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THE WEIRD PSYCHOLOGY OF JOHN MCCAIN.
The Obama campaign is pushing John McCain's support for off-shore drilling very hard, sending the press corps several emails daily about McCain's flip-flop on the issue. Now Team Obama is highlighting this odd quote from McCain at a town hall meeting in Fresno, California, as reported by MSNBC's First Read: "Even though it may take some years, the fact that we are exploiting those reserves would have psychological impact that I think is beneficial."
Sure, it would be nice, psychologically, to believe that the U.S. has a homegrown energy supply that would decrease our reliance on foreign oil. But drilling offshore would be environmentally disastrous and yield very little output. Investing in alternative energy and mass transit would have a far greater "psychological impact," don't you think?
COMMENTS (4)
But drilling offshore would be environmentally disastrous and yield very little output.
What evidence do you have for these assertions? All of the hurricanes and no oil spill? Tons of petroleum and it will "yield very little output"?
I wouldn't be so picky, but you have played fast and loose with facts before, Dana. I seem to remember you posting that waterboarding was used a lot and people have died when the facts showed that only three (3) were waterboarded and no one died.
So, let's see what makes you believe off shore is an environmental disaster that will "yield little".
I'm willing to be schooled.
Posted by: El Viajero | June 24, 2008 2:20 PM
Opposition to offshore drilling was perhaps prudent when gas was $1 or $2 or even $3 per gallon. But with the price above $4 and showing every indication of going higher yet, it may well make sense to allow such drilling, especially given the minimal negative impacts on the environment. When the facts change significantly, it seems worthwhile to consider changing one's standpoint.
Posted by: Drill ye tarriers, drill | June 24, 2008 7:50 PM
One of the fun things about being opposed to all drilling everywhere is that you can write anything you can make up and most people will believe you. Facts are optional.
Posted by: Tom | June 25, 2008 10:39 AM
Does drill and el viajero's stupid remarks even bear the slightest resemblance to what their own best case scenario looks like? Its interesting that John McCain himself doesn't think so or he wouldn't have to resort to the psychological defence of drilling--that it will make us feel better--. As has been continually pointed out *even by republicans in favor of drilling* this oil will not come online for 10-20 years and will at that point only represent a drop in the bucket of our current needs (that is to say only a few percentage points of the total amount of oil we consume on a daily basis). If we are still having this discussion about oil needs in ten or twenty years we are royally screwed--we need to get off the oil addiction sooner, rather than later, and that money would be better spent doing that than continuing to pump a declining reserve out of our pristine natural surroundings.
but facts certainly do appear to be optional with these republican shills.
aimai
Posted by: aimai | June 25, 2008 11:21 AM