Afghanistan Trashed for Oil, Now the ANW R

“Bush Says U.S. Needs to
Drill for Oil in Alaska
By Steve Holland
2-23-2

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Facing tough odds in the U.S. Senate, President Bush on Saturday launched a new campaign to gain approval for oil drilling in a pristine Alaskan wildlife refuge, saying it would create jobs and help wean America from foreign oil.

"America is already using more energy than our domestic resources can provide, and unless we act to increase our energy independence, our reliance on foreign sources of energy will only increase," Bush said in his weekly radio address.

The Senate in the coming week is to resume debate on energy legislation and at the moment it does not contain language to allow drilling in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR), believed to hold up to 16 billion barrels of crude.

Republicans wants to amend the legislation to include ANWR drilling. The House included drilling in the refuge in its energy bill last August.

A final Senate vote is not expected until March, and Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, a South Dakota Democrat, has said he has enough votes to block Republicans from adding language that would allow drilling in the Alaskan refuge.

Bush said he stopped in Alaska a week ago on his way to Asia and met with many Alaskans, including "native leaders who want to preserve the grandeur of their state while carefully developing the energy beneath a small fraction of it."

"New technology makes this possible. Our national security makes it urgent. Alaskans know firsthand that modern technology allows us to bring oil to the surface cleanly and safely, while protecting our environment and wildlife," Bush said. "We should listen to Alaskans who support exploring ANWR in a safe and clean way."

The Arctic refuge stretches over 19.6 million acres and is home to caribou, polar bears and other wildlife. Democrats and environmental groups oppose drilling in the refuge, preferring an energy policy that emphasizes more conservation and stricter fuel efficiency standards.

Bush believes taking oil from the refuge would help reduce America's dependence on crude oil imported from volatile Middle Eastern nations.

Republicans say Alaskan drilling will create tens of thousands of jobs, and backers say the refuge could produce 1 million barrels of oil a day at peak production. The United States uses 19.5 million barrels a day, and imports account for 60 percent of that.

Interior Secretary Gale Norton has said it is too early to say whether Bush would veto energy legislation that does not include ANWR drilling.

Bush on Monday will underscore his support for conservation when he takes a look at three experimental energy-saving vehicles, including the Chrysler Town & Country Natrium minivan, which is fueled with sodium boro-hydride, a compound chemically related to borax, the naturally occurring substance used in laundry soap.

The White House insists Bush's commitment to conservation, including tax credits for purchases of hybrid vehicles, has been overshadowed by the flap over ANWR.

"Conservation technology and renewables are important. Yet they alone cannot solve our energy problems. We must also reduce America's dependence on foreign sources of oil by encouraging safe and clean exploration at home," Bush said.

http://story.news.yahoo.com”

“After reading this whole artical I found it very infomative. I'm for anything that takes power from the Saudis and reduses our dependancy on other countries. It's also good to see Bush is looking at alternitives (even if the media isn't reporting it).”

“It seems that Nigal finds the Prez to be a good honest man.


Hoo hoo hoo, he he he!!!”

“Personally I don't think there is a need to drill for oil in the ANWR. We already have the Alaskan pipeline that stretches for miles through Alaska. Doe anyone know where that oil goes to...Japan! We sell it to Japan and other countries. If Bush is so concerned with the amount of oil we use maybe, just maybe we should stop selling the oil then the US could cut down on the amount of oil we have to get from OPEC.
A few yrs ago the big oil companies in this country said that it is cheaper to buy oil from OPEC than it is to drill for oil in the US. If that is the case then why should we drill in Alaska again. Also ask the oil companies why there is so many capped oil wells in this country. If we really needed the oil that bad it would make sense to uncap these wells. The oil companies couldn't gouge the citizens of this country if they did that.
Also with the technology we have you would think that the car mfgs. would be able to come up with a car that runs on something else efficently. Wonder how many car & oil companies have stopped that from happening!
How concidentical is it that both Bush and Cheney have ties to the oil comapnies. Yes I know that Gore did to but he isn't in office.

Sorry for the rant but I figure if I voted I have every right to state my opinion and if you didn't vote you don't have that right even though these people still complain. Get out and vote if you want to make a difference.”

“That is correct about Alaskan petroleum going to Japan.

If ANWR were to be opened for extraction you can bet your A$$ that the oil would go to Japan too.

After all, the Bush Regime takes its marching orders from BIG OIL.

It is true that many U.S. oil wells are capped off.
They are waiting for the prices to go up.

Cheney said, "...conservation is a personal virtue..."
That pretty much says it all!”

“I say leave ANWR alone. It's a frickin' WILDLIFE REFUGE. Leave it the F alone!

However, Bush is taking big steps to make America less oil dependent, mainly by allocating major funding for fuel cell R&D. Great move.

But drilling in the ANWR.. bad, bad move.”

“If those guys are serious about R&D I say go for it!

We shall see.”

“The oil in the ANWR would only make us independent of the Saudis for about 6 months. The "oil independence" excuse for drilling in the ANWR is about as lame as Bush's excuse that he was invading Afghanistan to get OBL. It's all nothing but lies.”

“energy good
president bad
I don't live in Alaska so I think they should milk it dry.”

“I hope not!”

“Wow Solitary Hiker..I didn't realize it, but I guess you're the source of all true knowledge..I'm just curious why you never say (In my opinion IMO) but state everything as if it's unbiased fact...Cutting to the chase..Try posting information that supported by some real scientific evidence..instead of your lefty BS rhetoric...The only ones that agree or care are already on your side..your preaching to the choir man...Otherwise, your just clogging this message board...”

“a limbaugh fan! wow! the truth is not hard to see, and the GAO is suing the White House so you can see it WS, oil companies were the committee to set U.S. energy policy, pretty soon you will get a lesson in conflict of interest. I wonder what you will be saying then? It's a liberal plan to stop honest people from making money! Friggin' dittohead clone! get your own ideas!”

“Dubya wants to drill in ANWR because the oil companies want to.

The ANWR belongs to us(U.S.) and the oil companies have to go throught the U.S. govt to get at it.

Dubya IS nuttin' but a DITTO-HEAD.”

“"oil companies were the committee to set U.S. energy policy,"

You mean this administration went and got advise from people who actually have a working knowledge of the area of interest? What a bunch of duma@@es! They should have let the congrassmen and Senaters set the policies!”

“There are geologists and scientists who study environmental issues that are not employed by the oil companies. Would it be so wrong to ask someone who won't directly benefit from helping set the energy policy?”

“Conservatives don't seem to understand why many people like me want to keep undeveloped areas undeveloped and natural. I don't think they ever will either. Nor do I care, I have my reasons and I'll always vote for people and policies that promote preservation and protection of the environment. Sorry folks, the environment is more important to me than making a quick buck!”

“wsdavies -

SH is not a lefty. He's a right wing-nut nostalgic for the days of Joe McCarthy and General Franco.

The reality of the new millennium is that the far right and wacky left have joined forces and are taking on the boring Establishment center -- together!

The New Odd Couple will star Ralph Nader as Felix and Patrick Buchanan as Oscar. Now that’s entertainment!”

“Ahhhhh, Generalissimo Fascisto Bastardo!
Now there was a stud!

I hear that Benito Mussolini is makin' a real come-back in Italia.

Maybe its time Pat Robertson made another run at the Whitehouse.”

“wsdavies,
To state "IMO" would be redundent. Of course it's my opinion. The thing is I base my opinion on fact. The fact is that the sixteen billion barrels of oil in the ANWR is about enough to last the U.S. six months. And the fact is, as someone else stated, the oil will just be shipped to Japan. If this oil is so critical to us why don't we just sit on it in case we get into a war and really need it?

And another thing, you may not be old enough to remember the so-called oil embargo of 1973 but I do. It was an oil "shortage" that was totally caused by the oil industry. It was totally contrived by them. Why? Because Big Oil wanted the Alaska Oil Pipeline. Congress used the fake oil embargo to push that legisation through and once they did, the oil began to magically flow again. In fact, there was no oil shortage and no real OPEC embargo. OPEC needed the money as much as we needed their oil. We just had to pay them what they wanted for it. Fact is, it was all a managed lie. And the same people that lied back then are lying right now.”

“And yeah the anti-federalist far right and the far left are merging in some areas. And when most people finally wake up and realize that there is not a dime's worth of difference between the Republican and Democratic Parties then things are going to get interesting.”

“I would be much more able to believe in the need to drill ANWR in the gov't & industry wasn't so opposed to raising mpg standards.

I can't justify buldozing a wilderness just to enable the rich to drive 10 mpg suv's.”

“Is the current administration really considering drilling in ANWR or threatening possible competition on OPEC? Here's something to consider. For almost 70 years the majority of AK’s wild lands have been or are currently used as missile testing ranges. Long distance land ranges (almost totally isolated areas) are not exactly easy to find nor available anywhere given the current world population. These areas are worth more to our gov’t than oil for recreation, testing, wildlife studies, and local subsistence living. Also, I have heard so many contradicting reports coming from everywhere some saying AK could supply us for 60 yrs or 2 months. Downward spiraling oil prices are truly an economic boost that puts money back into the hands of every American even if you don't own a car. However, as a nation becomes less dependent on others lessens their enemies’ opportunities to topple a nation, which recently has become a major issue. The final solution is for the U.S. economy to lose its dependence by finding alternate means of fuel and energy. Solitary hiker may have a point because both parties love the environmental limelight but never even search for realistic solutions. Now lets say it all together, a gov’t that governs best governs less.”

“I think its the other way around....."the government that governs less governs best"....

As long as that government keeps big business off our backs and out of our pockets.

solitary is correct.
The Alaska pipeline was going to make us "less dependent on foreign oil" and that was a LIE.
The oil companies send it all to Japan as was their intention from the start.
It was just more business for them.

If America had built the Alaska pipeline sixty years ago there would have been no need for Pearl Harbor.”

“Well I'm glad some things don't change. I see SH is still the King of cut and paste.”

“long live the King!”

“Donman...I'm no dittohead..I'd describe myself as a conservative with libertarian leanings...I think the market is a powerful force and if left relatively alone it will exact a fair solution for most involved...Look at the California energy crisis...I agree that power companies manipulated the system..how..Well, you have had years of poorly thought out interferance by the regulatory parties involved...Look at the situation now Davis has us tied into all these dumb ass long term contracts that will cost us 42 billion and he thought he was saving us money...Now he's crying it wasn't fair...Run the lobbiests out..level the playing field..and natural law will take care of the rest.”

“Tom you mentioned keeping big business off our backs. Would you agree big business is off our backs and out of our pockets when they are able to produce their product or service at a lower price, which in turn means less money for the best service? Now what's wrong again with the tax cut? The best product for the best price always wins. Corporate tax is always the first consideration when evaluating the price of goods and services and with no exceptions passed onto the consumer. And that is more money in my pocket for backpacking trips and gear.”

“Environazis say we should not drill in ANWR partly because local tribal government is opposed.

They also say no to the Yucca Mountain nuclear repository because state and local governments are opposed.

So do the same eco-luddites agree with the Plumas County (CA) Board of Supervisors when they unanimously passed a resolution opposing any further wilderness designation or restrictions on National Forest logging in their county?”

“...when you get government off big business' backs:
Superfund dwindles, cleanup plans cut; Bush would shift most costs from industry to taxpayers”

“Trailhound, don't try and confuse Tom by asking questions. You'll just make him sputter-sput and all you'll get is some incoherent A.D.D. babble about the "Bush crime family" and how their robbing the coffers to help their friends in big business. Just let ‘em go. He’s into rhetoric, not reality. 8)”

“the California energy crisis was a scam, as one who monitored the daily usage on the sce website for a major company there were no days were CA exceeded supply. The free market scam was perpetuated by some unscrupulous companies, one being Enron. When CA asked or price caps The Whitehouse said it wouldn't help, recently a memo from Enron surfaced that asked the Whitehouse not to help. Free market only works when competition is present. Energy didn't work like that, CA had to go through brokerages, since when do middlemen mean lower prices? LA didn't de-regulate they never had power problems, in fact they sold power to CA (at inflated prices!). I consider myself a pragmatic independent... I find it funny that Republicans feel that the Gov should always stay out of the way, cut welfare, let the private sector handle things. But when business wants something they bend over backwards to help. We have the cheapest gas in the world, do we need to tap US reserves that could really serve us better in times of need, or are big oil friends of the Whitehouse calling Bush, greasing palm (legally) and asking for favors? It's all to fishy to me. Clinton was scummy but he did some good things.... Bush has done some good things, and there's just too many fishy things going on... I sure wish Powell had run”

“What's wrong with bush helpint the oil industry?

I own some Exxon stock. There is nothing wrong with corporate profits.”

“I love corporate profits, but I think if a company can't stand on it's own two feet then it deserves to go under. I honestly feel that the US gov should take care of defense, infrastructure, and ensure we get the best educated students in the world, that's it... with a cutting edge education we'd have better companies, government, citizenry, electorate... yada yada

instead of my tax $$ going to prop up bad companies”

“Every single entity in the U.S., whether an individual, small business, or major corporation receives directly or indirectly a government subsidy in every aspect of day-to-day life.”

“Education, now that would be an interesting threads. As wealthy as our country is, education is a rather sad mess. We choose to educate the masses on a general scale while they (most other countries) educate the gifted or wealthy on a first-rate standard. You'd probably get some really great discussion about tenure, tax dollars, family responsibility, school safety, home school, and so on.”

“and I don't think it should, my tax $$ are not for companies other than the benefit that companies recieve from a well-educated populace”

“The same people in industry that whine everytime the minimum wage goes up are the same ones lining up at the public trough of corporate welfare. This happens on the city, county, state and national level. I for one am tired of subsidizing both deadbeat welfare recipients, civil servant bureaucrats, a public school system beyond reform, AND CORPORATIONS.

VOTE BUCHANAN AND/OR OTHER RIGHT WING EXTREMIST / LIBERTARIAN ANARCHISTS”

“yep sh, they sure do like to put on a show saying that people have to pull themselves up by the bootstraps, and then lobby for more support from the gov...”

“Now here is a song by Charlie Rich.
"And when we get behind closed doors,
And George lets his hair hang down
And Enron makes him glad to be GOP
Oh, no one knows what goes on
Behind closed doors
Behind closed doors."”