Obama, 2008: "This is a proposal that would only worsen our addiction to oil"

[Nikki Stone1]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8fkbEuCQss&feature=player_embedded#

"But, what wouldn't do a thing to lower gas prices is John McCain's new proposal, a proposal adopted by George Bush as well, is top open up Florida's coastline to offshore drilling...It would have long term consequences for our coastlines, but no short term benefits, since it would take at least ten years to get any oil. Well the politics may have changed, but the facts haven't...Offshore drilling would not lower gas prices today. It would not lower gas prices tomorrow, it would not lower gas prices this year, it would not lower gas prices five years from now...

...Believe me, if I thought there was any evidence at all that drilling could save people money who are struggling to fill up their gas tanks by the summer or by this year or even the next few years, I would consider it. But it won't...

...This is a proposal that would only worsen our addiction to oil and put off needed investments in clean, renewable energy. It's not the kind of change that the American people are looking for."

[polichick]

1. Thanks - Hardball just played an old clip too. Obama was telling the truth then...

Opening up our coasts will not bring down the cost of gas, etc.

[tyne]

2. now.

[Nikki Stone1]

89. Now is different

Why give the GOP an issue when they stood firmly against him on healthcare?

[Nikki Stone1]

3. I thought I remembered him being against it and someone informed me of this link

Unbelievable.

[court jester]

31. They must hate it when people remember stuff N/T

[Nikki Stone1]

59. Well, memories are usually short

especially in politics. You can't blame Americans for that. They're working harder and making less. When they come home, they are tired and don't necessarily have time to separate the wheat from the chaff.

[flyarm]

46. they just showed that clip and a couple more when he campaigned in Florida..

they also showed Palins Clips and basically called Obama a liar on our news!

Oh and the South Coast Sierra club was in ST Pete along with many dems protesting Newt Gingrich being here promoting off shore oil drilling..They were interviewed and called Obama a betrayer..and then a top Enviornment guy was on a long interview and said the following..

Off shore drilling..

Is not for national security

Will not create jobs

Will not increase supply

It is strictly for Oil Corporations profit..nothing more.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

on our news they also said one bad oil spill would destroy the economy of the entire state of Florida.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Sorry I had just come in from the Beach and missed the guys name.

[Nikki Stone1]

49. This is what happens when politicians don't have to disclose their campaign contributors

because they don't take public funds.

Watch for the SCOTUS ruling to make that the norm as corporations are now able to give unlimited funds AS corporations. I sense we went down the campaign finance rabbit hole.

[Go2Peace]

121. Change means you talk out of one side of your mouth then turn around and talk out of the other later

[Oregone]

4. He said it both ways

And both sides believed him. He won the election. Thats what elections are about.

No one ever tells only the complete truth. Well. Some do. They stay home after losing the town council election

[Nikki Stone1]

5. Show me where he said he would drill. (I'm curious)

Just post the link.

[Oregone]

12. There is this:

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/08/01/obama-shifts-on-oil-drilling/?fbid=TckR0DxS2lH

Not incredibly specific.


But WHO CARES? Seriously. A campaign is a campaign to get elected. Its not about telling the truth. Its about appealing to the most people. Its no measure for what is good policy. Encouraging drilling can be judged independently of what some politician said about it during an election

[Name removed]

15. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Oregone]

21. Well see, he shifted based on where he was in the campaign

Primary vs general.

So what? Thats called being a good politician. Thats called getting the nomination and getting elected.

Sometimes a dictatorship would be easier. :(

[Nikki Stone1]

23. Here is the DU posting of that very same video in June, 2008

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x149816

Look at the comments.

If fooling your base is the sign of a good politician, then no politician should have a loyal base. You make the case for the swing voter very well.

[joeybee12]

32. It's called capitulation...leadership is hard, that's why he doesn't do it..n/t

[Nikki Stone1]

33. Ouch!

:wow:

[joeybee12]

36. I know..the truth hurts...there isn't one RW meme that Obama hasn't

eventually taken his cue from.

[Name removed]

37. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Nikki Stone1]

111. From the Sierra Club: They rallied just last month in Hands Across the Sand

http://sierraclub.typepad.com/layoftheland/2010/02/florida-citizens-rally-against-offshore-oil-drilling.html

http://www.michaelmoore.com/words/latest-news/protesters-across-florida-rally-against-offshore-oil-drilling

Fort Lauderdale - They looked like dark spots of tar freshly washed upon the shore.
The black sweaters and jackets they wore on the chilly Saturday afternoon symbolized what could happen to South Florida beaches in the event of an oil spill caused by offshore drilling in the Gulf of Mexico.
"The Gulf Stream would bring it here in 24 hours," said Ed Stroble, a self-proclaimed "green Republican" who attended the event. "There are alternatives to this."
More than 60 people showed up at Fort Lauderdale's beach to hold hands in opposition to drilling for oil off the Florida coastline. Called Hands Across the Sand, the protest is aimed at raising awareness about legislation brewing in Washington and Tallahassee that could open the Florida waters to drilling. Oil companies could drill as close as three to 10 miles from the beach.
"There's been a huge push to open Florida waters for offshore drilling," said event organizer Matthew Schwartz with the Sierra Club. "We look at the issue of offshore drilling as a looming storm.".....

[newtothegame]

127. Why run for President if you're not going to follow through on Promises?

What's your motive for being President then?

[Zhade]

141. So you're cool with being lied to? Repeatedly?

I'm not. Hence, he will never get my vote again.

[ProSense]

6. Good, McCain is an ass. As for the announcement today:

Democrats have been moving toward this for a couple of years.

Obama was also saying the same thing then

[Nikki Stone1]

10. I took the trouble to transcribe. When you do the same, I'll be happy to read it.

Until then, I don't click on embedded links.

[blindpig]

26. So, because Democrats are doing it, it must be OK?

I can't believe this shit.

k&r

[Nikki Stone1]

42. Well, he's made the RW talk show hosts in LA happy today

They are ribbing him for going against a campaign promise but agreeing that his decision is a good one. Take that Florida. At least it's not California.

[saracat]

77. Oh THAT makes it ALL okay then. Geez. Apparently we stand for nothing.

Just like the one who expressed an opinion that this was okay since it was a GOP area. Great just great.

[Nikki Stone1]

81. Winning is everything.

Principles are for sissies. It takes money to win and big money is in the hands of people who do not have the good of the people at heart. Right?

[Name removed]

7. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Nikki Stone1]

8. Thanks. I transcribe pretty quickly.

:)

[katandmoon]

9. Obama is just like the bible...you can find a quote of his to justify anything

[Nikki Stone1]

11. Find me the quote that justifies drilling

I'll be happy to read it.

[Oregone]

13. LOL

[Nikki Stone1]

17. Depends on when and what his angle is

..

[Oregone]

18. A circle has no angles

[Nikki Stone1]

20. It also has no point.

:D

[laughingliberal]

54. Oh, ouch!

;)

[Nikki Stone1]

75. Hey just looking

40 R, 15 U, 75 Rp

[Newest Reality]

14. Addiction is a poor and inaccurate choce of words!

Modern life is built on oil itself and therefore, a necessity. It is not just a fuel issue, as some might perceive it. Every aspect of our day-to-day lives involves fossil fuels either directly or indirectly.

Just as we often referred to as consumers, rather than citizens, the choice of words matters when our reliance on oil revolves around the very Status Quo that the PTB appear to be preserving or, at least, maintaining an illusion of said. No, we are not all just a bunch of addicts, at least until we have the choices that will face the entire World in the near future, laid out before us. Then, you can call those who want to preserve the fossil fuel life addicts. There is a lot more to this issue than the superficial issues presented.

The thing is, nothing, so far, in the way of alternatives will allow us to continue the lifestyles we are, dare I say, ADDICTED to. That is what would have to change drastically and dramatically in order to accomplish a less oil-dependent transition. That transition is coming, one way or another. The way it goes is going to be the big quesiton.

[Nikki Stone1]

16. Peak Oil?

?

[Nikki Stone1]

19. Actually, oil is the center of things

http://www.oldelmtree.com/discussion/index.php?topic=7390.msg71791#msg71791

...The demise of the USSR opened up a can of worms over the Caspian’s legal status, however. The Caspian is the world's largest inland body of water, with a surface area of 143,000 square miles, its status regulated under the USSR-Persia Treaty of 26 February 1921 and the 25 March 1940 USSR-Iran Treaty. In place of the USSR and Iran there were now five Caspian littoral states – Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia and Turkmenistan and wrangling began immediately over the Caspian’s division. The 1982 U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) defines the Caspian as “a special inner sea.”

Two opposing positions quickly developed – Russia insisted that the Caspian’s waters and seabed should be divided according to coastal length, while Iran held out for an equitable 20 percent division for each of the five littoral states. Under the Russian formula, Azerbaijan, with 259.1 miles of coastline, would receive 15.2 percent of the Caspian’s waters and seabed, Iran with 319.1 miles of coast - 18.7 percent. Kazakhstan, with 526.4 miles of coastline, would receive the largest share, 30.8 percent of the Caspian, leaving Russia with its 315 miles of shore 18.5 percent of the Caspian and Turkmenistan’s 285.4 miles of coast giving it a 16.8 percent share. Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan soon supported the Kremlin’s stance, while Turkmenistan under its mercurial, megalomaniacal leader Sapamurat Niyazov wavered between Moscow and Tehran.

The two Chechen wars threatened to tear Moscow’s proposal apart. After the first Chechen war erupted in 1994 and began to spill over into neighboring Dagestan, a number of the more militant Chechen guerrillas like Shamil Basayev eventually declared their intention to create a unitary northern Caucasian Chechen-Dagestani Muslim state. Chechnya and Dagestan were poorer than the rest of Russia, and Dagestan, though home to a mosaic of ethnic groups, was predominantly Muslim. While the August 1996 Khasavyurt Accord led to a truce ending the first Chechen war, it would be shattered three years later.

Much had changed in the interim, including U.S. penetration of Azerbaijan’s and Kazakhstan’s energy sectors. As reported by EC-TACIS, for the period 1994-1999 the main sources of foreign direct investment in Azerbaijan were the United States with 28 percent, followed by Britain with 15 percent. FDI in Azerbaijan exploded from only $30 million in 1994 to $827 million in 1999, about 17 percent of Azerbaijan's GDP, with approximately 90 percent of FDI concentrated in the country's hydrocarbons sector, while Kazakhstan FDI accounted for $1.6 billion in the same period. Russia was clearly losing the battle to develop Caspian energy, and an independent Chechen-Dagestani state would make Moscow's position untenable and hence had to be stopped at any cost.

In justifying his 1999 incursion in Dagestan Basayev said, “Our Muslim brothers from Dagestan have asked us for help, and it is our duty to help them,” adding, “Our first and foremost task here is to help protect our Muslim brothers from being exterminated by both the Russians and the puppet government of Dagestan.” Dagestan, with its 249 miles of Caspian coast if independent in conjunction with Chechnya, would pare Russia’s Caspian shoreline nearly back to the Volga delta, leaving it a paltry 66 miles of coastline and shrink its offshore share under Moscow’s own formula by four-fifths, from 18.5 to 3.92 percent of a region of which Dick Cheney observed the year before Putin’s appointment, “I can't think of a time when we've had a region emerge as suddenly to become as strategically significant as the Caspian.”....

[TheKentuckian]

139. We could cut back pretty far with enough will

Diesel and plug in hybrids would go a loooooooooong way. Hell, those technologies could be combined. We could also go the T-Boone route and use a lot more NG which is cleaner than oil. Shit, I imagine a NG/hybrid could be designed and we could at least be a little cleaner and at least be completely independent from foreign oil.

If we wanted to we could put a hell of a dent in global consumption and remove the need for all the empire.

We're the Saudi Arabia of wind, have lots of coasts for tidal, and many areas get lots of sun. We can get biomass from algae or even dung.

We can and must do better. We can bridge away from oil and eventually from carbon but we will have to actually do it rather than pretending that oil is all we can do.

The oil for fuel game is a straight loser and we should at this very moment start building the bridges we will need to a real future. We can cut consumption by more than half with present day tech and know how.

[KG]

22. i'm sure there's a 3-D chess pony in there some where.

[Nikki Stone1]

24. It's all about being a circle

and having no angles or points.

That's chess on a string.

[KG]

25. he was against it before he was for it. before that, he categorically denied oils existance

[Nikki Stone1]

30. Are you creating your own reality again?

Shame on you! :D

[Stinky The Clown]

108. Chess on a string ....... or a yoyo.

[Ignis]

27. "Well the politics may have changed, but the facts haven't."

Facts are so 2008. :eyes:

[Nikki Stone1]

29. So true

And sad that so many people don't see that.

[Name removed]

28. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[unapatriciated]

34. k&R

[Bluebear]

35. Fierce.

[Nikki Stone1]

38. Can't really take the credit

A good friend found this today

[girl gone mad]

39. But he never campaigned on it.

:eyes:

[Nikki Stone1]

43. LOL! If anyone says that, point them to this DU link:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x149816

It's not like DU didn't know. I remembered it.

[Zhade]

142. Yeah -- I actually had my sigline deleted over that!

Despite the undeniable video evidence proving that he lied about that, I was instructed to remove it (it was removed while at work, before I had a chance to even consider arguing my case).

Lies are now allowed to go unchallenged here. It's... troubling.

[craigmatic]

40. The position is that he's against oil addiction and that he's only doing this in cooperation with

other fuel development, and conservation. It certainly looks nice but the reality isn't really that certain.

[earth mom]

41. In my world that is called LYING your ass off.

:grr:

[Nikki Stone1]

44. Or throwing the GOP a win when they almost destroyed your big HCR bill

As in, this makes no sense.

The RW LA hosts are happy campers today. They're really happy because it's not California.

[earth mom]

137. Obama will throw California and the west coast under the bus soon enough. nt

[Starry Messenger]

45. An inconvenient truth

"We got hosed, Tommy, we got hosed."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMh6O7HuI08

[Nikki Stone1]

47. Remember this about Social Security:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x450389

Just keep that handy.

[Nikki Stone1]

48. And the war

http://www.youtube.com/user/tpmtv#p/search/0/ag8gOXZulXg

[Starry Messenger]

63. I'll bookmark, but I'm not sure if they care

Evidently we're all about "nuance" now. Can't wait to see what the next euphemism for lying is...

[Nikki Stone1]

65. At least we know the blueprint now

It's helpful if one wants to protect oneself, but a moment of truth if one wants to protect the nation.

[BlooInBloo]

50. As everyone who is both honest and not stupid knows, Obama softened up on that...

as of 8/1/08.

So there hasn't been any cause for surprise since then.

[Nikki Stone1]

51. Many people were not aware of that

Hence the surprise of many

[BlooInBloo]

55. Then many people shouldn't post.

[Nikki Stone1]

57. Many people do not post here and rely on what they see on television

It's sad but most people don't have the time to keep up with every nuance in policy. That's why these things come as surprises to them.

[BlooInBloo]

60. Because people who breathlessly post stuff that got superceded days later look like fools.

[Nikki Stone1]

62. But we're not talking about people who post here.

.

[BlooInBloo]

64. In the immortal words of Tonto....

"What you mean 'we', white man?"

[Nikki Stone1]

66. Tonto is a Hollywood stereotype and invoking him is somewhat insensitive I think

But I'd have to ask my friend from the Pala reservation.

[BlooInBloo]

67. Ask your friend with the entire well-known joke...

Lone Ranger: Wow, Tonto, looks like we're completely surrounded by these indians.
Tonto: Yah.
Lone Ranger: I don't think we're getting out of this one.
Tonto: What you mean 'we', white man? (rides off to join the indians)

edit: Let me know what he thinks. I first heard it from a Native American dude here in WA a long time ago. He and I giggled our asses off (me = whitey).

[Nikki Stone1]

69. Oh, it's a joke.

I will ask. I know he's not fond of Hollywood stereotypes, especially of music.

[BlooInBloo]

70. Few of us are fond of such things. I guess that's why satire exists.

[Nikki Stone1]

71. Like Stephen Colbert.

:)

[anigbrowl]

119. Maybe such people should pay attention to waht they are voting for then

I have no sympathy for people who don't pay attention before they vote and then express surprise when they found out what positions they had actually voted for. None whatsoever.

[flyarm]

76. Funny he never softened anything when he campaigned in Florida and the

South Coast Sierra club that protested Newt Gingrich today here in St Pete over Florida off shore drilling and dems said such tonight on our news here in SW Florida..in fact our news ran all his clips in Florida speeches tonight and compared them to McCain and Palin..and funny the South Coast Sierra club didn't know he softened a fucking thing about drilling off our COAST LINES! Nor did several environmental professors for Florida Universities they interviewed! The only ones on our news that said these oil rigs would not destroy our eco system and enviornment was a guy who was hired by republicans and is part of a Think tank,..

it was stated by 2 professors at Universities in Florida that said it will hurt our environment and if there was any type of spill or oil leak..it could destroy Florida's economy for a very long long time!

In fact one of the professors in a longer interview said the following..

The Oil drilling is not for national security reasons.

This will not create jobs.

This will not increase supply.

He stated this was being done for oil corporate profits and profits alone!


so go tell these enviornmentalists and these professors that they are stupid or shouldn't talk because only YOU know what Obama said in the state of Florida about drilling off our coasts!

But don't worry your little head ..our Fla news is showing all the speeches Obama made..and they are showing what a liar he is for all in Florida to see!

[Nikki Stone1]

78. Many people have to rely on the ads that run in their state

They don't always have time to read the obscure blogs or special political online supplements of news sites. They are working too hard and are too tired when they get home to search for the odd bit of information. No ads in California suggested that he was changing his mind during the election season, for obvious reasons.

[BlooInBloo]

86. You never, ever learn....

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=8062187&mesg_id=8062969

Of particular note there are the words "Obama told The Palm Beach Post early into a two-day swing through Florida."

[Nikki Stone1]

87. This clip was from a larger article from CNN's political blog. It contained both stances:

"Barack Obama said Friday that he would be willing to compromise on his position against offshore oil drilling if it were part of a more overarching strategy to lower energy costs."

And

"The senator from Illinois has railed against offshore drilling since John McCain in June proposed striking down the federal moratorium banning offshore oil and gas drilling to help alleviate high gas prices. (August 8, 2008--right before convention)

“When I’m president, I intend to keep in place the moratorium here in Florida and around the country that prevents oil companies from drilling off Florida’s coasts,” Obama told reporters in Jacksonville in late June. “That’s how we can protect our coastline and still make the investments that will reduce our dependence on foreign oil and bring down gas prices for good.” (June, before the truce with the Clintons who were threatening to make trouble during the convention)


Floridians can be forgiven for taken the latter statement as the truth, especially when it was repeated over and over in campaign commercials. The former statement never appeared in campaign commercials in California and, I imagine, not in Florida, since both states were at risk in this issue.

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/08/01/obama-shifts-on-oil-drilling/?fbid=6mxK1ILNtr4

[BlooInBloo]

91. I agree. People do like to pick and choose, hearing only the parts they want to hear...

I don't forgive people for that, but you're welcome to.

[Nikki Stone1]

92. People hear what they are exposed to

The don't always have the time or energy to search out every blog. They rely on television, radio, and candidate websites. None of these during the election mentioned that Obama had changed his mind on drilling.

Even the activists didn't know any different. For example, one activist I know was schooled that Barack Obama's healthcare plan would involve NO mandates. Obama himself repeated this many times and the activists were taught by local organizers that this was true. They went from door to door, insisting that if Dems voted for Obama instead of the other Democratic candidates that they would not get mandates. Now, if you're a citizen and some activist comes to your door with campaign literature and insists that this is the truth, you are inclined to believe it.

That is why, when the President supports mandates a year and a half later, everyone is taken by surprise, including the activists. I am sure Florida's activists were told that Obama was against drilling. The inconvenient change of mind in August came AFTER the primary, once Obama had secured the nomination. Had Floridians known that Obama intended to drill, they would have voted for one of the other candidates.

[Nikki Stone1]

94. Self delete: wrong location

,.

[flyarm]

103. wedid vote for other candidates in the Florida Primary..and our primary votes were stolen! eom

[Nikki Stone1]

106. You mean the whole disqualification thing?

Didn't they apportion the votes the way they should have gone?

[flyarm]

107. Q1. yes and Q.2..no they didn't. eom

[Nikki Stone1]

109. What did they actually do?

Re Q. 2

I kind of checked out during the primaries. It got nasty in here and I had other things to do.

[Nikki Stone1]

97. No quick answer to my detailed reply

It's been over an hour and usually you're pretty quick at the draw, my friend. I would appreciate your thoughts on what I said or else I wouldn't have written it.

[Mojorabbit]

123. +100 nt

[scheming daemons]

52. Nice cherry-picking, by a usual suspect

Completely ignore all comments from Obama indicating the opposite... both before and after the election.

[Xicano]

114. Which Obama do you prescribe to?

Because if one considers everything Obama says it means there's three different possible points of view about Obama one can choose from.

1) He's a flat out liar.

2) He's not a liar because he did indeed say he'd make all these RW choices on policy.

3) He talks out both sides of his mouth and nothing he says can be trusted.

[Nikki Stone1]

115. That about covers the choices, doesn't it.

...

[Ardent15]

53. Candidate Obama and Senator Obama are different people

nt

[Nikki Stone1]

73. But Democrats as still Democrats and

our beliefs are more important than one person.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

85. Haven't you heard the meme? Liberal Democrats are now the far left.

:puke:

[Nikki Stone1]

88. We are far from the far left

We actually want to conserve what we had before Reagan started destroying it all.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

128. Exactly.

[Nikki Stone1]

136. Remember when we were the center of the party?

The party moved; we didn't.

[laughingliberal]

56. Is there some point at which we aren't expected to suspend our memory & cheer for whatever happens?

Any point at all where we aren't expected to just ignore this?

[Nikki Stone1]

74. Being a Democrat

means having certain principles. Not conflating a person with those principles, even when he fails them again and again.

[Nikki Stone1]

93. .

.

[Name removed]

79. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Nikki Stone1]

80. It reminds me of growing up Catholic

Jesus and the Church were tied. To love Jesus you had to obey the parish priests, the nuns, and believe what the Vatican told you. If you thought the Church was being hypocritical or downright sinful, you were rejecting Jesus, Christian principles and life ever lasting, Amen. The areas of the brain activated by religious belief must also be activated in political belief. There is no "God spot" as such.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1160904/Research-brains-God-spot-reveals-areas-brain-involved-religious-belief.html

"There is nothing unique about religious belief in these brain structures,' Professor Grafman said.

'Religion doesn't have a 'God spot' as such, instead it's embedded in a whole range of other belief systems in the brain that we use every day.'
The networks activated by religious beliefs overlap with those that mediate political beliefs and moral beliefs, he said.

Dr Andrew Newberg, director of the Centre for Spirituality and the Mind at the University of Pennsylvania, told the New York Times that Dr Grafman’s findings were in line with other research that has so far failed to find any specific structure in the brain that is dedicated to religious belief."

[Name removed]

82. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Nikki Stone1]

110. Floridians protest offshore oil drilling; hundreds wear black

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE61C2LT20100213

(Reuters) - Thousands of Floridians demonstrated against moves to allow offshore oil drilling on Saturday along the east and west coasts of the state in a protest dubbed "Hands Across the Sand."

U.S.

Organizer David Rauschkolb said about 80 demonstrations took place at beaches from Pensacola on the northwest coast of Florida to Key West in the south and Jacksonville in the north.

"This issue is one Floridians care about, protecting our waterways and coastlines from the devastating effects of oil exploration," Rauschkolb said in a telephone interview. He owns a beachfront restaurant in Seaside, Florida, on the Gulf of Mexico.

Legislation to allow oil drilling off the Florida coast passed the Florida House of Representatives last year but was blocked by Republican Governor Charlie Crist and the state Senate. Oil-drilling opponents fear the legislation may come up again in this year's legislative session. Supporters of offshore drilling say it is needed to reduce U.S. dependence on imported oil.

"I don't think this issue is going away," Rauschkolb said.

In St. Petersburg, about 200 people including local officials, parents and children gathered at a beach resort hotel despite chilly weather and strong winds. Most wore black to symbolize an oil spill. They stood in line facing the Gulf of Mexico and holding hands for several minutes as a small plane flew overhead towing a banner that read: "Love tourists - not drilling."

"Do you really want oil washing up on our beaches?" local organizer Cathy Harrelson said......

[Nikki Stone1]

113. "Don't Drill Me, Bro"

http://www.wtsp.com/news/topstories/story.aspx?storyid=128788&catid=250


St. Pete, FL - "Don't Drill Me, Bro," read one of hundreds of signs held by offshore oil drilling protesters in front of the Vinoy Hotel in downtown St. Petersburg.

"We are here to show that we are against any offshore oil drilling in the Gulf. All you have to do is look at the Texas coast to see what happens to the beaches when you drill offshore. Tourism is a huge industry here. So we are here to save our jobs, plain and simple," said Missy Hahn of the Bay area's Women and Tourism Board.

This protest comes on the very day President Obama announced plans to expand oil drilling into the Eastern part of the Gulf of Mexico. Yet this protest was planned for the past week because former U.S. Speaker of the House, Newt Gingrich, is holding a town hall meeting on jobs at the Vinoy. Part of Gingrich's talking points at his jobs summit has to do with, what he sees as the dire need to "drill here, drill now, pay less." Gingrich says expanding oil drilling into the Eastern Gulf of Mexico will produce new jobs.

Protesters don't buy it.

"This will ruin our economy," said Cathy Harrelson who organized the protest, adding, "Besides studies show there is only enough oil in the Eastern gulf to sustain energy in our country for one week. It is just not worth it."

[aikoaiko]

58. I never liked that approach because even if its true that it would take 10 years to lower gas prices

I'm sure that I will appreciate it 10 years from now.

[Nikki Stone1]

61. I never thought it was about lowering gas prices; I think it's about providing oil to China

to keep them from messing internationally with oil bearing countries that the US wants. I could be totally off base here, but I think this announcement is interesting coming after the Russian bombing. Chechnya is interfering with Russian oil interests, and I think China relies on those. I wish Allentown Jake were here. He has more info about this stuff than I do.

[freddie mertz]

68. I agreed with candidate Obama.

Too bad he lost the election.

[Nikki Stone1]

72. Didn't we all

Except about gay marriage. The choices of Donnie McClurkin and Rick Warren were major signals. Then there was Planned Parenthood having to fight for a place on the platform with anti-choicers.

But other than that, it all sounded good.

[laughingliberal]

118. I think Pelosi said it best, "He was for a lot of things in the campaign." nt

[freddie mertz]

125. Except for the public option of course....

:sarcasm: :eyes: :shrug:

[amborin]

83. K&R

[Nikki Stone1]

90. Thanks.

:)

[Individualist]

84. K&R

[Moochy]

95. President Obama is just getting in as much as he can when people are still cheering BEST WEEK EVER!!

Watch as your tired, washed-up, old Republican policies magically become fresh exciting New Democrat ideas!

That's the power of the NEO-Liberal!

[Nikki Stone1]

96. Bait and switch?

At least we knew what the Clintons were. None of this would have been surprising coming from them.

[Moochy]

98. I listened to the audio book of Dreams from my Father

maybe it was abridged...but there was nothing about offshore drilling.. :rofl: I've seen people on this thread and others point out he knew said during the campaign that he was going to do this. Let's hope the horse trade with the Right is worth it. :eyes:

[Nikki Stone1]

100. But is he horsetrading?

They were against HCR as a bloc. Not one defector. Politically speaking, they made Obama put Stupak in a vulnerable position to his anti-choice constituency and damage Kucinich with progressives. Neither was good for the party. No horse trade here.

[Moochy]

104. supposedly

the spin is that this is part of some possible deal to get to the magical 60 on a bipartisan energy bill, see the Kerry article.

But if Kerry is open to this in the senate in order to possibly get a few republicans to cross party lines, well we know about his established track record when trying to appeal to republican voters... Maybe he knows the senatorial class better.

"There isn't one of us here who doesn't like NASCAR and who isn't a fan."

doh looking at my faded lawn signs for Kerry/Edwards 2004... :(

[Nikki Stone1]

105. Well we know what happened in the Senate the last time

My guess is the GOP won't play ball. We'll see. Then Florida will have been sacrificed for nothing. :eyes:

[flyarm]

117. nothing will be "worth it " politically when our eco system is destroyed! ..nothing! eom

[usregimechange]

99. He was opposing something different than what he is now advocating

[Nikki Stone1]

101. No, he used to be opposed to what he is presenting today

The end result will be the opposite of what he told Floridians.

[omega minimo]

102. Hope, Change, Status Quo, SNAFU

[Nikki Stone1]

112. Protests tonight in St. Pete

Newt Gingrich, in St. Petersburg, supports drilling now



.....The one-time Georgia representative, who now lives in Virginia, said he foresees increased offshore drilling — as well as more nuclear plants and "clean coal" plants providing power — as a way not only to revive the economy but also to start knocking down a raging federal deficit.

"Your children are going to spend the rest of their lives paying the interest on our national debt to the Saudis and the Chinese," Gingrich warned.

Gingrich held a town hall meeting at St. Petersburg's Vinoy Renaissance hotel Wednesday evening to tout his ideas for creating more jobs. Organizers estimated he drew 800 people, including St. Petersburg Mayor Bill Foster, who introduced him, and U.S. Rep. C.W. Bill Young, R-Indian Rocks Beach.

Meanwhile a protest against offshore drilling drew what organizers estimated to be a crowd of 300, who lined the sidewalk across the street from the Vinoy and chanted, "Save our coasts!" Among the protesters was Pamela Hewitt, 46, of Tampa, who drenched herself in Hershey's chocolate sauce to symbolize what an oil spill would look like.....

[omega minimo]

116. I can't keep up with the lies anymore

[anigbrowl]

120. Genius

Yes, we will definitely advance our political views most effectively by smearing chocolate all over ourselves. In case you can't tell, middle-aged people playing with their food is not my idea of effective political action.

[Bluebear]

122. You can't see that that symbolized an oil spill?

[anigbrowl]

130. Of course I can, it was even stated in the caption.

I just don't think it does so effectively. My unscientific hunch is that most people who see that photo are going to remember the tub of hershey's in her hand, and take the environmental issues less seriously as a result, which would be a pity.

I am not all that bothered about the drilling. Not because i don't care about the environment, but because oil spills nowadays are usually the results of accidents involving ships close to land, no matter where the oil they are carrying comes from (a rig or a land well in another country). Actual offshore drilling has had a fairly good environmental record in recent decades.

Here's a list of oil rig disasters: http://www.oilrigdisasters.co.uk/

You'll notice that most of the accidents resulting in oil spills occurred before the 80s, although there was one largish incident in 1992. As public awareness of environmental and safety standards have risen over time, standards have improved significantly. I think it's reasonable to take that improvement into account when assessing the possible risks.

[omega minimo]

132. One reason the record has been good is the practice has been banned here!

:crazy:

Why undo environmental PROGRESS.

[Nikki Stone1]

135. We have some Florida folks here

Maybe they can weigh in.

[omega minimo]

131. What "effective political action" do you participate in?

[Bluebear]

133. acting smug on political message boards.

[omega minimo]

134. .

:wow::spray:

[Nikki Stone1]

138. Ha!

That's exactly right.

[Forkboy]

124. He should have run on "Hope and Change My Mind".

[QC]

126. Or HOPE I don't totally CHANGE into a Republican. n/t

[amborin]

129. just like the mandate, just like the excise tax...etc.................

[Zhade]

140. Gee, more damning video evidence.

Who would have suspected such a complete pro-corporate reversal from obama?

Well, anyone with their eyes wide fucking open, for one.