Another GOP Oil-Drilling Myth Is Born!

[Moby]

Yes this article is harsh and bias but that doesn't mean that it's off base. It does appear that Michele Bachmann is trying again to install an emotional response into voters based on false information.

http://tpmelectioncentral.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/07/another_oildrilling_myth_is_bo.php
By Eric Kleefeld - July 21, 2008, 4:39PM
As you know, we've been posting here regularly about the GOP's frequent pushing of the myth that China is drilling for oil off American shores.

Well here's another outlandish oil-drilling line: If not for the Dems in Congress, gas would cost two bucks a gallon!

Here's what Republican Congresswoman Michele Bachmann of Minnesota had to say in an op-ed for National Review, promoting drilling in ANWR:

The fact of the matter is that Congress is standing in the way of $2-a-gallon gas. It is Speaker Pelosi and the House Democrats who are refusing to let commonsense energy legislation come to the floor.

That's right: Bachmann says that we can cut the price of gas from over four dollars down to two, a change of more than 50%, by just opening up some new drilling. What wonderful news!

The problem, however, is that this just isn't true when you're working on the scale of a vast global marketplace.

In the case of ANWR, a Department of Energy study this past May found that drilling there could potentially lower the price of a barrel of oil by a mere 75 cents -- only enough to lower the price of a gallon of gas by about two cents, and it would take until the year 2025. Proposed offshore drilling plans for other areas have yielded similar numbers, too.

Oh well. Lowering the price by two dollars, or two cents -- what's the difference?

We'll be hearing a lot more of this line over the next few months.

[Smurf-Herder]

You need to post the link to the original article, SM. Not the editorial referring to the original.

I don't trust you. You have a history of omitting things. It's hard to believe anyone would be stupid enough to say ANWAR ALONE would lower the price that much.

[SeedyROM]

ANWR alone could drop the price that much or more. OPEC countries will have to sell more oil at lower prices to the USA or elsewhere to keep the capital flowing in. If OPEC can't sell, then they build supply and prices drop. Oil prices went up far more than the actual 1% to 2% increase in world demand or even US demand. This is where manipulation is ripe with fraudulent statements. One side says ANWAR will drop a lot, the other side says it ain't so. Current oil prices are not a reflection of actual demand or even alleged forecasts. The same argument comes out with the mention of drilling in the Gulf.

Has anything changed to world supply, no big wells have made the news in recent weeks, yet price drops on talks of drilling shallow in the Gulf and ANWR. Big money runs with the herd mentality. They also run in fear of deeper investigations which will not go away despite all the attempts to shift the blame elsewhere. Oil prices run in anticipation of change in policy. So was this blackmail and the govt agreed to pay the ransom with drilling talks? Sure as hell seems that way. I know gasoline demand did not drop 12% last month but oil prices dropped. The price goes where they want it to go with forecasting, pick a number and write a report to sell the story, all the big money players will agree.

If these Muthers are such experts then why didn't they contain the mortgage crisis 5 years ago? Because there are very few experts who are respected on wallstreet. Anyone who is bearish on is hated and despised, don't rain on our parade. Wreck the economy and pretend its the govt.s fault. The last 3 recessions were traced back to wallstreet, this time it is so crystal clear even cab drivers know who is guilty. Big oil and wallstreet paid millions in fines for the 1970's manipulation, history repeats itself, this time OPEC is not guilty.

[Moby]

You need to post the link to the original article, SM. Not the editorial referring to the original.

I don't trust you. You have a history of omitting things. It's hard to believe anyone would be stupid enough to say ANWAR ALONE would lower the price that much.
My bad. The editorial had a link to the National Review article and I figured if people wanted they could check it out for themselves. That's why it's a hyper link.

That fact of the matter is that the GOP controlled the White House and Congress for 6 years but never wanted to do this then. Suddenly during an election year it has to be done now. Hmmm...........:confused:

http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=M2E3MWJmNGEzYmQxMGQzYzExMGQ1OWJjMWU2Mzg3ZjU=
Drill Here. Drill Now.
This is what we’re talking about.

By Michele Bachmann

This past weekend, I had the privilege of joining Republican Leader John Boehner and nine other members of the House on an “American Energy Tour.” This trip explored the available natural resources that our nation has in Colorado and Alaska to increase domestic energy supply and decrease America’s rising gas costs.

Like I knew it would, the American Energy Tour unveiled the truth about the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) — what Democrats in Washington don’t want the American people to know: This is a treasure trove of energy that will yield a lot with only minimal intrusion.

For far too long, Americans have been told by the environmentalist left that drilling in Alaska would hurt the abundant wildlife and natural resources there. This is simply not true. ANWR is a small part of the Arctic Circle in northern Alaska. Energy exploration would be limited to a small 2,000-acre lot with in ANWR. That is comparable to a postage stamp sitting on a football field. Visiting ANWR also revealed that almost no wildlife exists in the 2,000-acre area. It was flat arctic tundra with absolutely no trees in view. And, caribou and wildlife were nowhere near the possible drilling sites. Furthermore, we know that nine months out of the year this area is hidden under snow and ice and three months out of the year the area is covered in complete darkness.

The Energy Information Administration (EIA) estimates that there are 10.4 billion barrels of recoverable oil in ANWR. And these estimates are based on exploration done in the 1970s. Federal moratoria on these lands have restricted even modern technological investigation of what oil reserves may be available for tapping. Imagine what modern surveying techniques might show.

It gets better; the EIA has also stated that the production of this oil would create an estimated as many as 750,000 American jobs. At a time when our nation is hurting because of rising food and gas costs, more domestic energy and new jobs would give the economy a much needed boost.

The fact of the matter is that Congress is standing in the way of $2-a-gallon gas. It is Speaker Pelosi and the House Democrats who are refusing to let commonsense energy legislation come to the floor. The American people are hurting and gas prices are continuing to spiral out of control. But Congress continues to turn a deaf ear.

We have the resources available in areas like ANWR and Colorado to lower oil costs and decrease our dependence on foreign oil. I joined my congressional colleagues traveling 3,500 miles to investigate for ourselves and to prove that if we started drilling today, no harm would be done to the wildlife and natural beauty of our nation.


Congress must provide relief for American families and small businesses now. They must bring energy legislation to the floor and allow us to drill here, drill now, so that we can pay less at the pump.

[Smurf-Herder]

My bad. The editorial had a link to the National Review article and I figured if people wanted they could check it out for themselves. That's why it's a hyper link.

That fact of the matter is that the GOP controlled the White House and Congress for 6 years but never wanted to do this then. Suddenly during an election year it has to be done now. Hmmm...........:confused:

http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=M2E3MWJmNGEzYmQxMGQzYzExMGQ1OWJjMWU2Mzg3ZjU=

I knew it. You have a serious lack of comprehension; or just plain can't be trusted.

Your article says:

"The fact of the matter is that Congress is standing in the way of $2-a-gallon gas. It is Speaker Pelosi and the House Democrats who are refusing to let commonsense energy legislation come to the floor. The American people are hurting and gas prices are continuing to spiral out of control. But Congress continues to turn a deaf ear.

We have the resources available in areas like ANWR and Colorado to lower oil costs and decrease our dependence on foreign oil. I joined my congressional colleagues traveling 3,500 miles to investigate for ourselves and to prove that if we started drilling today, no harm would be done to the wildlife and natural beauty of our nation."

He's not just referring to ANWAR.

[Moby]

I knew it. You have a serious lack of comprehension; or just plain can't be trusted.

Your article says:

"The fact of the matter is that Congress is standing in the way of $2-a-gallon gas. It is Speaker Pelosi and the House Democrats who are refusing to let commonsense energy legislation come to the floor. The American people are hurting and gas prices are continuing to spiral out of control. But Congress continues to turn a deaf ear.

We have the resources available in areas like ANWR and Colorado to lower oil costs and decrease our dependence on foreign oil. I joined my congressional colleagues traveling 3,500 miles to investigate for ourselves and to prove that if we started drilling today, no harm would be done to the wildlife and natural beauty of our nation."

He's not just referring to ANWAR.
So when Dick and Bush had control of congress we saw $3.50 gasoline. Now it's Nancy's fault that it can't be lowered back down to $2.00? Then why did they let it go so high if they could have stopped it?

I stated very clearly that the article was bias and harsh. I also posted a link to the web site and you refused to check it out for yourself.

She's installing an emotional response and you're now angry. It worked! You have just been manipulated by the GOP.

[SeedyROM]

Both parties are at fault for allowing oil and gas prices to skyrocket. Blaming Pelosi is a cheap shot but effective, where was she in 2005 and onward. Majority power on the hill gets the bulk of the blame along with the whitehouse. Most political morons read the research written by wallstreet and big oil and believe it to be true without verification by independant 3rd parties. Those 3rd parties have been crying foul for years and the media drown them out by taking sides with industry. Same thing happened in the 1970's oil crisis.


The farther backward you can look, the farther forward you are likely to see.
Winston Churchill

[Dale escondido]

Both parties are at fault for allowing oil and gas prices to skyrocket. Blaming Pelosi is a cheap shot but effective, where was she in 2005 and onward. Majority power on the hill gets the bulk of the blame along with the whitehouse. Most political morons read the research written by wallstreet and big oil and believe it to be true without verification by independant 3rd parties. Those 3rd parties have been crying foul for years and the media drown them out by taking sides with industry. Same thing happened in the 1970's oil crisis.
With the hand holding of business and government I am sure they really dont believe the propoganda we are fed. What matters is if we believe it.
No wonder history is not taught in school, we would catch on.
I remember reading in Napolean Hills think and grow rich book a quote from J.P Morgan I believe, The secret to success is to look at what the majority is doing and do the opposite.
I have alway believed we are fed and led by our sources.

[SeedyROM]

Enforcing environmental regulations at ANWR is the key to moving forward. In the past. the locals in AK were douped into believing that drilling sites and surrounding areas would be maintained and protected. Instead they butchered the land, did nothing to contain erosion and polluting the area, clean up was a joke. Small independant drillers were held to a higher standard. Call independant operators and they'll tell you how tough the state regulators and Fed are on smaller drillers. There's a double standard with big oil versus smaller operations.

The locals have to be assured laws and regulations will be respected. Big oil has a black eye so opening the north slope will require new standards. The EPA is tough on companies because they have to build a case and fight the red tape and politics from all sides. The EPA has as tough a time regulating big oil as OSHA has with building safety regulations. Big money will fight to maintain thier status quo. Both parties gladhand such behavior out of fear and loyalty.

All the talk of reducing independance from foreign oil is real, there is no myth except for the anticipated drop in prices. You guys and girls should watch CNBC or join a stockmarket news site that provides daily news pertaining to the moves in oil prices. Oil moves on big and small events, oil is money driven far more than supply/demand driven. All you have to do is look at the monthly gasoline usage numbers versus the change in prices at the pump.

The numbers do not add up. Blaming the GOP or big oil is no myth, sure they want to sell us on why we need to drill and they are right. The other side is tainting research to convince us drilling will not work. But the fact is, if we drill then we supply our country if we convince Washington that all or the majority of the oil should come to the country. Doing nothing guarantees we lose and big oil and wall street will continue to win our dollars.

The infighting must be settled sooner rather than later. Saying no has cost the country far more than politicians and tree huggers would like to admit.