There is nothing so shameless as the CON$ervoFascist Brotherhood backing one lie up with another.
You turn your back on the facts. You are just an Obama sycophant.
The claim about drilling licenses is a lie, not a fact. 2/3 of all approved drilling permits went idle in 2010. The oil industry is sitting on more than 7,000 federal drilling permits with a green light to drill.
That has nothing to do with the Gulf of Mexico drilling ban. The deepwater rigs were removed and sent to other waters, never to return. All on Obama's watch.
Here's a NON bullshit link.....
http://www.blm.gov/wo/st/en/prog/energy/oil_and_gas/statistics.html.........have fun
Now, time to blow a bunch of holes in your drive by post.
First, just because the federal government offers a piece of federal land for oil exploration, does not mean there is actually something there that can be harvested AND allow the oil company to make money. Second, many of these so called 'permits' are on land where oil companies have decided it's either too expensive or there is just not enough there to go through the expense of setting up operations.
The regulations and rules for drilling on federal land are so draconian, it is not feasible for any company to bother.
There are many times more permits denied than approved.
Here's how it might work
Oil company: "There's millions of barrels of oil here. We'd like a permit"
Govt: "No.You cannot drill there. It's environmentally sensitive"..You can drill over there."
Oil Co.: "That area is too costly and will not produce"
Govt: "You wanted a permit, there it is. Take it or leave it".
Government guy walks away and says to other government guy "Don't these people realize our bosses have to get reelected in order for us to keep their jobs? We can't have the environmentalists all over our backs."
Other govt guy.."They got their permit. Let them deal with the fallout for not using it. As long as WE look good. Who cares."