Sep 17 2008
Rep. Shadegg: When “Support” For Domestic Drilling Is No Such Thing
In a twist on the notion of a “rose by any other name,” Congressman John Shadegg takes to the Wall Street Journal editorial pages today to explain when support for drilling is not what it seems. Democrats are pushing plans that wouldn’t lead to increased drilling, he says, while the American people overwhelmingly support such plans:
Absent provisions to stop abusive litigation, the bills Democrats support will not lead to oil production. Any serious energy plan would encourage the development of alternative and renewable fuels, and open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, the OCS and the Western U.S. to drilling. It also would put a stop to never-ending litigation. But that’s not what Democratic leaders are offering.
We’re told that the Democrats now favor drilling. That they have seen the light after feeling the heat all summer. What’s really happening is we’re mid-way through a political hoax.
Some 70% of Americans favor increased domestic drilling. Unfortunately, if Mrs. Pelosi and her party’s leaders continue to play politics, we can be sure Americans won’t get the energy they want.
It’s worth clicking through to read the piece in its entirety, especially for the specifics on ways litigation has been used (instead of more honest regulation or legislation) to block drilling in the past.
The Dems. are plainly scared of voters’ anger that they won’t look at an obvious partial solution to the problem, so this is just to give candidates in close elections (hey, isn’t Obama one of those now?) something to say while avoiding doing what they really don’t want to do–allow drilling–even in those parts of the nation where there are big majorities for doing this.
If 70 percent of all voters favor more domestic exploration for energy then you can bet they’ve noticed taht some of that percent are Democrat voters.