GOP Wants Drilling Offshore frmo Virginia

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GOP Wants Drilling Offshore frmo Virginia

Post by kbot » 05-05-2011 07:01 PM

I was listening to the House debates earlier this mornng, and one of the topics being discussed was a GOP plan to start drilling off the shore of Virginia. Some points that were brought-up during the debate:

The figures used by a consulting company (hired by the oil industry) describing the "typical" spill was approx 4,600 barrels. This despite the recent disaster in the Gulf.

The worst-case scenario, was 46,000 barrels - over the course of 40 years.......again, by the same group, considering the impact in the Gulf.

Walruses would be protected. Walruses don't live off shore from Virginia.......

Then, it gets really interesting.......the Democrats, rightly, pointed out that the largest US Navy base on the east coast is in Viriginia, at Norfolk. The US taxpayers have spend billions upon billions to develop, expand and shift missions of existing Naval ships and personnel (such as closing the Navy base at Newport, under Nixon). Also, the Navy conducts live-weapons testing out of Norfolk. As one House Democrat noted "Live weapons testing and oil just don't mix......" Apparently, the GOP-backers of this plan just don't grasp this concept.

Now, the Obama detractors should know that he's already given the go-ahead for the lease, so, he can't be criticized for holding back on oil leases. What is disconcerting is the rush by the Right to develop oil and gas reserves, and not think beyond that goal. Consider this - a spll on the scale of the Gulf disaster would effectively cripple the Navy on the East coast. The GOP has pooh-poohed this issue. "Can't happen" according to them, apparently forgetting not only the Gulf disaster, but also the Exxon Valdiz disaster.....

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp- dyn/c ... 04207.html

Nice list of beneficiaries from oil and gas industrfy for today's vote:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/05/0 ... 58329.html

A report from 2010 outlining the Department of Defense's objections to drilling outside the largest Naval Base on the east coast:
http://moran.house.gov/list/press/va08_ ... port.shtml

I guess that, where there's money to be made, the GOP pushes aside a lot of issues we consider important - even what have traditionally been claimed by themselves, as their "core beliefs, such as supporting the military and having a strong defense. What "good" comes out of crippling our Navy is beyond me, but I guess that this new GOP House must know better......:rolleyes:

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Post by Shazam » 05-06-2011 03:19 PM

I want off shore drilling EVERYWERE!!!!

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Post by Iris » 05-06-2011 04:09 PM

Shazam wrote: I want off shore drilling EVERYWERE!!!!


You sure?

Image

This is millions of dead fish in the Gulf, thought to be exasperated by the BP spill:

Image
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Post by kbot » 05-06-2011 07:31 PM

Unrestricted drilling, without giving pause to obvious possible consequences is just being foolish. Even the report read on CSPAN showed that the consultants (hired by the oil and gas industry) was so far removed from reality that there is no way anyone with any sense of sanity could possibly accept it.

That being said, why would anyone want to drilling for oil in an area which would block access to the largest Naval facility on the east coast? Especially in an area where it is known that live fire weapons testing is routinely conducted?????

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Post by Cherry Kelly » 05-06-2011 07:41 PM

I am for offshore drilling - with appropriate safety features and double safeguards for shut off.

We have foreign countries drilling not that far from our 'offshore' areas. On Coast To Coast some time back - a ship's captain reported that underwater oil spills continue from many of these operating rigs... (yes not USA ones).

How are we gonna safeguard other countries rigs - and spills? Do we need some international safety demands?

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Post by Shazam » 05-06-2011 08:04 PM

Yea yea Small price to pay truthfully ....to be able to get to work to feed my children Iris.... there is no bigger fear for a parents than your child saying they are hungry and not being able to provide.......

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Post by kbot » 05-06-2011 08:23 PM

I'm all for drilling with, as you say, appropriate safeguardfs. But, it is apparent that the GOP is in such a rush to get this drilling going off the coast of Virginia, that they are tossing safeguards to the winds.

And, they are still not contending with the issue of speculators. In a recent vote, split across party lines, the GOP House refused to reign-in oil and gas speculators - which has been identified as the prime cause of the increase in oil and gas prices. So, this tels me, at least, where their loyalties lie. It's not with the American consumer, but with Wall St.

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Post by Iris » 05-07-2011 03:13 AM

Shazam wrote: Yea yea Small price to pay truthfully ....to be able to get to work to feed my children Iris.... there is no bigger fear for a parents than your child saying they are hungry and not being able to provide.......


My point exactly. If our climate varies a bit more, and/or we continue to pollute as we do, none of us are going to get fed. Our food supply will be the first victim, and with it may take millions of lives. Is that really a horror you want to live through? That's why if there's even a chance we can avoid that by our behavior we are fools not to try.

And there are other forms of energy. They need funding to advance us. Because as it is now the rest of the world is leaving us in the dust. Brazil, for instance, is #1 in green energy in the world, and their economy has been improving dramatically. We're just sitting here watching our jobs get sucked offshore and our middle class die off.

We used to be #1 at everything, and last year we were #36 in our medical system. The U.S. is tied for 71st place in the world when it comes to having women elected to high government positions. Pretty shabby.
http://www.ipu.org/wmn-e/classif.htm

Every year we're falling farther behind as prices go up and wages stagnate.
Last edited by Iris on 05-07-2011 03:25 AM, edited 1 time in total.
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Post by Shazam » 05-07-2011 07:27 AM

Well Iris apparently to the Media it has to be a PROGRESSIVE Women to be elected according to the Media thus the low #s because 49 to 51% of our population is Center-right.....Bachman and Palin are Demonized sexually harassed by the Media and NOW is so quite as church mouse I guess Sexism against republicans is OK huh?

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Post by Cherry Kelly » 05-07-2011 09:37 AM

Well food could be even shorter this year as the National gov't opened - read BLEW up dikes along MS river - flooding some 300,000 acres of prime farm land - ya know food producing lands. SO ya best be gardening wherever ya can so our kids will have food to eat this next winter.

===
Now as for drilling offshore - as noted put in safety regulations. Demand they be met as well.

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Post by Iris » 05-07-2011 02:25 PM

Shazam wrote: Well Iris apparently to the Media it has to be a PROGRESSIVE Women to be elected according to the Media thus the low #s because 49 to 51% of our population is Center-right.....Bachman and Palin are Demonized sexually harassed by the Media and NOW is so quite as church mouse I guess Sexism against republicans is OK huh?



Bachmann and Palin are extremist far right wackadoodle nincompoops. That (not "sexism") explains why they get slammed when other Republican women such as Kelly Ayotte, Kay Bailey Hutchison, Susan Collins, Olympia Snowe, Judy Borg Biggert, Marsha Blackburn, Lisa Murkowski, Mary Bono Mack, Susan Margaret Collins, and all the others don't. If it were sexism as you claim, these other women would have the same bad reputation of Bachmann and Palin. But they don't.
We must, indeed, all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately. B. Franklin

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Post by kbot » 05-07-2011 07:33 PM

Cherry Kelly wrote: Well food could be even shorter this year as the National gov't opened - read BLEW up dikes along MS river - flooding some 300,000 acres of prime farm land - ya know food producing lands. SO ya best be gardening wherever ya can so our kids will have food to eat this next winter.

===
Now as for drilling offshore - as noted put in safety regulations. Demand they be met as well.


Yeah CK, I couldn't believe this when I first heard it discussed, and then they actually went and did it........I feel so badly for all those farmers - their lives have been destroyed.

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Post by Iris » 05-07-2011 08:55 PM

Cherry Kelly wrote: Well food could be even shorter this year as the National gov't opened - read BLEW up dikes along MS river - flooding some 300,000 acres of prime farm land - ya know food producing lands. SO ya best be gardening wherever ya can so our kids will have food to eat this next winter.

===
Now as for drilling offshore - as noted put in safety regulations. Demand they be met as well.


I was thinking about those flooded farmers, too, Cherry, and the loss of their livelihoods, maybe their homes, and their crops. Very sad.

Cherry, I agree with you that we need to be a LOT more stringent on regulating businesses that can threaten our ecosystems. It's always been a bad idea to take the proverbial dump in your own food bowl.

Problem is, now that the right wing Supreme passed Citizens United, getting more regulation on our businesses doesn't stand a snowball's chance in you-know-where.

The only solution to that I know:
http://www.movetoamend.org


~~~
kbot wrote: I'm all for drilling with, as you say, appropriate safeguardfs. But, it is apparent that the GOP is in such a rush to get this drilling going off the coast of Virginia, that they are tossing safeguards to the winds.


Right. The GOP is the "Party of the International Corporations and Banksters," and as such they are against regulation.


http://www.bing.com/search?q=republican ... E&qs=n&sk=
Last edited by Iris on 05-07-2011 09:06 PM, edited 1 time in total.
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Post by kbot » 05-08-2011 05:36 AM

Iris wrote: Right. The GOP is the "Party of the International Corporations and Banksters," and as such they are against regulation.


And this is why we're in the shape we're in, financially, environmentally and economically. The GOP championed the dumping of sludge from montaintop blasting into rivers and stream, contaminating the local water supplies in Appalachia and have worked to dilute safety regulations every step of the way soley in order to increase corporate profits.

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Post by Iris » 05-08-2011 02:51 PM

Well said, Kbot. What puzzles me is why everyone can't see that. Day after day the evidence mounts on how bad the Republicans are for our nation, yet many remain deaf and blind. Boggles the mind.
We must, indeed, all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately. B. Franklin

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