No Offshore Drilling – #3
Third of the daily postings of images of California shores, untainted by the fingers of Big Oil.
The news that Exxon/Mobil raked in $1,485/second for the entire second quarter of 2008 should spark a loud national dialogue about the control that the Big Oil companies have over our economy, our quality of life, and yes, our environment. Not only was Exxon/Mobil given a huge pass over their destruction caused by the Exxon Valdez, now they are trying to reverse-spin the story with this nonsense:
Exxon Mobil Corp. reported second-quarter earnings of $11.68 billion Thursday, the biggest profit from operations ever by any U.S. corporation, but the results were well short of Wall Street expectations and its shares slumped 3 percent.
The expected takeaway that we’re all supposed to accept is that hey, they made a lot of money but were EXPECTED to make more, so they really didn’t make all that much because they could have potentially made much, much more.
It’s a little like saying that the Bush Administration could’ve killed detainees, but since they only tortured them it’s okay.
John McCain has wrapped his arms around the oil companies and planted a big, sloppy kiss on their foreheads. If he were to be elected, you can count on more nonsense like this, and scenes like the one above will have the added bonus of a few oil platforms in the distance, lighting the night as bright as that moonrise.
Sphere: Related ContentListen: Rachel Maddow – What’s Wrong with John McCain?
“…everybody acknowledges that the facts don’t matter…only matters what is said about the candidate regardless of their relationship to the truth”
“What ought to be the scandal in this campaign is the fact that John McCain is making stuff up.”
Sphere: Related ContentNo Offshore Drilling #2 – Updated
Second in the daily postings of images of California shores, untainted by the fingers of Big Oil.
Imagine this scene with a few drilling platforms in the distance. It doesn’t quite satisfy, does it?
The current framing of Obama as “arrogant” (which some may interpret as the new code word for “uppity“, myself included) invites voters to think they have permission to ignore the real issues in favor of silly personality issues in vintage Rovian style.
To be clear, voters have the responsibility to figure out who they believe will be most effective going forward, regardless of personality or personability. Speaking for me, I’ll take “arrogant” and “intelligent” any day. It’s going to take more than a gladhander to fix the problems that have arisen over eight miserable years under George W. Bush’s stewardship. We all know it.
One of the reasons I’m putting such a sharp focus on the offshore drilling question is this: I see this becoming one of those election-determining issues that voters view through the Rovian “drill here, drill now” simple lens, despite the facts.
The facts are that there is no immediate gain to be had from allowing offshore oil exploration. There is no guarantee that if it were permitted and oil was harvested, it would add to the US reserves. With private corporations in charge of its disposition,it could more easily be sold at the high per-barrel prices that have driven domestic prices up to nearly $5.00 per gallon.
Or, the leases could be released to the big oil companies at a time where they have megaprofits to pay top-dollar for them, simply so they can sit on them as they have on the other 57 million acres of unexplored, yet granted, oil leases.
There is absolutely no benefit to releasing these shores to the hands of greedy oil executives. There is absolutely high political gain, however, in trying to sell voters on the idea that offshore drilling (like the fallacious gas tax suspension) will somehow ease the current price spikes.
Consider this before buying McCain’s hollow argument: In the next week or so, the big oil companies will be declaring astronomical, record profits for the second quarter of 2008 while the average American’s spending power has dropped, businesses are forced to cut back services and employees to cover the rising costs of fuel, and the economy continues to sit back in the doldrums, marking time while the shareholders of the oil companies line their pockets.
McCain’s decision to use our amazing shorelines as an election year pawn should not be rewarded with anything other than outright rejection.
Update: Exxon/Mobil announces Q2 Profits of $11.68 Billion, or $1485.55 profit taken for each second of the second quarter of 2008. Do you feel really profitable for that same time period, or just a little poorer than you did the quarter before? And we should give them absolute control over our coastlines, why?
Sphere: Related ContentAgain, on the subject of offshore drilling…
My Newsgang Live friend Christian Burns says that the majority of the country sees offshore drilling as a solution.
In fact, it is no solution at all. As a lifelong denizen of some of the best coastline in the world (right here in California), I am tempted to post a photo every day for as long as need be (and trust me, I have more than enough to do that) of what our coastline looks like right now, as a juxtaposition to the endless blather about how badly we NEED to destroy this for the sake of morning commutes, substandard expectations of vehicle manufacturers, and pandering to the oil companies who already have leases they aren’t exploring.
Offshore drilling is not the answer. Ten years, folks, before any difference is made.
Every day, John McCain. Every day until you and your party and your buddy Bush figure out that you
will
not
destroy
this
without knowing what you’re destroying.
Forgive the obsession, readers, and resign yourself to one seascape mixed in with a healthy smattering of political commentary for awhile.
Sphere: Related ContentWhere John McCain proves it’s all about the oil
According to the Washington Post, John McCain hit a gusher after he flip-flopped on offshore drilling and came out in favor of it.
Oil and gas industry executives and employees donated $1.1 million to McCain last month — three-quarters of which came after his June 16 speech calling for an end to the ban — compared with $116,000 in March, $283,000 in April and $208,000 in May
Of course, McCain says it’s about oil prices, but as I and others point out, offshore drilling does nothing for oil prices other than let oil companies off the hook for behaving responsibly and reinvesting in alternative fuels. After all, why should they when all they need to do is open the pocketbooks to the pandering candidate of their choice?
It sure didn’t take John McCain long to shed his maverick jacket in favor of a nameplate at Exxon/Mobil, Chevron, BP, and the rest of them, did it? Here’s what he’s trying to sell in exchange for the Presidency:
That’s what it looked like last Wednesday. What will it look like a year from now?
Sphere: Related ContentObama’s Foreign Policy Speech
One of his best yet. The full text is here.
The 5 goals he outlined were:
- Securing all loose nuclear materials
- Working toward a world with no nuclear weapons
- Investment of $150 billion in alternative energy with a goal to end dependence on foreign oil
- Arriving at a diplomatic solution with Iran
- Rebuilding alliances to meet common challenges of 21st century
Here’s one of the most compelling moments in the speech:
Imagine, for a moment, what we could have done in those days, and months, and years after 9/11.
We could have deployed the full force of American power to hunt down
and destroy Osama bin Laden, al Qaeda, the Taliban, and all of the
terrorists responsible for 9/11, while supporting real security in
Afghanistan.We could have secured loose nuclear materials around the world, and
updated a 20th century non-proliferation framework to meet the
challenges of the 21st.We could have invested hundreds of billions of dollars in
alternative sources of energy to grow our economy, save our planet, and
end the tyranny of oil.We could have strengthened old alliances, formed new partnerships,
and renewed international institutions to advance peace and prosperity.We could have called on a new generation to step into the strong
currents of history, and to serve their country as troops and teachers,
Peace Corps volunteers and police officers.We could have secured our homeland–investing in sophisticated new protection for our ports, our trains and our power plants.
We could have rebuilt our roads and bridges, laid down new rail and
broadband and electricity systems, and made college affordable for
every American to strengthen our ability to compete.We could have done that.
Instead, we have lost thousands of American lives, spent nearly a
trillion dollars, alienated allies and neglected emerging threats – all
in the cause of fighting a war for well over five years in a country
that had absolutely nothing to do with the 9/11 attacks.
Yes, imagine.
Really a fine speech from Sen. Obama. Don’t listen to the pundits, go read it or listen when they post it on the Obama website.
Sphere: Related Content
