The ANSWERS my friend are blowing in the wind. POLITICAL WIND THAT IS!

[Dee]

Well now Obama is saying that we can drill off shore. "IF" this were it in a different country would be hilarious!

McCain the " not so closet liberal" was AGAINST further drilling on the Continental Shelf, "UNTIL" the POLITICAL FERVER caused him to start to "rapidly recede" in the polls against Obama. Of course being the "SEASONED POLITICIAN" that McCain is, he simply SWITCHED HORSES, and is now FOR DRILLING.

Well! Taking a lesson from the EXPERIENCED MCCAIN, Obama after receiving much heat from the American people is ALSO "NOW FOR" OFF SHORE DRILLING.

As I said, were this in ANOTHER COUNTRY, it would be quite entertaining but, it is NOT IN ANOTHER COUNTRY, it is HERE IN AMERICA.

One faction (the Democrats) is clamoring to SAVE THE PLANET, while the other faction (the Republican conservatives ) is clamoring to vote McCain and SAVE US FROM OBAMA. Both factions, all the while voting out of FEAR OF THE OTHER.

Both candidates are doing PRECISELY the same thing, which is CATERING TO THE VOTER on what they want to hear, although NEITHER can produce what they claim they can produce.
Want PROOF? Bush has already signed approval to drill, and the Dems went home for VACATION. Now the Republicans made a big issue of this, HOWEVER, when they were in control, there WAS NO OFF SHORE DRILLING ALLOWED THEN EITHER. The Republicans sat on their asses until the POLITICAL CLIMATE "DICTATED" CHANGE.

The sadness of the issue is, that voters CONTINUE TO CLING to these two false prophets, and will vote for one or the other, EXTINGUISHING ANY HOPE OF CHANGE for the future.

One of the chief arguments by some is that one of these LIBERALS "MIGHT" (mite, a little biddy bug on a chicken) "MIGHT" (mite) appoint conservative judges to the Supreme Court. A LIBERAL PRESIDENT APPOINTING "CONSERVATIVE " JUDGES? I doubt it. JMO

[powderman]

DEE. Gas wasn't over $4 a gallon then eiither. Gas has doubled in price since the dumcraps took control of congress. POWDERMAN. 

[Dee]

powderman, I know how you feel my friend. I too am paying these prices however, THE SAME LAWS THAT WERE IN EFFECT 8 YEARS AGO ARE IN EFFECT "NOW". I am not under the illusion that this would have never happened under a Republican led Congress and Senate.
This is merely a scenario of "FINALLY" HITTING THE END OF THE ECONOMIC ROPE. It was GOING TO HAPPEN REGARDLESS, and IT DID!
Whether Republican or Democrat, THIS WAS GOING TO HAPPEN. Bush NEVER MENTIONED IT, until IT HAPPENED.
Both parties have managed to lead the American public down the primrose path to where we are today, and now one is blaming the other, and so are the American people.
The type of spending in government that has been going on for DECADES, could have never happened had not BOTH PARTIES reached an agreement to do so.
The LEGISLATION IN "ALL CATAGORIES"  THAT HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR "DECADES", COULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED HAD NOT BOTH PARTIES REACHED A "COMPROMISE" TO DO SO. AND SO, HERE WE ARE!

BOTH MCCAIN "AND" OBAMA, HAVE FLIP-FLOPED ON DRILLING IN THE LAST 25 DAYS. HAVE YOU NOT NOTICED powderman? They BOTH HAD THE SAME VIEW, until the heat was turned on. Have you not noticed this also? Neither CARE ABOUT YOU, unless it costs them a much needed vote.

[dukkillr]

A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds

Ralph Waldo Emerson

It blows my mind that some people can't adapt to life.  10 years ago I would not have supported additional drilling.  Gas was cheap and easy we had no pending wars in the Middle East.  But here's the thing in life: things change.  If circumstances change you should change your mind.

This is not an endorsement of either McCain of Obama but rather to point out that the world is not a static place and if you have static thoughts there may be a problem.

[BBF]

When any country depends on raw and finished products from foreign sources, the gun on your head is loaded. The Europeans should know that, apperently they have forgotten it or are just without an alternative. If you are wondering why the EU is soft on Iran, Russia is friendly with them and the Russian's have the EU by the short& curlies with Natural Gas.

[Dee]

A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds

Ralph Waldo Emerson

It blows my mind that some people can't adapt to life.  10 years ago I would not have supported additional drilling.  Gas was cheap and easy we had no pending wars in the Middle East.  But here's the thing in life: things change.  If circumstances change you should change your mind.

This is not an endorsement of either McCain of Obama but rather to point out that the world is not a static place and if you have static thoughts there may be a problem.

While I agree with you on all points of your post, I myself cannot understand why we got into this mess in the first place other than the government wanting control of everything. The government stopped the drilling off shore, and other places as THEY decided we didn't need it. Why Not be independent? The government decided to put us into an energy dependent situation, and here we are. There has NEVER been a time when I would not have supported additional drilling. More reserves would have meant ever cheaper gas, causing the economy to prosper even further with cheaper energy.
It is a similar situation of control on farming. The farmer is dictated to on how much seed he can save from certain crops, and of course some seed is almost sterile. The government gave them incentives in order to control them, and most are now so in debt they will never get out. Some live like kings, but in reality they are captives. The incentive although attractive, will not get them out of debt.
It blows my mind that people LET government control free enterprise, thereby allowing us to be painted into this economic corner.

[deltecs]

A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds

Ralph Waldo Emerson

It blows my mind that some people can't adapt to life.  10 years ago I would not have supported additional drilling.  Gas was cheap and easy we had no pending wars in the Middle East.  But here's the thing in life: things change.  If circumstances change you should change your mind.

This is not an endorsement of either McCain of Obama but rather to point out that the world is not a static place and if you have static thoughts there may be a problem.

 

While I agree with you on all points of your post, I myself cannot understand why we got into this mess in the first place other than the government wanting control of everything. The government stopped the drilling off shore, and other places as THEY decided we didn't need it. Why Not be independent? The government decided to put us into an energy dependent situation, and here we are. There has NEVER been a time when I would not have supported additional drilling. More reserves would have meant ever cheaper gas, causing the economy to prosper even further with cheaper energy.
It is a similar situation of control on farming. The farmer is dictated to on how much seed he can save from certain crops, and of course some seed is almost sterile. The government gave them incentives in order to control them, and most are now so in debt they will never get out. Some live like kings, but in reality they are captives. The incentive although attractive, will not get them out of debt.
It blows my mind that people LET government control free enterprise, thereby allowing us to be painted into this economic corner.

The cause of this mess started with lack of good presidential candidates after Reagan and loss of the Compact with America theme.  Whether we like it or not, the third party candidates did not effect the Democratic constituency and only effected the conservatives.  By splitting this vote, we got a totally ineffective yet popular President, who did nothing except limit individual rights and a disasterous foreign relationship.  I do not discount Bush senior's ineffective policies either.  Bush Jr, inherited the totally obsolete and outdated intelligence agencies evalutions on foreign affairs and unprepared for the terrorists actions on 9/11.  His solution was to attempt to protect Americans by revising our intelligence services and creation of the Dept of Homeland Security.  Neither has worked as intended.   Further complications arose from media opposition to his policies and agenda.  This resulted in a Democratically controlled Congress, in which neither the Republican, Independent, or Libertarian incumbents could do much of anything to change.  To get back on track, we need to wholeheartedly stand behind an electable candidate  and continue to let him know we want conservative change, not compromise for liberal agendas.  That just ain't a gonna happen with third party candidates getting votes from conservatives, in effect electing a Democrat, instead of either conservative.   Yes, you voted your conscience, but lost the war and American justice.  This attitude has cost conservative more than imagined with Slick Willy's foreign policy, his riding the Reagan economy all the while spending more federal dollars to keep it there, and supporting him when he commited perjury.  When are we going to learn that we need another Compact with America that is stronger, complete implementation of it, and a President that can sway the opposition.  If Obama is elected, and you can be absolutely positive that the Dems will control Congress, what checks do you have on implementation of liberal policies, Supreme Court Justices, and taxes that will be nearly impossible in the future to correct?  If your goal is to revise government back to its limited authority, this sure is not the way to go about it and in effect causes the obverse scenario. 

[oldandslow]

My feelings about national politicans is that they are not concerned about what is good for the country but what enough people want to hear to get them elected. Up until the price of oil went thru the roof and everyone was fat and happy and driving a big, thirsty vehicle the way to election was to support the environmentalist causes. Since the worm has turned and a lot of so called environmentalists are hurting in the pocketbook it looks like the way to votes is to support efforts to lower the cost of energy. All of them are only interested in what they can put in their pocket and how important they seem by being elected. Country be damed. They will say whatever they think will get them elected and forget everything they said and do what they want after being elected

 Local politicians come off a little better in my book but not much. To them it is about power and how much money they can make out of it. State level is like the national deal only on a smaller scale.

I've voted in every election since I turned 21 and I can't remember a presidential candidate who really inspired me but I can name a few who repelled me. Seems I've been voting the lesser of two evils to some extent for 50 years. I have to say Reagan turned out to be a pleasant suprise.

How did we get in this mess? Indifference and apathy on the part of the American voter seems to be the culprit to me. And don't forget, there are a lot of people who are perfectly happy with things the way they are and a lot that would prefer things a lot further left than they are. And they all have a vote.

[Empty Quiver]

Will the east coast libs be refilling their fuel oil tanks before election day? The reaction to that fuel bill will be what puts the holes in the ground. Thousands of our less fortunate "disenfranchised citizens" will be burning down the neighborhoods with space heaters. We'll drill for the CHILDREN, ya' that's it, for the CHILDREN, everyone can get behind that, and the problem of drilling will be solved.

[magooch]

The reasons why we're in the position we are now, aren't that complicated.  It's economics, pure and simple--with a political element as a kicker. 

Just a short few years ago, the price of oil per barrel didn't make it economically feasible to do a lot of exploring and drilling offshore and most coastal folks were'nt crazy about the specter of having oil wash up on their beaches.

Enter the era of $120 plus per barrel and everything changes.  Well, not everything; some of the liberal nut jobs still think we can conserve and tech our way out of this dillema, but most folks are coming to the realization that for the foreseeable future (at least a few years), we'll be dependent on oil.  And at the present price per barrel of oil, it is now economically doable to go for it.