ANWR vote as early as today

[Mal_Con]

WTF, do you really expect?

[ChrisT]

From an op-ed piece by Thomas Friedman in today's NYTimes:

 

 

"I am sure China will be thrilled with the Bush decision to drill in Alaska," said the noted energy economist Philip Verleger Jr. "Oil in Alaska cannot easily or efficiently be shipped to our Gulf Coast refineries. The logical markets are on the West Coast of the United States and in Asia. Consumers in China and Japan, not the U.S., will be the real beneficiaries of any big Alaska find.

 

"With a big find, China and Japan will be able to increase imports from a dependable supplier - the U.S. - while consumers in the U.S. will still be at the mercy of unreliable suppliers, such as Venezuela and Saudi Arabia. It is simple geography. [Also], a big find will lead to lower prices in the short term, promoting more emissions and more warming."

[KaskadskyjKozak]

From an op-ed piece by Thomas Friedman in today's NYTimes:

 

"I am sure China will be thrilled with the Bush decision to drill in Alaska," said the noted energy economist Philip Verleger Jr. "Oil in Alaska cannot easily or efficiently be shipped to our Gulf Coast refineries. The logical markets are on the West Coast of the United States and in Asia. Consumers in China and Japan, not the U.S., will be the real beneficiaries of any big Alaska find.

 

"With a big find, China and Japan will be able to increase imports from a dependable supplier - the U.S. - while consumers in the U.S. will still be at the mercy of unreliable suppliers, such as Venezuela and Saudi Arabia. It is simple geography. [Also], a big find will lead to lower prices in the short term, promoting more emissions and more warming."

 

If that's true, then that's a hell of a lot bigger lie than anything told leading up to the Iraq invasion.

[Mal_Con]

Not at all surprisingmost of the Alaska Oil already goes overseas, it is a commodity and priced by quality i.e. sweet crude is more expensive than that with a lot of sulphur and nd the cost of transportation. It would be idiotic to take Alaskan Oil round the horn to Gulf refineries.

[KaskadskyjKozak]

Not at all surprisingmost of the Alaska Oil already goes overseas, it is a commodity and priced by quality i.e. sweet crude is more expensive than that with a lot of sulphur and nd the cost of transportation. It would be idiotic to take Alaskan Oil round the horn to Gulf refineries.

 

Then this is what the opponents to drilling should be highlighting - not the environmental impact or the "small" amount of oil deposits - but that the oil will be exported and would not help DOMESTIC oil demand one iota.

[bunglehead]

...Alaskan Oil round the horn to Gulf refineries.

 

Panama Canal?

[Ratboy]

It is widely reported that a majority of the voting public of Alaska favors oil development in ANWR. How would you like it if pressures from outside your State, with sentiments antithetical to the majority of your State’s voters, forced their will upon your State?

 

You mean like the Wild Sky Wilderness, killed by a New Jersey Congressman despite the overwhelming approval of Washington state?

[Jim]

It is widely reported that a majority of the voting public of Alaska favors oil development in ANWR. How would you like it if pressures from outside your State, with sentiments antithetical to the majority of your State’s voters, forced their will upon your State?

 

You mean like the Wild Sky Wilderness, killed by a New Jersey Congressman despite the overwhelming approval of Washington state?

 

Here's a news flash - ANWR is federal land, owned by all the US public, not just Alaskans.

[Ratboy]

Here's a news flash - ANWR is federal land, owned by all the US public, not just Alaskans.

 

I completely agree. I was just giving a tit-for-tat from the other side. Although I question the power of one man being able to stop something that a large percentage of the people and their representatives want.

[Mal_Con]

...Alaskan Oil round the horn to Gulf refineries.

 

Panama Canal?

 

It is too small for the tankers in use today

[bunglehead]

Really? Crazy.

[Double_E]

i love caribou and ravens and grizzlies just as much as the next lefty enviro guy.

 

at the same time, I think NONE of them things are as important as lessening, however slightly, our dependence on Mideast oil and all the wars and other bullshit that comes along with it.... drill the fuck out of my own backyard for all i care. yeah baby!!! .... this thread was the first place i learned about the fact that much of ANWR oil would probly go to Asia, and that sucks. bigtime. but if even 5% of it goes to domestic supply, thereby lessening our ties to the Saudi Royal family.. i'm happy.

 

and yeah i know, we gotta invest in renewables ... wind, solar, hydro cells, etc etc blah blah blah. its true, it's all true. but we also gotta bump up domestic oil production. both need to happen.

 

[AlpineK]

Yeah fuck the environment...we can reduce our dependence on forigen oil by 1% at best. 20 years from now.

[chrisIW]

You know maybe we could be less materialistic and have a less impact on natural resources. Now I am not trying to stir the pot. But I don't own a car and I hate how everyone I know asks me "When are you going to buy a car?" I seem to manage even in the rain. But it seems its such a foriegn idea (especially in the south).

[Scott_J]

Wow, I might have a good paying job again. hahahaha