This debate is silly, drilling is a red herring, there are 68 million acres where drilling and exploration could be going on now, but if the market price is this then this we pay. The companies know that and we buy the stuff, they make gazillions and some Americans suffer, but drilling is irrelevant. Oil needs competition and we need to cut back, end of story.

68 million acres already available...and they want more? by Julie Ann Dawson — oil, gas, polar bears | Gather

See where it comes from:

http://www.pbs.org/frontlineworld/st...images/map.swf