That title is true in more than one sense. NewMexiKen notes another flaw in the “Let’s drill our way out of this hole” argument. Ask a Republican to sponsor legislation requiring all domestic production to be consumed domestically and watch him or her sputter about the Sacred Free Market (half-Santa Claus, half-Old Testament god (the one you really don’t want to piss-off)).
“A record 1.6 million barrels a day in U.S. refined petroleum products were exported during the first four months of this year, up 33 percent from 1.2 million barrels a day over the same period in 2007. Shipments this February topped 1.8 million barrels a day for the first time during any month, according to final numbers from the Energy Department.” (Forbes)
Put another way, we are exporting more than twice as much oil now as we could expect the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to produce when it came online in 15-20 years.
Exporting.
More than twice as much.
ANWR represents a pot o’ gold for BushCo — nothing more than that. Point that out — again and again and again — along with the fact that oil companies already have many leases they aren’t drilling (I thank god, but that’s beside the point). peace, mjh
mjh’s blog — Let’s Finish Destroying What We’ve Started Before Destroying Something New
In other words, 10,000 well permits have been stockpiled by the already cash-bloated oil and gas industry. In addition, 47.5 million acres of onshore public lands are leased by oil and gas companies. Only 13 million of those acres are actually in production. …
NATHAN NEWCOMER
New Mexico Wilderness Alliance, Albuquerque