Via My Way News:
Amid
the backdrop of soaring oil and gasoline prices, a sharply divided
Senate on Wednesday voted to open the ecologically rich Alaska wildlife
refuge to oil drilling, delivering a major energy policy win for
President Bush.The
Senate, by a 51-49 vote, rejected an attempt by Democrats and GOP
moderates to remove a refuge drilling provision from next year’s
budget, preventing opponents from using a filibuster – a tactic that
has blocked repeated past attempts to open the Alaska refuge to oil
companies.
Alaskan wildlife were rumored to be heard cheering, as the pipelines melt the permafrost, and allow more grazing for the animals.
Seriously, it will take, as the article states, around 10 years till oil starts coming out of the ground there. Senator Weenie chimed in, of course:
Sen. John
Kerry, D-Mass., argued that more oil would be saved if Congress enacted
an energy policy focusing on conservation, more efficient cars and
trucks and increased reliance on renewable fuels and expanded oil
development in the deep-water Gulf where there are significant reserves."The fact is (drilling in ANWR) is going to be destructive," said Kerry.
Got proof? Like the fact that you said you were going to sign, then not sign, then sign, your 180’s, John? But, I digress. We should be focusing on conservation, more fuel efficient vehicles, and alternative resources. I fail to see how drilling in the Gulf of Mexico can be any better then in Alaska. The impact of a sea based spill is considerably worse then a land based one. Look up how plankton fit into the ecosphere (not the blogging one, of course) to understand how much worse that would be.
And, perhaps Kerry should have nailed Clinton over this, when, during the 1990’s, Clinton allowed the relaxation of fuel efficiency laws as the proliferation of SUV’s and large pickup happened. You know, the ones that get crap for mileage.
Furthermore, from my political point of view, which, in case I haven’t mentioned it, is Classical Liberalism, government has no right to lay out a formula for making people individually conserve. That is borderline totalitarianism to me. Forcing manufacturers to make fuel efficient vehicles, yes. Telling me and you individually what to do, no. I wonder when the big weenie is going to give up all his vehicles, as well as his private jet? Maybe get himself one of those hybrid cars.
Teach,
Interesting. Pres. Bush seems to be on a roll. I hear Mara NPR on Brit’s show today say, “This is why it matters to win elections.”
I think “the sky is falling” crowd will be proven wrong — again.
Hopefully, the Senate Critters Bill will be reconciled with the House Critters version to include the ANWAR provision. I really do believe we need to explore alternate energy sources drastically more then we are, but oil is just too important to the US economy for the immediate future. I would like to see some more petroleum refineries be built, as well.