Drilling, Florida and the Republicans

At today's Republican debate in Dearborn, Mich., several candidates were asked whether Florida and California's coasts should be open to oil and gas drilling. Both states enjoy protections now. Each candidate stuck to what he's said -- or how he's voted -- before.

The Buzz's favorite answer came from Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Colo., who said residents of states that rebuff drilling shouldn't be allowed to use the oil drilled off other states, like Louisiana.

And the audience applauded.

(Buzz wonders, does that mean Colorado shouldn't get any oranges?)

Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani: "You don't draw the line anywhere. What you do is, you work with people to try to advance all of these technologies.

"You can't do everything. You can't do long-term damage to our environment. That would be a mistake. That would be an overreaction. You have to make sound judgments, and you have to advance these new technologies."

Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kansas: "I think that you go in every place that you can to find resources."

Rep. Tom Tancredo: "You bet. I would agree to exploration off the coasts. I mean, it's -- how fair is it, today, that, Louisiana is producing all the oil that California and other (states) are consuming, and they refuse to allow the exploration of oil off the coasts?

"I'd say, you know, if you won't allow it, you can't use it, the stuff that we're getting from Louisiana... So, yes, you better drill every place you can here."

Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz: "I wouldn't drill off the coast of Florida unless the people of Florida wanted to. And I wouldn't drill off the coast of California unless the people of California wanted to. And I wouldn't drill in the Grand Canyon unless the people in Arizona wanted to."

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee wasn't directly asked, but he volunteered that, "We're in a race. We're in a race for our lives against people who want to kill us. And a lot of the reasons that we are entangled in the Middle East is because our money buys their oil, that money ends up coming back to us in the way of Islamo-fascism terrorists.

"We've got to come to the place where everything is on the table: nuclear, biofuels, ethanol, wind, solar - any and everything this country can produce."

Two contenders, former Massachussetts Gov. Mitt Romney and former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson, weren't asked. In the past, Thompson has said he wouldn't "take anything off the table" in terms of energy production. And Romney, in an interview with the St. Petersburg Times in March, was a tad vague.

"More drilling? Absolutely," Romney said. "Where you drill, that is something that states and communities and the federal government will have to come to a meeting of the minds on."

Comments

[UF Student]

I have a great idea. Lets not drill in ANWAR because we wouldn't want to potentially ruin the migration cycle of some animals. But lets expand drilling in the Gulf of Mexico, where we already depend too heavily on the region for crude oil supplies and transportation of natural resources from other countries. Next time a hurricane comes through, now more tankers have to be delayed and more rigs have to be shut down. And think about the billions in revenue and human jobs that would be lost if there were some type of accident off the coast of Florida, Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi or Texas. But at least ANWAR's tourism will thrive...oh wait, a few hundred people in this country have ever been to ANWAR. Surely that is more important than the millions of people that live and visit America's Gulf Coast.

And what does Toncrado think would happen to the economy of LA if they took that position?

There is not enough oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge or the Gulf of Mexico to make us energy independent. If anything, from a petrol point of view, those resources should be saved for future petroleum value for plastics, but don't burn it away in our gas guzzling cars. That's foolish.

The steep slopes and cartography make it too difficult to profit from oil drilling in that part of Alaska. That's why the industry has drilled all over the other 95% of the state except there. That's why it was easy to get it tagged as a preserve many years ago- now it's just a red meat issue for people who want to drill wherever they damn please.

7:06 - you would be surprised at some of the requirements to do business with or in the state of LA... They line the pockets of their own with silly fees and hoops to jump through.

[Mark Ferrulo]

We could drill for every drop of oil off Florida's coast, in the Arctic Wildlife Refuge, off the California coast and under Space Mountain at Disney World if petroleum was discovered there, and we would still need to import the vast majority of our oil from the Middle East.

That's a fact of geology, not politics. The U.S. has only 3% of the world's oil reserves and we consume 26% of the world's supply.

Why the candidates don't focus on kicking our addiction to oil, rather than supporting fatter needles to feed it, is either wanton ignorance, or further evidence that Big Money from Big Oil in our political process is prevailing over the public interest.

[Mark Ferrulo]

We could drill for every drop of oil off Florida's coast, in the Arctic Wildlife Refuge, off the California coast and under Space Mountain at Disney World if petroleum was discovered there, and we would still need to import the vast majority of our oil from the Middle East.

That's a fact of geology, not politics. The U.S. has only 3% of the world's oil reserves and we consume 26% of the world's supply.

Why the candidates don't focus on kicking our addiction to oil, rather than supporting fatter needles to feed it, is either wanton ignorance, or further evidence that Big Money from Big Oil in our political process is prevailing over the public interest.

[Mark Ferrulo]

We could drill for every drop of oil off Florida's coast, in the Arctic Wildlife Refuge, off the California coast and under Space Mountain at Disney World if petroleum was discovered there, and we would still need to import the vast majority of our oil from the Middle East.

That's a fact of geology, not politics. The U.S. has only 3% of the world's oil reserves and we consume 26% of the world's supply.

Why the candidates don't focus on kicking our addiction to oil, rather than supporting fatter needles to feed it, is either wanton ignorance, or further evidence that Big Money from Big Oil in our political process is prevailing over the public interest.

[Campaign Manager]

It's not a surprise that the national GOP leadership is selling us out.

I was very disappointed to see Martinez sell us out the other year - though Nelson hasn't been as strong on the issue as I would have liked, as well.

[peggy Arvanitas]

Mark, if you were reading MMS Interior Dept reports you would be more knowledgable. I did an EPA filing everyone used but no one quoted me on. It said, the EPA and the Industry, since the DEIS in 2000,NEVER TESTED THE CHEMICALS used for oil and gas drilling. When eeveryone wants to, go on the MMS and read the Spill Reports. That they want to report, we had MASSIVE millions of gallons of oil and chemical spills since 2003-6 with and without the hurricanes.

There is no biodegradation of these synthetic based fluids. From the work I challenged Dr Weisberg to finish since our email argument in 2005, he finally tested for an ANOMOLY. There is a different pattern of upwelling that gives the West coast of Florida all the garbage chemicals and oil spills from the WEst of Area 181 oil drilling region.

We dont need as much oil folks, because a good 50 plus percent of our electric is from gas. So when the war in Iraq is over, because we dont KNOW how much we are using, we will not be tight in supplies.

When we have less than 25% shut in from the Gulf in oil and gas drilling because companies are still waiting for NEW RIGS, then we wont have a shortage.

Read the Oil and Gas Journal. It's boring, but they say we will have a glut in gas in 5 years,because everyone is producing in the West, and we havent factored in the Alaska contribution. Since the same EXXON and BP manipulated contracts and cost a delay in the cleanest CHEAPEST gas we can get for the North Americas. The oil fields are reinjecting 80% gas to shore up the old oil fields there.

Now next time you want to be smart, do like Peggy the lone Consumer does and read.

Or you can pay her to do research on your staff. I can tell when I dont send things to US Senator Nelson's staff and beyond for him. Frank Mark and Bill arent doing anything.

[Mark Ferrulo]

Apologies for my multiple posting above. Had a little glitch with my page refresh.

Many candidates stated they would only drill where the citizens approved it ..Ok we need to drill off the coast of Escambia to pinellas ..make sure all you GOP voters have a great view especially need Destin.They will not be allowed from St lucie to Monroe counties..The majority of these Floridans would object..They will be voting for Hillary.

anarchy

"Many candidates stated they would only drill where the citizens approved it ..."

And you bought that? Damn... want to a bridge?

You'd think with all of the endorsements the campaigns tout in Florida, that someone/their supporters would have by now told each candidate that Floridians won't allow drilling off its coast, unless you're counting Jeb's agreement with his brother to do just that.

[peggy]

Jeb and "W" Bush used the Gulf oil drilling as a stage propr for elections and fundraising. If you actually read what Josef Hebert from the wash DC AP printed in 2001, Jeb said the "drilling in the Gulf would be mute when the gas pipelines are in."

So Frank Mark and Bill want to parade around like Crist's best friends, when he approved the gas piplelines in for over 4 years from the Siting Board with Jeb. We dont need gas storage, as a third gas pipeline brings in dirty foreign frozen LNG gas from Elba Island.

Florida Gas Storage is being run by an international ENRON man, with EL Paso gas interconnections, and the site is a Steel SUPERFUN SITE that only had 5-10% bore drillings done by the EPA years ago.

Now over 40% of it will be dug up, and the water is contaminated, never fully treated, and Michael Sole, who never did enforcement while under Castille, is excellerating the approval. Jeb had the site approved for development last year...

Florida doesnt need the gas, it is so the storage can facilate massive profits for the NE market.

While Crist was sleeping as Atty general, Jeb set up all his Brother's Texas friends to make us a lovely cesspool like Texas and La. Good Luck with your friends....

This really an issue of fairness and equal treatment for all. The facist politicians and their corporate sponsors have already been allowed to pollute and decimate the wild areas of most other states - I just can't see why Florida should be any exception. Common folks, you're standing in the way of progress here.

I thought we imported most of our oil from Canada, Venezuela...not "the majority from the Middle East."

How dare the stand in the way of corporate welfare… shoot all the Floridians…

Rich, Old, Pasty, Fat, White, Closet-Gay Republicons Rule!

"mute"?

Drill anywhere you want. I hope they find oil under my house so that I can live the Beverly Hillbillies.