The Drilling Bill That Bans Drilling

by Jeff Jacoby - September 21st, 2008 - Boston Globe

This bill permanently bans all drilling within 50 miles of the US coast, which just happens to be where most of the recoverable oil and gas reserves are. It permits drilling between 50 and 100 miles out only if the adjoining states agree - which they won't, since the bill denies them any share in the royalties the oil companies would have to pay, thereby eliminating any financial incentive for a state to say yes. Virtually all the oil off the California coast and beneath the Eastern Gulf of Mexico would be locked up for good. Don't be fooled: The only offshore drilling this bill really opens the door to would have to be 100 miles or more out to sea, where the oil companies have no infrastructure.

This election is the most bizarre election in history. The Democrat Party has stopped all exploration of practical fuel resources ... oil, natural gas, shale oil and coal, as well as blocking expansion of nuclear ... for two generations. The Democrat Party, for the purpose of expanding home ownership, has corrupted the home mortgage marketplace for nearly 20 years, turning it into a socialized system that forces loans to be made to people who cannot afford them. This is proved by the fact that mortgage firms are all controlled by Democrats. Their management has been a revolving door for Democrat Party hacks like Jamie Gorelick. It is not possible to believe the preponderence of Democrats is a coincidence.

Now the Democrats are trying to sell the idea that both of these problems they created are the fault of capitalism and those greedy insensitive Republicans. They insist they are still out there protecting the American people by subsidizing the Democrat controlled companies in a bailout (and bailing out the people who bought homes they cannot afford) and also pretending to allow drilling for oil while making sure that the two generation ban stays in place in all practical ways. Both are con jobs.

Yet people are actually believing their story on both issues. Is the world insane?