House bill HR 5626 introduced by Reps Waxman, Markey, and Stupack, in the words of Rep. Boehner, has the effect of killing an ant with a nuclear bomb. The bill, if passed, will require that any company seeking a “drilling permit must guarantee that it could prevent any future blowouts; promptly stop any blowout, even if the blowout preventers and other measures fail; and drill a relief well within 90 days of any blowout.”
This safety standard is impossible to meet this side of utopia. The Congressmen undoubtedly know this. They also know that this will put thousands of people out of work, reduce our offshore oil supply and increase our dependence upon foreign oil sources. Whether that oil is from friend or foe it matters not to them. Killing oil production will be the result of this legislation and that is the real desire of the eco lobby that we have allowed to control Congress.
The six-month moratorium on drilling could cost 20,000-30,000 jobs in the Gulf Region. Combine the effects of the six month moritorium with HR 5626 and the results will not be inconsequential. The ban could easily become permanent and destroy hundreds of thousands of jobs across the south and increase the cost of gasoline for all of us. When the off-shore drilling rigs leave the gulf many will not come back for years as they are in demand elsewhere for countries with the foresight to drill in their back yards.
How ironic to think that China and Russia are drilling off our coast and we can’t drill in our backyard.
Why has this President, that never wants to waste a good crisis, let this crisis magnify? Perhaps if a good crisis is good for the President, then a great crisis is great for a President?
This would explain why Alabama had to give up its barriers to Louisiana, why the EPA held back the worlds largest scimmer for fear that 1% of the oil it collects would be allowed to go back into the sea while keeping 100% of the oil on the ocean is preferable, why OSHA only allows one hour of work for every 20 minute break for the oil clean-up workers, and why the White House will not lift the Jones Act to allow foreign ships into gulf coast waters to help clean up the mess.
This administration seems determined to magnify this crisis instead of subduing it. If this was the Bush administration the hypocrisy and incompetency would be expounded upon by the press day and night. Instead this administration gets a free pass for just about any indiscretion, in spite of the fact that thousands of jobs will be lost, oil costs will soar, and our dependency upon foreign sources only increases by the day.
It is ironic too that in these days of huge deficit spending by the government, when the government needs whatever funds it can find to plug the gap, that the loss of billions in royalties by forgoing off-shore drilling doesn’t even make it on the radar of the Administration.
America, its time to return this nation to a government that cares about its people and understands that less government is more.