XMarine:

I must inform you that you are missing the big picture on tapping into Alaskan oil. Kerry has a good reason for not wanting to drill right now and that's because our reserves are overflowing.

Why is Bush refusing to loosen the strings on our already massive reserves? We have more oil in reserve than 99% of all Americans know or would even believe. That alone could lessen our idependence on foreign oil a huge amount.

Right now oil is going for $44 a barrel, the highest amount in history! When Clinton left office it was at $11 a barrel. Clinton had released several million gallons of overstock reserve in 1992 and in 1996, oil that was just sitting in barrels waiting for room to be stored. The result was lower gas prices than we had seen in almost a decade.

Bush has interest in big oil, no GOP member can deny that. Is that his reason for refusing to tap into the reserve? Maybe, maybe not, but the evidence is certainly there to confirm the assumption. Ever since he took office oil prices have been steady to rise. First excuse was the war. Bush said after Iraq was liberated that prices would plummet, the "war" effort was declared over by Bush months ago. It has not happened and according to OPEC O-AND-I it's not going to.

So it's not all so cut and dry as you put it. Sierra club has been saying all along that tapping into Alaskan oil while we have such a huge stockpile is counterproductive and it is.

 

NSA1499...
I respect your opinion...but like I said, it will take at least a decade to get the infrastructure in place to get at the oil in Alaska, so why are we waiting? You bet we have a lot in the reserves, and I hope it stays there. This is called Defense. I think Bush would be the first to tell you our "war effort" is ongoing, and will be for some time. He is trying to gain some stability in that area of the world so the oil prices will fall. As you know, the oil markets are driven by one thing, stability. When things are going ok, the market settles down. With the volatility in the region of Iraq, it makes sense that the prices are the highest that we have ever seen. And they are going to be high until we can put a lid on that region. It's not Bush that drives up the price of oil, it's the kooks that blow up the pipelines and disrupt the infrastructure so that it cannot get to the world markets. Why was oil so cheap when Clinton was President? Everything was cheaper in "92 and '96 than it is now. And, Bill Clinton wasn't dealing with a foe like we have now.

Why does Bush refuse to tap into the reserves?..because that's exactly what they are, reserves. There may come a time that we'll need every drop of what's in the reserves. Unfortunately, there may also be a time in the future where we fondly look back on these $2.00 a gallon days. Just like I look back on the .23 cents a gallon days when I had my '57 Chevy. I don't think that releasing any reserves (millions of gallons, or millions of barrels) will make anything more than a momentary blip in the world oil prices.

I think you'll have to agree that stability in the world producing regions is the key to driving down the high price of oil. I still think that we ought to start putting the pieces of the puzzle together so we are not so dependent on other countries for the bulk of our oil. I think Bush is on the right path and that his legacy will show that.

Heywood...You and your dang bands...!

 

Well, I know you didnt mention Clinton but most people that hate bush love clinton. See, you called Bush a liar on Iraq when HUNDREDS of other leaders (including Clinton and Putin) made the claim before Bush did. It is the democratic party that has very successfully perpetuated this 'blind party line' thing when for the most part the demos want to seize control of your money, property, and your health (hence life) while making it appear as though it is the other parties' fault.
Do you really want to have everything controled for you by the government? If Kerry gets in that where things will go- your money, your property (read his plan on the enviroment where he staes that they can seize YOUR land if they feel some species of life is threatened), and your healthcare in the hands of unprepared care givers? Oh yeah, that's a bright future.

How is Kerry the lesser of 2 evils? what makes him so honorable and 'deserving' of the Presidency? He hasn't proven anything. you have to have some good in you to be the lesser of 2 evils. Kerry has demonstrated time after time that he has no defined morals; only those that are politically correct.

 

Thats just what you want to do to support our sport?

 

XMarine:

I agree that we should not tap the reserves, but the overstock that is growing can and should be used. Not all of it mind you, but just enough to get the prices down to help stabilize the economy. During a war effort, is the only time we should think about tapping into the overstock.

The reality is that the overstock is costing us more money, causing the prices to go higher because new storage facilities have to be built and storage fees must be paid. When prices are low this is not a problem, sales are good, profit is up and the oil companies will spend the money to expand.

As it is now, we are losing money on the oil in reserve and the overstock is killing us too. Even releasing just 1/8th of the current overstock would have a significant impact we would see at the pumps every day.

 

just FYI, from kerry's official biography ... tell me what you think it means

http://www.lcv.org/Files/OpenFile.cfm?id=1960
National Parks
<u>Kerry has pledged to protect parks from snowmobile, jet ski and off-road vehicle use </u> and to boost funding for the National Park System. “While funding to address the maintenance [backlog] should remain a priority,” he says, “I believe those budget needs must be balanced with additional resources for the operating budget in order to enhance resource protection and visitor education.”35
(the underlines are mine)


i wonder what he means by "additional resoures ... to enhance resourse protection" ... i'll tell you ... he wants to protect your public land from YOU ! i guess you could always make a nice planter out of that new sport quad ... cause you wont have anywhere to ride it.

 

I am with you man.

 

ALOT of the reserves are in the louisiana salt mines. how the heck is anyone adept enough to build a what is already there - a naturally occuring salt mine? these things are HUGE and vast expanse of space. there is plenty room for more oil at no extra cost. just pump it in.

 

THATS RIGHT!!

 

She made a joke, as comedians are wont to do. She compared Bush to, well, a bush (In the female body part sense). For some reason, Bush is not to be the target of a joke upon penalty of death.