Totally agree. They're going to take a beating next year, and they're going to deserve every bit of it.

Well, we are back to an artificially created energy shortage. We have an energy shortage and a dependency on foreign oil only because politicians want it that way.

Bastards.

As much of Republican as I am, I'm glad they're leaving Alaska alone. We need to try to preserve some nature-type stuff... Really. As for oil, we could step up funding on developing more renewable energy resources.

Writersbloc gal:

First think of 15,600 square miles. That is the size of the protected wilderness area in Alaska. Do realize how huge that is?

Now think of 1,200 acres. That is the size of the drilling area within those 15,600 square miles. Visualize how tiny the drilling area is. Those 1200 acres have no trees, little vegetation and ranks as one of the most desolate areas on earth.

Because of new drilling techniques, ANWR contains enough oil so that we need not buy a drop of oil from Saudi Arabia for the next 25 years. No money will go to fund Muslim terrorism against Jews.

Instead this money from ANWR will go to Native Americans who will have to pay half of that to the federal government in taxes.

So Writersbloc gal, you would rather send money to the Saudis so they can kill Jews than give it to Native Americans so they can realize their dreams of a better life.

"No one knows exactly how much oil there is in the area. The US Geological Survey has calculated that between 5.7bn and 16bn barrels can be recovered using today's technology, with an average estimate of 10bn barrels.

"Even assuming a high price of $40 a barrel, only 6.7bn barrels could be profitably brought to market, according to the Natural Resources Defence Council, an anti-drilling group. That is less than the 7.3bn barrels a year the US consumes today and will represent a smaller fraction of demand in 10 years' time.

"'It ain't going to set the house on fire,' said Bob Skinner, director of the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies, of the potential impact of new oil."

Financial Times,
March 18, 2005,
Majors Divided over oil drilling in Alaska,
THOMAS CATAN and HOLLY YEAGER

It was once called a wasteland for a reason. Like swamp, jungle and all the rest of mostly useless lands for man and animal alike, a name change has brought the touchy feely.

I would like to see how long a liberal could survive in the ANWR wastelands.

Hastert is a joke and a party hack. The more time passes, the more Newt Gingrich looks like a true visionary.

what do Republicans have to win in order for them to understand
I think it's more of "what do they have to lose". The recent victories made GOP feel they can get away with anything: big spending, support for illegal immigration, pork, etc. - all of that while engaged in a controversial and expensive war effort. And if despite all that they keep winning elections, why change?

That's why Robert George wrote that article in support of Kerry - because maybe then, he said, our Republican Congress would act Republican. Now, I don't think any Congress would be worth having someone like John Kerry in the White House, but now it's easy to see where Mr.George was coming from.

It's so much easier to talk about abortion and gay marriage, and to spend other people's money, than to solve problems.

Mike:

Natural Resources Defence Council, an anti-drilling group cannot be used as a source, their contributions depend entirely on stopping ANWR.

The new drilling techniques allow a rig to drill down 1 mile, then horizontal for 2 miles and then continue down vertically. Thus they can drill hundreds of wells with a very small footprint. Companies are drilling under the city of Fort Worth using these techniques and no one knows they are drilling there. Five years ago that was impossible.

The new estimates are 5-10 year US supply which works out to what we buy from Saudi Arabia over a 25 year period.

The oil companies are willing to risk a billion dollars that the above numbers are true. On the other hand, the greedy eco-industry stands to lose a billion dollars of contributions if they lose their prime symbol of what is evil about America-ANWAR drilling.

It sure would be nice to know what you're using for sources, Jake.

How great is it to hear Republicans complaining and moaning about Der Leader. Keep it up, folks!

Yeah, Henrieta, we're hoping for more conservatives. That'll sweep the Democrats right into power as everyone knows how conservative they are.

The biggest problem with your argument, Jake, is the assumption that the ANWR oil is going to supply the US market. It won't. Instead, just like Texas oil, Venezuelan oil, Nigerian oil and Russian oil it will enter the market as a fungible natural resource for sale in the global market. Increasing the supply by even the most optimistic count may mildly suppress prices, but will not result in being any less dependent on other sources for oil.

Maybe I misunderstand you. Are proposing that we nationalize the domestic oil industry?

If we spent as much time and money looking for alternatives we'd be in a much better position rather than fighting over the last XX Billion barrels of oil left on Earth. Gas and Oil Party 2006!! America loves your failed, greedy policies!

Thank goodness - this is not a partisan issue in my opinion. ANWR was always a way to hand more pork to Alaska and more favors to the oil and gas industry - they own us a favor, not the other way around.

ANWR is a perfect oppotunity to draw a line in the sand and say NOW IS THE TIME we start actively moving off oil - for the sake of our health, our econonomy, our security, and our competetiveness in the world.

So Karol you want Republican state representatives to be like good little robots and do whatever the Republican leadership tells them to do.
This is exactly what is wrong with American politics.

Congressmen should vote how they want using independent thought and accountability to the people they represent. And not be confined to how the Party leadership wants them to vote.

I thought the GOP _is_ all about being either a torturer or an obedient little robot. Or.. maybe they're about melting the skin off babies with White Phosphorus while claiming we're out to stop someone else from using WMDs. Who knew!

Oh, Jake. We're still waiting for your sources, champ.

As long as they gay bash, they'll keep their constituents happy. They're currently resurrecting the Federal Marriage Amendment. It should pass the committee and will make it to the floor of the Senate for a vote.

So if they're too busy with the FMA, who has time for things like drilling for oil and tax cuts????? Like their base really cares about anything besides the FMA and abortion and Terri Schiavo anyway.