Why are democrats against drilling for oil?

We'll be at 175 dollars per barrel by the end of the summer if we dont. Then it will fall to about $160 around beginning of 2009 only to go above $200 next summer. This extremely hurts the average American family, Obama keeps saying he is for the middle class yet he doesnt want to solve this problem.Why are democrats against drilling for oil?
Because that would lower the gas prices and be a win for the country. they are in a battle for the white house and can't afford anything good to happen before the election. they don't want anything good to happen while Bush is in the Oval office, Period!Why are democrats against drilling for oil?
Well, if we start drilling for oil right now (drop everything and start now) it will take about 10 years to notice any change, which will be about 30 cents a gallon, which is what the more optimistic economists say.





And of course we also have to fight off the oil companies that are drilling in the states right now in places like Alaska, California, and Texas (to name a few), from giving most of the oil to places like China and India, which they do right now.





Plus, there are the risks of contaminating the environment, which really doesn't answer the question you're asking, but also a big reason why even many Republicans (like California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger) oppose it.





It's more like a big risk with a short term (and gradual) solution to a much longer lasting problem. We really should take a look at alternative sources.
Because drilling for oil does not solve the problem. Drilling for oil does not reduce the cost of fuel today. Nothing will. The way to reduce our dependence on oil in the near long term is to develop other ways to get around other than burning gasoline.





If we drill for oil, that keeps us dependent on it. If we develop alternative sources of fuel, then we are not dependent on it.





Once we are not dependent on it, the price will go down.
Because they know that if they favor drilling in this country, Bush and McCain will having a ratings boost, and the Democrats feel it would not be good for them.





If the Democrats really cared for the Middle Class, they would quit playing politics and approve of the off-shore oil drilling.





If they did this they might still keep Congress even if McCain does win, afterall 1984 election was Ronald Reagan (Republican ) gets re-elected and Democrats keep Congress.





But a smart person like me wants Congress back under Republican control.
Hmmm, I'm not a democrat but evaluating it objectively... because they are better educated? Or because they don't sleep with big oil?





The answer is simple - the benefit is minimal...


US oil is not cheaper than Saudi oil so can't lower prices be replacing Saudi oil with US oil (any developer of oil isn't going to lose money by undercutting world prices);


Further drilling wouldn't come on stream for 10 years or so - it can't affect todays prices anyway;


The US has 22bn barrels of proven oil reserves but consumes close to 9bn barrels per year; domestic production is simply not going to have a big impact





And the cost is huge...


Drilling in Alaska or the Evrglades will forever destroy some of the most beautiful and pristine landscapes on this planet.


Perhaps Democrats care about children and future generations?





The Senate majority leader, Harry Reid, summed it up when he said Bush was being cynical and the US cannot drill itself out of the problem: ';The math is simple: America has just 3% of the world's oil reserves, but Americans use a quarter of its oil';.





My question in return would be:


Why do Republicans want to screw up the environment, rob their children of their natural heritage, allow oil companies and a few rich people get richer in return for maybe, possibly, lowering the price of gas by a few cents for a couple of years?





Hansblix is spot on! Here in Europe we pay 3X as much for gas as Americans do but our economy is fine thanks (checked the US to 鈧?recently?), our standards of living are good, we consistently score higher on happiness and lifestyle indices and we outlive you!


High oil prices are not such a big deal if you simply stopped wasting it like the US does...
because they are the uneducated citizens of the country ,mixed with the illegals ,they are misled by the media. EXAMPLE #1 .. if salt water was the prime source of fuel in Florida ,why not pump it from the bay ,rather than pay to have it shipped from Canada? i guess that the reason would be that unemployment in Florida is so low ,that there is no reason to fix the problem by adding jobs ,and lower pricing ,after all , the people that live in Florida have money to give to other countries anyway. do you think that there is no shipping cost for oil?
To make the Citizens of this Country MORE DEPENDANT ON OUR GOVERNMENT, plain and simple. With the Democratic push towards bigger government and socialism, this goes hand in hand. I do not believe their crap about alternatives being the ';only way';. Sorry, we need oil/gas/coal NOW. It is going to take YEARS for the alternatives to really be up and running. Besides, everyone will always need oil since most everything is manufactured with an oil ingredient.





WAKE UP AMERICA





The Dems are hijacking this Country, its' sovereignty, its freedoms and liberties.
Drilling for oil is not the answer. We need alternative energy. We need to change consumption habits. Why look for a quick easy bandaid? We need a long term solution. Not fast do nothing suggestions to appease the public.


We have changed already. Many people are buying hybrid and wasting less energy. Change happens when it affects the pocket.
McCain has also stated that he doesn't want to drill in ANWR....and has now stated, as all parties agree, that ANWR drilling will do absolutely nothing to lower gas prices....and that his position is a pshchological gimmic.





There are plenty of oil leases not being used. And ANWR drilling does nothing for 5-10 years...and then will only be enough for 1-2 years worth of US consumption.
Did you know Oil broke another record today? It hit $140 a barrel for the first time! The Dow (-358) and the dollar plummeted.





If oil goes to $200 it will SHUT down the economy.





The Dem's are happy oil is going up up up. They want us to pay more and use less.
Are you sure that it will make much of a difference in terms of price? That seems to be the big debate--how much will it really impact the price of oil. Why not build a better public transportation network. The rest of the industrialized world has that, why don't we?
Blame the Da** tree huggers who wanna protect are world.





The U.S.A can't drill off her coast but, China and Cuba can drill off are shores, and are !!!


.


We can't drill in Alaska, might hurt the environment.





Blame the Tree huggers !!!
If the congress would pass legislation to allow drilling everywhere...the price of oil would immediatly drop like a stone





It would scare the speculators into selling everything





We would not need to drill a single hole





But they wont so it does not matter
The democrats don't want anything to get better because they want the Republicans to look bad while they are in office. That way Obama will become president. The democrats don't care about the country they just want power.
THEY ARE NOT .THE DEMOCRATS ARE AGAINST GIVING THE BIG OIL CORPORATION MORE PUBLIC LAND WHEN THEY ARE NOT DRILLING ON THE 68 MILLIONS ACRES ALREADY LEAST TO THEM .
They simply want us to feel miserable and to vote for them. But the tide of public opioin has turned against them on the Gulf Coast issue. What are they going to do when they get voted out office over gas prices?
The offshore drilling ban in the USA was put in place by Ronald Reagan in 1981 and re-instated by Geo. H W Bush during his Presidency.
If they win the election that is their true plan. Right now they are only trying to place all the blame on the Republicans for the high oil prices!
He'll solve the problem when he gets into office...he can't do that until that happens...and we all know Bush isn't going to do anything, now.
Because they're working on an alternative fuel source that runs on incense and love beads...
the democrats want to make President Bush look bad
It's not just Dems. What has the Bush admin done for oil prices and national debt other than make both record highs?
We are????


Please talk to your prezident.