A simple question on oil drilling

[n2doc]

Has it ever occurred to anyone that we might want to keep our oil in the ground just in case we need it in an emergency? One of the major contributors to Germany losing WWII was their inability to secure oil sources. They went for those early in the war but lost them as the war turned against them. I believe Japan also had similar problems.

Not that it matters. The idiots have won this battle, and we will drill everywhere, see no significant change in domestic output or prices, and ruin some pretty beaches and ecosystems in the process.

[Captain Hilts]

1. Yes. And no one still will talk about conservation. nt

[joeybee12]

2. It also never apparently occurred to a lot of people that a tiny bit of conservation

would eliminate the need to drill here, and it would help lower prices, while drilling will not.

[ensho]

3. most uneducated americans would never conserve

never.

[The2ndWheel]

5. We wouldn't have an economy if most people conserved

[izquierdista]

14. But we would have more leisure time

Why bother with an economy when you can sit on the beach and read a book (borrowed from the library)?

[The2ndWheel]

15. That won't bring in much tax revenue

[polly7]

4. It's not my intention to start an argument here.

but why invade countries and encourage the decimation of others' environments - ie, Iraq, Canada's tarsands ....... if your own oil should be saved? I believe that as a non-renewable resource, it's up to each country to figure out other ways to develop energy if they're not willing to use their own oil and gas. Doesn't that seem fair to you?

[Enthusiast]

6. It has occurred to me.

Also we have voluntarily abandoned our manufacturing edge.

I have long been a student of WWII history. Both our cheap and easy supply of energy and our manufacturing capability gave us an insurmountable edge in WWII. It was not the individual bravery of our soldiers that won the war, as sad as this might be for some to accept. Although we have many instances of incredible heroism and bravery under fire during WWII. Our nation's ability to grow huge amounts of food resources was also a contributing factor as was the rail system to carry it.

You are so right to point this out.

[slackmaster]

7. Define "emergency"

TIA

[n2doc]

12. Oh, say, a nuclear war between Iran and Israel

Or, say, the Saudi government deciding to sign an exclusive arrangement with China to sell their oil...

[slackmaster]

17. I think we are already covered for that kind of thing

http://www.fossil.energy.gov/programs/reserves/

[arcadian]

8. Changelicious!

[Gidney N Cloyd]

9. I think that's the purpose of the Strategic Oil Reserve, isn't it? nt

[n2doc]

13. That will last for a few months, tops.

What about years?

[Tailormyst]

10. That would be silly ! The Oil companies need the massive profits more !

[polly7]

19. The Oil companies wouldn't receive the massive profits if

the populace didn't demand their product to the degree they do. We're not exempt from this here, either. Many European countries have figured out ways to live with less, why is it taking us so long? We're so self-entitled and have always treated it as a renewable resource, it's US that has to change.

[The2ndWheel]

11. "Has it ever occurred to anyone that we might want to keep our oil in the ground"

Period. Maybe change "our" to "the", if you want.

[Warpy]

16. Have you thought it's just a way of taking another far right talking point away?

As a practical matter, new drilling is not going to come to a resort area anywhere near you anytime soon, offshore drilling equipment is booked solid for the next 5 years and slated for fields far offshore.

If there is another huge war, oil will be the least of our problems. We no longer have the ability to make very basic things like cloth and shoes. We no longer have the industry it will take to survive any large war, let alone win one. Hell, all it has to be is a trade war, at this point.

This country is like a soap bubble, nothing in the middle to support it but air. Our infrastructure has been allowed to rot and our industry has been shipped offshore or sold for scrap in the name of enriching the rich.

We're still bristling with nuclear bombs, but that's all we really have left and the main reason it's not likely to be a hot war, just one that will break us when we walk through our foreign shoes and our foreign clothing turns to rags.

This is the real problem, not keeping oil in the ground offshore.

[n2doc]

18. Of course. But facts never matter with them anyway

They will still believe that the evil "Libruls" are keeping them from their cheap oil. Just like they believe that Dems are responsible for the lack of refineries in this country.

[MisterP]

21. or how Cheney and the technodulists blamed the 00-02 CA blackouts on anti-nuclear protesters nt

[Tailormyst]

20. Ohhh, it's that 12 dimension chess again!

:eyes: