Obama to allow drilling off of Virginia's Coast

[Lettow77]

 Congradulations to beautiful Virginia. I wonder how many carpetbaggers this industry will bring down?

[Faeelin]

I question his decision to not extend it to the Pacific Coast and Alaska. If this is so great as he claims, why doesn't he agree with the House Minority Leader and allow drilling there as well?

[Fate]

I question his decision to not extend it to the Pacific Coast and Alaska. If this is so great as he claims, why doesn't he agree with the House Minority Leader and allow drilling there as well?

I assume Virginia wants it and many left leaning states on the Pacific Coast don't want it. I don't know what's happening in the Alaskan case, but I wouldn't be surprised if it's related to some sort of national park.

[KRonn]

Good, finally. We rely on oil and gas so heavily, and will likely rely on those for years to come even with new green tech. It makes sense to drill; makes no sense to not drill and continue importing, especially when N. America has such huge reserves of natural gas.

However, I really don't expect much to happen as this will be opposed by enviros and who ever else, for years, likely until the idea of drilling collapses. Heck, we can't even get wind turbines off the coast of Massachusetts!! I'd love some oil drills off the MA coast, to bring in some state revenue. And I think that financial incentive may give some of the states included in this new drilling proposal reasons to support it. Mass isn't in the proposal; after all, we have our not yet ready for prime time wind farm.... not yet. 

[Faeelin]

I question his decision to not extend it to the Pacific Coast and Alaska. If this is so great as he claims, why doesn't he agree with the House Minority Leader and allow drilling there as well?

I assume Virginia wants it and many left leaning states on the Pacific Coast don't want it. I don't know what's happening in the Alaskan case, but I wouldn't be surprised if it's related to some sort of national park.

Right, but it just seems incredibly political. If you really think this is a guy idea and ownt' harm the environment, you should suport drilling everywhere.

[grumbler]

Right, but it just seems incredibly political. If you really think this is a guy idea and ownt' harm the environment, you should suport drilling everywhere.

No, you shouldn't, unless you are unable to think about ideas that don't fit on bumper stickers.

Drilling make sense in some places and not others, depending on the specifics of each proposal.  Blindly insisting that someone must be all-or-nothing on drilling is absurd.

[Faeelin]

No, you shouldn't, unless you are unable to think about ideas that don't fit on bumper stickers.

Drilling make sense in some places and not others, depending on the specifics of each proposal.  Blindly insisting that someone must be all-or-nothing on drilling is absurd.

I agree with you, but am skeptical that Obama decided not to promote exploration in the Pacific coast and northeast because of geologic factors.

[MadImmortalMan]

No, you shouldn't, unless you are unable to think about ideas that don't fit on bumper stickers.

Drilling make sense in some places and not others, depending on the specifics of each proposal.  Blindly insisting that someone must be all-or-nothing on drilling is absurd.

I agree with you, but am skeptical that Obama decided not to promote exploration in the Pacific coast and northeast because of geologic factors.

Public support is a legit factor as well.

[The Brain]

No, you shouldn't, unless you are unable to think about ideas that don't fit on bumper stickers.

Drilling make sense in some places and not others, depending on the specifics of each proposal.  Blindly insisting that someone must be all-or-nothing on drilling is absurd.

I agree with you, but am skeptical that Obama decided not to promote exploration in the Pacific coast and northeast because of geologic factors.

Public support is a legit factor as well.

Why? America isn't a democracy.

[AnchorClanker]

I question his decision to not extend it to the Pacific Coast and Alaska. If this is so great as he claims, why doesn't he agree with the House Minority Leader and allow drilling there as well?

I wouldn't invest in that when we've been expecting a MAJOR earthquake off the OR/WA coast...

[Maximus]

Is that where the Machine is pointed these days?

[The Minsky Moment]

Right, but it just seems incredibly political. If you really think this is a guy idea and ownt' harm the environment, you should suport drilling everywhere.

No, you shouldn't, unless you are unable to think about ideas that don't fit on bumper stickers.

Drilling make sense in some places and not others, depending on the specifics of each proposal.  Blindly insisting that someone must be all-or-nothing on drilling is absurd.

Exactly.
In this case, drilling doesn't really make sense offshore in Virginia because the amount of oil estimated is so small as to have no meaningful impact.  This looks like a pretty transparent effort to sooth the enraged GOP 1st graders who walked off with all their marbles when health care passed.

[KRonn]

Right, but it just seems incredibly political. If you really think this is a guy idea and ownt' harm the environment, you should suport drilling everywhere.

No, you shouldn't, unless you are unable to think about ideas that don't fit on bumper stickers.

Drilling make sense in some places and not others, depending on the specifics of each proposal.  Blindly insisting that someone must be all-or-nothing on drilling is absurd.

Exactly.
In this case, drilling doesn't really make sense offshore in Virginia because the amount of oil estimated is so small as to have no meaningful impact.  This looks like a pretty transparent effort to sooth the enraged GOP 1st graders who walked off with all their marbles when health care passed.

Some in the GOP are already crying foul over where this drilling is being proposed, the limited locations, and the politics of it.

[Fate]

The poor GOP. Politics in off shore drilling? How'd on earth did that ever happen. 

[Admiral Yi]

This looks like a pretty transparent effort to sooth the enraged GOP 1st graders who walked off with all their marbles when health care passed.

Or to buy a couple votes for Virgina Yellow Dogs in the upcoming election.