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Political grandstanding
won't solve oil woes

One of my favorite jokes goes like this:

Q: What are a redneck's last words?

A: “Hey y'all -- watch this!”

I was reminded of that joke last week when President Bush made his announcement that he was ending the executive order banning offshore oil drilling on the outer continental shelf. While W's action won't get him nominated for a Darwin award, he was essentially saying, “Hey, America, watch this! I'm about to do something stupid!”

There is a real issue here, an issue that affects every American. Fossil fuel energy prices are affecting the U.S. economy like never before. Rising gasoline prices, in particular, are driving up costs of everything Americans buy. As a country, we need relief. And what does Bush do? Make a bold declaration that America will meet the challenge of this energy crisis? Make a call for Americans to come together in conservation efforts? Charge the Department of Energy with exploring alternatives to oil?

Uh, no. That's far too much to expect from “The Decider”.

In typical Bush fashion, all he did was make a show that he hopes will gain some votes for Republicans in November. But when you look at it from Bush's point of view, what else can a lame duck president do when the economy is (literally) going in the tank? In W's case, the thing to do is endorse a plan that won't have significant effects for years (if then), then blame the opposition for keeping Americans from seeing financial relief.

In actuality, Bush's lifting of the order is petty election-year politics, designed to make voters believe Bush and the Republicans in Washington are doing something to alleviate the pain Americans are feeling in their wallets as a result of massive increases in gasoline prices.

Let's take a look at Bush's grandstand play. First off, the ending of the executive order (put in place by W's dad, no less) is completely politically motivated. There is a legislative ban on offshore drilling, which Congress would have to overturn before the first hole is drilled. By ending the order, Bush is trying to make the Democrat-controlled Congress look bad, hopefully gaining some votes for Republicans in November.

Second, allowing offshore drilling would do no good regarding prices at the pump today. If you believe the Republican spinmeisters, Bush's actions had an immediate impact, driving oil prices down last week to $135 a barrel. In fact, oil prices had their biggest slide in history. What Republicans fail to mention is the biggest slide in history isn't the result of a worldwide oil glut or lessened demand. Such a slide is only the result of the largest increases in oil prices the world has ever seen. Bush's own economists say that no matter how much drilling we do, we won't see gas prices fall to pre-Katrina levels. The days of cheap oil are over. Fini. Kaput.

Third, Bush timed his hastily-arranged press conference to occur at the same time Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernake was giving bad economic news to Congress. Can you say “controlling the news cycle”?

Finally, oil companies already have exploration and drilling leases on 68 million acres of federal land (much of which isn't being explored). It just isn't necessary to open up America's coasts to more drilling when there is land already available.

Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House of Representatives, called it like she saw it. “This call for drilling in areas that are protected is a hoax,” Ms. Pelosi was quoted as saying in The New York Times. “It’s an absolute hoax on the part of the Republicans and this Bush administration.”

Bush's “plan” (if you can call it that) is like putting a bandage on a paper cut for a patient with terminal cancer. More drilling won't help America in the short term or the long term. But, of course, this is the type of charade we should expect from the Bush administration. Remember “Mission Accomplished” and the flight suit on the aircraft carrier? Same thing. Only this time, the effects may be much more far-reaching.

America needs to come up with a comprehensive energy policy. Oilman T. Boone Pickens and former Vice President Al Gore have both recently presented innovative and imaginative ideas to help break America's oil addiction. Gore challenged America to have all it's electricity produced by renewable means. Pickens is pushing natural gas; while still a limited resource, America has vast amounts of natural gas available.

While their ideas won't do much in the short term, they need to be explored. And there may not be an answer for the short term. High gas prices are the price America must pay for its love affair with the automobile. More drilling won't make the situation better.

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