I'll say it again:
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if we got serious about domestic drilling, doing so would piss-off the Arabs and we can't have that!
They have the cheapest available oil and we need it BAD. Domestic drilling will happen only when OPEC oil hits $200--no, $300 a barrell AT LEAST. Wonder why oil has been dropping in price? Maybe because the Saudis saw Americans conserving/using less gas and screaming for domestic drilling. The OPEC boys got together (yes, they collude in secret) to stop all this talk about conservation and alternative sources of oil. Price creeps down and crisis (for Saudis and OPEC) subsides.
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The business of America is BUSINESS and business LOVES cheap (see: outsourcing). Arab-OPEC oil is the CHEAPEST available so it will remain our major source until it becomes CHEAPER to drill here and in Alaska. Believe me, all those anti-drilling politicians will come right around when OPEC oil hits 300/bbl because voters will march to D.C with torches to demand domestic drilling or we'll burn the place down.
The current worldwide system of oil extraction, refining, and distributiuon will remain in place until it is no longer cost-effective. When that day comes, and it surely will someday, opposition to domestic U.S. drilling will crumble and the wells will go in, yes, even in ANWR.
Kim's right, but I'll add that ALL Washington politicians are corrupted by the very wealthy and very powerful corporate lobbies that control the government. Only a precious few of them are not 100% compromised by the cancerous corruption that keeps the status quo in place. If we were to vote them out we'd only get a whole new crop of ready-to-be-corrupted (and made rich) eager beavers in their place.
Okay, okay, I'll stop now!!!
Kim:
