think it's been, what, 20 years since a new refinery has been built.

REP. : Yeah.

REP. EMANUEL: And then clearly, the need is there. They haven't met that. And I think whether you support or don't nationalization, the question is what it is going to take to get the energy industry, given that we've given both direct and otherwise assistance, to build more refining capacity.


It probably wouldn't surprise anyone if, before the day is out, House Republicans picked up this nationalization-of-refineries idea and used it as a cudgel to beat on their Democratic colleagues, portraying them as socialists of the Hugo Chavez variety. In American politics, this is what could be easily described as low-hanging fruit.

My apologies to T Park, though I would venture to say there probably isn't much support of this.

I will also say this, which is just my opinion and may be counter to what some of you may be thinking:

The United States of America does not need a new refinery be built. There are refinery expansions happening as we speak that will increase capacity greater than that a new refinery would, and for cheaper.

[T Park]

This doesn't seem like news that would be worthy of being broken anywhere other than a brief mention on FoxNews to you?

Not in the new culture of america.

Americans more and more embrace socialism.

Doesn't surprise me a bit.

[JoeChalupa]

My apologies to T Park, though I would venture to say there probably isn't much support of this.

I will also say this, which is just my opinion and may be counter to what some of you may be thinking:

The United States of America does not need a new refinery be built. There are refinery expansions happening as we speak that will increase capacity greater than that a new refinery would, and for cheaper.

That is what I've read too but I'm no expert. I do think the US does need to drill for oil but I'm also about protecting the environment.

[scott]

That is what I've read too but I'm no expert. I do think the US does need to drill for oil but I'm also about protecting the environment.

Well, in the spirit of the other oil post... I guess I have to ask what the objective is.

My personal opinion is that our objective should be to move away from an oil based economy, in which case I don't support the drilling for any additional oil supply if it comes at the expense of our other natural resources. I think the policy of the US to be to aid in the destruction of oil demand.

[JoeChalupa]

Well, in the spirit of the other oil post... I guess I have to ask what the objective is.

My personal opinion is that our objective should be to move away from an oil based economy, in which case I don't support the drilling for any additional oil supply if it comes at the expense of our other natural resources. I think the policy of the US to be to aid in the destruction of oil demand.

I concur. I too believe that the US needs to move away from an oil based economy. My common man thinking is that we need to get oil from our own resources but I see your point and agree with it. It just makes "common sense" to me that if we get more oil from our own resources it would help.

I can see so many will like what they hear from McCain.

[clambake]

it would be sold on the global market!!!!!!!!!

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

Yeah, while the repugnacraps get all the profits.

If you know where I should be picking up said profit checks, please give me an address. Thanks.

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

Oh, and meanwhile, Cuba is letting China set up shop 50 miles off Key West to start sucking out our oil supplies in that area.

So while the Demos block our companies from pulling the oil out from down there, China's going to be sucking us dry in that part of the continental basin and laughing all the way to cheaper gas prices.

Pretty ing awesome way to run this country, if you ask me.

And does anyone think China is going to give two s about any potential environmental disaster off our shores? no, they're going to construct that as cheap as possible, and it's going to get torn to the first hurricane to roll through there.

Meanwhile, our oil companies have proven in the gulf they can construct facilities out in the heart of hurricane country that can withstand 'little' storms like Rita and Katrina....

[Nbadan]

errr............wrong again...

[Extra Stout]

Oh, and meanwhile, Cuba is letting China set up shop 50 miles off Key West to start sucking out our oil supplies in that area.

That is not true. Cheney misspoke and his office has already issued a retraction.

[ElNono]

Oh, and meanwhile, Cuba is letting China set up shop 50 miles off Key West to start sucking out our oil supplies in that area.

So while the Demos block our companies from pulling the oil out from down there, China's going to be sucking us dry in that part of the continental basin and laughing all the way to cheaper gas prices.

Pretty ing awesome way to run this country, if you ask me.

And does anyone think China is going to give two s about any potential environmental disaster off our shores? no, they're going to construct that as cheap as possible, and it's going to get torn to the first hurricane to roll through there.

Meanwhile, our oil companies have proven in the gulf they can construct facilities out in the heart of hurricane country that can withstand 'little' storms like Rita and Katrina....

And they should, otherwise they would need to stop ripping all of us off.