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Pelosi vows to block offshore drilling
WASHINGTON A plan to lift the ban on coastal drilling is stalled on Capitol Hill, for one simple reason: A Californian who opposes President Bush's proposal is calling the shots in the House of Representatives.
Despite growing public support for ending the ban, even in California, Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said she won't allow a vote.
"I have no plans to do so," Pelosi said Thursday.
It's an example of the vast power placed in the office of the speaker, who sets the agenda for the 435-member House. Members can force a vote if enough of them sign a petition, but that's a rarity because it requires rank-and-file Democrats to line up against their boss.
In this case, Pelosi is going against a rising tide of public opinion. Faced with rapidly increasing gasoline prices, 73 percent of Americans now favor offshore drilling, according to a poll conducted by CNN/Opinion Research Corp.
Support is even growing in California, where a majority of residents have long supported the ban. A new Field Poll survey shows that just 51 percent now favor the ban, compared with 56 percent in 2005.
the latest polls say 70% plus of Americans want to drill for oil. Yet Pelosi continues to stand in the way. How long before this stance starts to hurt Democrats.
What is she so afraid of, Let them vote.
need I say more? 
"The people" want a lot of things when they are scared by their government and they choose to ignore that government's own reports saying drilling won't change a thing.
You do know that's because the drilled oil would go at international market rates. And China and India aren't going to use less oil.
But I'm sure there'd be a "psychological" benefit to drilling like McCain says.
Me? I don't need Dr Phil for president. Let's deal in reality, not "psychological benefits" from destroying our environment to benefit oil companies.
Or... you could force the oil companies to drill on their own leases....
heaven forbid they couldn't use those leases for speculation, right?
As I have said time and again, There is more than one reason to use our own Oil. Prices are not the only reason, what about the trade deficit, what about the fact that we are sending 700 Billion dollars a year to places like Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Venezuela? Would it not be better to keep that money here by using our own oil?
I also find it kinda funny how you choose to pick and choose when to believe the government. They tell us how much oil is here, and you say we can't believe them, but when the same government tells you that more oil will not lower the price, that you choose to believe.
Fair enoughI choose to believe THIS government when what they tell us goes against their talking points... because it isn't in their best interests to tell us those things. They just figure we won't notice.
I don't see that happening anytime soon do you?What about the trade deficit? Stop buying cheap garbage from China and selling it in Wal-Mart.
I am concerned about it. However last time I checked the tax cuts increased revenues to the government, though not enough to make up for the spending.What should be of greater concern to you is China holding our debt. That gives them huge sway over us and is in large part a result of this admin's insistance on running the government on the nat'l credit card. Cutting taxes during wartime for the first time ever? How stupid is that?
I agree, I just do not think the Dems will be any better, or any more honest.And I don't believe the govt when it's clear they are a bunch of LSS's... and it isn't that difficult to put 2 and 2 together.
Pelosi- Feinstein- Boxer all rolled up in a nice little California nutshell -
Honest ... I am not against women being in Government and I still say I would vote for one for President when and if the right one comes along. But the above 3 just remind me too much of Hillary. Sorry
Could you imagine an afternoon tea party with the four of them? No thanks.
T Boone Pickens, who knows 10,000% more about the oil industry than everyone on this board combined, says we cant' drill our way out of this energy crisis.
Its going to have to be some sort of Apollo shot program for alternative energy.
T Boone Pickens, who knows 10,000% more about the oil industry than everyone on this board combined, says we cant' drill our way out of this energy crisis.
Its going to have to be some sort of Apollo shot program for alternative energy.
Didn't say we can drill our way out of the problem, But that does not mean we can do something to lessen it some by drilling. Besides good old T-boone just wants to make bucks selling wind turbines and natural gas. Didn't you know that
besides when he says that he means me can not lower the prices by drilling, How can you not see that every drop of our own oil we use, is money not being sen over seas and money removed from our trade deficit.
Only if I can bring a gun.
Charles, I think its a gimmick. Oil companies are already sitting on millions of acres of public land that they're not drilling. I think its a political gimmick to make a precendent of opening up all public lands to development, and to bypass the will of the people of California and Florida in particular.
Charles, I think its a gimmick. Oil companies are already sitting on millions of acres of public land that they're not drilling. I think its a political gimmick to make a precendent of opening up all public lands to development, and to bypass the will of the people of California and Florida in particular.
They paid for the right to sit on them didn't they ? Who sold the rights to them in the first place ?
Have you seen the latest polls on what the people of those states want? They want to drill. I am not going to sit here and defend the oil companies, but I still see that using our own oil and not spending money on oil from nations who do not like us so much, is a good thing. Regardless of what people think about prices.
maybe we should nationalize the damn oil companies. I can't believe I said that, but I am starting to think we should more and more.
I seriously doubt there are any polls showing majorities of citizens of california want to drill off the central coast. The republican governor is against it.
Cali's coastline, like florida's is a national treasure. Pristine and clean. Its the lifeblood or Cali's tourist industry. Few people in cali want to fuck up one of their major economic sectors, and take a chance of fucking up the unspoiled national treausre, for the sake of a few million barrels of oil.
There's a reason the beaches in louisiana and texas suck. They're nasty and dirty.
