Campaign 2008
I might alienate myself from some of my readership with this post, but you know, it's my blog. And when have I ever been known to censor myself really?
Right now I'm watching the Republican National Convention on the British equivalent of C-Span (and getting more pissed off at the Obama-bashing by the minute, by the way), and I thought I'd let you all know that Europe is even more obsessed by this election than we are. Which is both sad and intriguing. I just spoke for about an hour with the 16-year-old son in this family I'm staying with, and he knows more about American politics than probably half of American adults who vote. The newspapers are chock full of articles about the election.
And guess who they want to win...
As far as I'm concerned, that's one more reason to vote for Obama. I've said it the whole time, and I'll say it again: I think Obama would bridge a lot of gaps with our international ties. Apparently Europeans agree.
(Another reason I'll be voting democrat is because Sarah Palin just said that she wants to lay more pipeline and drill offshore, and the crowd went wild. Grrr. I am so adamantly against that, I can't even articulate it. It just seems so fundamental and obvious to me that we don't need to drill domestically.)
Right now I'm watching the Republican National Convention on the British equivalent of C-Span (and getting more pissed off at the Obama-bashing by the minute, by the way), and I thought I'd let you all know that Europe is even more obsessed by this election than we are. Which is both sad and intriguing. I just spoke for about an hour with the 16-year-old son in this family I'm staying with, and he knows more about American politics than probably half of American adults who vote. The newspapers are chock full of articles about the election.
And guess who they want to win...
As far as I'm concerned, that's one more reason to vote for Obama. I've said it the whole time, and I'll say it again: I think Obama would bridge a lot of gaps with our international ties. Apparently Europeans agree.
(Another reason I'll be voting democrat is because Sarah Palin just said that she wants to lay more pipeline and drill offshore, and the crowd went wild. Grrr. I am so adamantly against that, I can't even articulate it. It just seems so fundamental and obvious to me that we don't need to drill domestically.)
posted by Lauren | 4:12 PM
11 Comments:
I want to know why you are against drilling domestically. I don't know exactly how I feel on that issue and I am curious to know what you think. Hope you are having fun. My cousin is an au pair in Switzerland and loves it! What a great experience!
Okay, Jacki, since you ask... I'm against drilling domestically because I feel that we should look for alternate, renewable resources. And while the technology might take a while to develop, I think that we should feel it in our pocketbooks -- make it hurt when we use the amount we've been using which is extremely excessive. I think that Americans will never learn to conserve fuel unless it hurts us financially. We'll never move closer to our jobs, we'll never bike when we can drive, and we'll never use public transportation until, financially, we realize that we have to consume less fuel.
That's my schpiel. I can elaborate more if needed. :)
Recently having been to Alaska, we found it very interesting that the Alaskans aren't against drilling. Alaska is so vast its amazing, and most of it is unpopulated of course. New drilling/pipelines would really stimulate their economy as well as lessen our dependency on foreign oil WHILE we continue to develop alternative fuel sources.
Hmm, looks like we're getting ourselves a lively debate going here. Or the start of one, anyway.
To answer you, it doesn't matter to me if Alaska is a barren wasteland of a place, -- and it isn't -- I still don't think we should drill there or offshore. Not only would ecosystems suffer for our inability to conserve, but -- you know, I'll just go ahead and say it -- I don't really care to stimulate the economy of Alaska if it has a major impact on the environment. Let's not forget that it's not just Alaska's ecosystems we could potentially destroy, but we would be burning more fuel, thus, creating more pollution.
It's kind of the age-old question of priorities to me, and in this case, you have to question where your priorities lie -- with a stimulated economy, i.e. money, or a cleaner world.
Lessening our dependence on foreign oil is a big deal -- no doubt. And I have no faith that the American people have the willpower or discipline to lessen that dependence based on their own conservation of oil alone. But I definitely don't think destroying one of our most beautiful states is the answer.
For those that are in favor of drilling offshore: What are the benefits? From the literature that I've come across it would take a few years before the oil was able to be utilized, then the supply would only last a few years. Is it really worth it? I know most people think it will be good for our economy, and our pockets, but we must we be so selfish? As Americans we are not willing to make personal sacrifices to protect our land. Are we as citizens really going to benefit from this? Our gas prices might go down a few cents in a couple of years, but oil companies will earn billions and billions of dollars of the exploitation of these ecosystems. Economists don't ever figure ecological damage into their plans or how it will effect our children in the future. Are we that selfish as a nation? I think it is about time we take some responsibility for the our land in and around the United States. And given the current state of affairs, would it not be smarter strategically to hang on to our reserves until we really need them? Why waste our destroying our land, and using our precious resources so soccer moms can continue to drive around alone in Escaldes and Hummers? Personally I don't really see the point to handing over more money to the oil companies. It is way past time for a change.
p.s.-this was not proofread, so please cut me some slack.
should have read that before posting it.
Ok, I had to chime in. Lauren, I completely agree with you on the matter of finding alternate renewable energy sources. I think we all are. Environmentally, to drill for oil in Alaska, it would not be as detrimental as many people think. ANWR is the size of a postage stamp on a football field in comparison to the state. The area w/in ANWR that is oil rich is also comparable to a postage stamp on a FB field w/in ANWR. This area is a baron wasteland, not the pictures in ANWR of caribou grazing on the foothills on wildflowers. The technology on these rigs is unreal now. The last drilling rig to leak was in 1964. Economically, Americans could see a slight change in fuel prices, but not enough to slow the development of alt. fuel sources. Or in Lauren’s words, we would still feel it in our pocketbooks. So people are still going to prefer that Prius over the “escalade or Hummer”, besides hybrids are trendy now. Honestly, if gas prices aren’t going to drop, than it doesn’t really seem to matter what the fuel policies are of our future prez. I don’t feel like that should be a determining factor in anyone’s political preference. The market will determine the development of technology in fuel anyways. With that being said, the greatest accomplishment in drilling for American oil is, reducing foreign dependency. AKA stop paying billions to the ones who despise us.
FYI, China, yes China, among other world powers are drilling off the coast of Florida as we speak. It is happening anyways, it might as well be us.
I look forward to you response, bring me a kilt back… w/ built in bloomers.
Parker
I hate politics in general, so no matter where you went with that post you would've alienated me.
It just seems like religion to me, but with a secular, humanistic veneer.
Right on, brother. I'm glad you know your stuff enough to argue with me. Good stuff. And I see your point, but I still don't agree with you, Park. Mostly because I'm as stubborn as you are.
And a kilt isn't a kilt if there are bloomers built in.
i agree with lauren - and what i want is for politicians or drillers who claim the land to be a wasteland to give evidence to that fact. Most important environmental protection is not to protect pretty things, it is to protect ecosystems (from little plants/animals on upward) because each step matters, and if the lowest forms of life are killed or polluted, then the food supply of the larger ones will inevitably be affected. Leaks are not the only form of pollution - drilling + people moving there + transporting (all the oil companies including BP and Exxon have fought tooth and nail in the courts to prevent higher safety standards for oil transportation). The desire to drill is not logical, will not affect our pocketbooks nearly as much as telecommuting once a week would, or perhaps not driving big cars (which are still the most common cars out there despite the urban trendiness of prius's). In fact, Toyota itself is scamming because they have fought hard in Congress (along with GM, Ford) against having better fuel efficiency standards for their cars and trucks. They sell Prius's to make money, but still want their trucks to guzzle more gas because they make money from that too. Honda on the other hand, even though its hybrids are not as popular, is a better company with better efficiency and better policies - fyi for those looking to buy.
But I digress... So, I think the whole drill in ANWR is purely psychological and emotional. Why else would you choose a PROTECTED area to try to tap when as Biden and Obama have stated, there are so many approved offshore drilling areas already in the US (thus China drilling in Florida). This seems stupid, right? Why not stop fighting and drill in areas already open to drilling and known to have some reserves. Why? WHY? (this is me getting angry even as I think about it). Because this is a fight not FOR oil or lowering foreign dependency. This is a fight BY oil companies and the politicians who either profit directly from them or are their "friends" to use our oil dependency to fight conservation legislation at the source, to reduce regulation, and to pave the way for further deregulation. Because oil leaks aside, the pollution associated with oil production and transportation is real and companies not only enact it, they refuse to clean it up, choosing to pay large settlements instead just so they will not be held accountable on the books. So like I said. If this is all rational and practical- go drill in the approved areas first. Then come talk about wildlife reserves. Otherwise, admit that it's not about finding oil at all, it's about making money and getting rid of all regulations that prevent that anywhere.
I have thought about this long and hard folks, and not to add another political fire to this page Lauren, as it is not mine. But drilling aside (by the way, Obama has already agreed to open up more areas to drilling (not protected areas but other areas))---- I would like to ask all my fellow Dems who are "undecided" when it comes to Obama, why? I read endlessly about how blue collar White voters who have for years voted Dem, who voted Dem in the congressional elections and helped turn some seats, supported Hillary Clinton, who agree point by point with the Dem version of governance, how these folks when pressed about the presidential race still consider themselves "undecided" --- why oh why oh why oh why are they afraid to put their votes behind Obama? It blows my mind and yet there is no explanation but that it has to be his Black heritage. The half of him that makes him the first Black President is also what makes him impossible to fathom for so many present day, supposedly modern Dems. This to me is a sad state of affairs. All this talk about equality and how affirmative action is not needed because we're all cool now, is B.S. I just wish people would be honest about it and not pretend it's about some other inexplicable "feeling" that they have about him. That feeling is the color of his skin. Deal with it.
Okay so I just saw something about this on Meet the Press this morning and it got me really mad. Onward about drilling...
uh-oh. shan has spoken. :)
i hear you on all of that. and i didn't know a lot of it. (the toyota, gm, ford conspiracy, for example.)
i don't think you're going to find that many "undecided democrats" on this blog, though. more decided republicans, i think. but it never hurts to voice your opinion. at least not in my house.
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