I’m John McCain and I Approve of Offshore Drilling
by Matthew McDermott, Brooklyn, NY on 07.21.08
You may have already seen this ad broadcast or on YouTube, and while TreeHugger generally tries to stay above the political fray, this latest attack ad from John McCain’s campaign warrants some comment.
Ignoring the obviously fallacious implication that Barrack Obama personally has anything at all to do with rising energy costs over the past year, let’s deconstruct the ad. Just what’s at stake offshore and will drilling there do anything which John McCain claims it will?
How much oil are we not drilling?
According to the US Geologic Survey the United States has “undiscovered conventional recoverable resources” of 17.8 billion barrels in areas offshore which are currently off limits to drilling. Keep in mind that all that means is that the underlying geology indicates that there possibly could be that much oil. Exploration would have to be done to determine how much of that is actually there.
How long before that oil reaches the market?
According to the Energy Information Administration, this oil would not have an impact on domestic oil or natural gas production until 2030, as leasing for these areas, once opened for drilling, would not begin until 2012, and production would not begin until 2017. Summing up, the EIA said, “Because oil prices are determined on the international market, however, any impact on average wellhead prices is expected to be insignificant.”
What are we not drilling, that we could under current law?
Adding a twist in the 'should we open up offshore areas to oil drilling?' discussion is the fact that, according to the Mineral Management Service, 33.5 million acres of the outer continental shelf is currently under lease for oil exploration, but not being drilled. This is a bit less than three times the amount that is under lease offshore and being drilled.
Legislation to force oil companies to develop these areas or lose their leases, failed to win approval in Congress last week.
So how does all of this compare to daily U.S. oil demand?
Do the math: Current U.S. daily oil demand is slightly less than 21 million barrels. If all of the offshore oil reserves currently off limits were proven, it would total a between two and three years of current U.S. demand. Though obviously this wouldn’t be the entirety of U.S. oil supply, by one estimate if this oil were introduced into the U.S. market it would add approximately 250,000 barrels a day by 2030.
In short, drilling offshore will do virtually nothing for US energy independence, nor reduce the price consumers pay for gasoline—Despite any claims by John McCain to the contrary.
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Just some more political bashing, are you really surprised? I somewhat expected a nicer battle to the finish line but I see my hopes and dreams for a battle of wits instead of a battle of fists is reassuredly dashed by political candidates all around.
P.S. Actually I can't find any from Obama towards McCain (obvious ones like this one) can someone link?
Aha, found one, took me 10 minutes on Youtube, which is a long time considering it took less than 10 seconds to find over a dozen McCain attack. But still, they do exist, although it's probably one of the least combative ones I've seen:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=ANzjyk7OJiM
What a joke! How can he really be trying to make a connection between Obama and the current price of gases? He can't even credibly make a connection between gas prices and offshore drilling! Who are these spin people?
http://www.sierraclub.org/wildlegacy/blog/2008/07/outer-continental-shelf-in-danger.asp
Wow, Obama single handedly is making gas prices high? Who would have thought? That is a stupid ad.
Actually Cybercat, your link is to a video from Obama SUPPORTERS, not one made and approved by his campaign, like this lastest BS from McSame. I thought the 527s would provide us with the dirtiest action until November (a la "swiftboat"). McCain has lost any remaining respect I had for him. (and please remember that respect does not equal agreement)
Today: 85 MMBBL /day production and 86.4 MMBBL /day demand. That equals rising prises. I guess non of their "genius" voter base took ECON101. Adding 0.25 MMBBL/day, even by 2017 won't even be a drop in the bucket.
To Big Oil ... finish what you've got on your plate before you can have any seconds (or desert) !!!
Matt Kirby said:
"He can't even credibly make a connection between gas prices and offshore drilling!"
Come on Matt. You should know by now that you don't have to prove anything to the American public, you just have to say something to them that they want to hear, and they'll believe it.
McCain says "I'll lower gas prices!" and the motoring public will go "Really? Well, you got my vote right now!" The voting bloc that will fall for that will vote in a Communist president in a heartbeat if they made the same claim on 300 cable TV stations.
A lot of people believed that invading Iraq would lower the price of gas too, remember. Sadly, most of them don't remember.
Who cares! I hope and pray that gasoline hits $10 a gallon by the end of the summer.
It's time to get fat lazy people out of air conditioned SUVs and into the reality of global warming!
I don't think there are any republicans reading this blog so i think i can safely say this... STUPID REPUBLICANS!!!!!!!!!!! ITS THE DAMN WAR!!!!!!!!! GO CHECK THE DAMN CHART OF OIL PRICE FROM 9/11 TILL NOW! OBAMA WAS STILL A BABY BACK THEN! THE ONLY REASON OIL PRICE VERY LATELY IS GOING DOWN IS BECAUSE EVERYONE IS ANTICIPATING A DEMOCRAT TO WIN THE PRESIDENCY AND SERIOUSLY YOU DON'T HAVE TO DRILL FOR MORE OIL, JUST BE EFFICIENT WITH WHAT YOU ARE USING UP NOW!!!!!!
If our concern is for the environment, a far greater danger to the oceans comes from the transportation of oil from foreign ports to the US than would the drilling of oil wells near our shores.
Of course more off shore producing wells would raise world supplies and reduce prices - as would any alternate energy source (such as more nuclear power) which could reduce oil demanded for traditional electrical generation. (ECON 101)
It seems if anyone opposes the alternative energy sources and resources, they are, in fact, partially responsible for the gas price predicament.
Those who have long opposed both the nuclear generation and off shore drilling are partially responsible for our current situation - admit it or not.
So much for a 'fair campaign' Mr. McCain ?
Attacking your opponent with complete nonsense arguments and suggesting his actions are making gas pricier is horrendous. Drilling offshore will do NOTHING for energy independence or price lowering.
All it is is an old, white, republican Nazi trying to find ways to undermine his opponent. Shame on you, McCain, shame on you.
I honestly am having a hard time understanding how an educated individual could watch this ad and think that McCain's energy plan is sound. Especially after all the lip service he paid to preventing global warming (don't you have to drill less, not more to do that?), this is just poor strategy on his part.
Why do Americans think it okay for us to drill and pillage a foreign country's landscape but it hedonistic to even consider drilling on our land or oceans. This has to be one of the most widespread elitist views I have ever come across.
Why do Americans think it okay for us to drill and pillage a foreign country's landscape but it hedonistic to even consider drilling on our land or oceans. This has to be one of the most widespread elitist views I have ever come across.
Crude Oil just had the largest drop IN HISTORY.
Thank God we're drilling.
What's that? We're not drilling?
Oh, uh, I'm a POW!
These kinds of ads to me translate to how stupid the McCain campaign (and the Repuglican party for that matter) think the American people are. And, sadly, for the most part they are right. There are millions of complete idiots in this country. Ignorant, selfish, dim-witted simpletons. They don't know what the hell the concept of supply and demand is let alone the concept of sustainability. This ad is geared right at that group and I'm sure it'll be effective. Just look at how many idiots actually believe that Obama is a muslim in disguise working with Bin Laden.
If you don't believe me, just look at the media. Who gets ratings? Rush Limbaugh, Bill O'Reilly, Sean Hannity, Michael Savage... etc. I mean, you have to be a complete idiot to actually listen to and trust these cretons. It's the same type of person that falls for ads like this. They're the hopelessly lost minority.
Lets see....George Bush removes the Presidential hold on offshore drilling and oil prices recorded their largest drop in HISTORY. If Congress would ever allow drilling we could become energy self sufficient. But they would rather see us transfer our wealth to the middle east to a bunch of countries that hate us. This story had NO FACTS. Just a bunch of made up numbers. Does the the writer know that there are oil derricks already sitting off the West coast just waiting for the go to drill. This oil could be available in under 1 year. Talk about scare tactics. WE ARE GONNA USE OIL FOR A WHILE. Lets us our own and keep the TRILLIONS here.
"Rush Limbaugh, Bill O'Reilly, Sean Hannity, Michael Savage... etc. I mean, you have to be a complete idiot to actually listen to and trust these cretons."
It is worse than that, stradric. There are people out there (some in my own family) who, when you have a conversation with them, have perfectly reasonable, nuanced opinions, a good grasp of economic concepts, global warming, and so on, yet they watch and believe these shows regardless. All at once, all their own ideas go out the window, replaced by empty rhetoric and absurdities.
I’m certain that by now you are aware that Barrack Obama has come out in favor of OCS drilling as well. I’m wondering why you have no scathing and critical post concerning his decision to support drilling.