Backwards
By Sean Reagan
Along with his much-ballyhooed concern about global warming, the centerpiece of McCain’s “maverick” stance viz the environment has always been his opposition to offshore drilling and drilling in the ANWR.
Yesterday he walked back from both those positions.
McCain has previously opposed increased deep sea drilling off the coasts of Florida and other coastal states.
For years, McCain has opposed drilling for oil in Alaska’s Arctic National Refuge Area (ANWR).
But during today’s town hall meeting, McCain said he’d be willing to reconsider that stance.
“I would be more than happy to examine it again,” McCain said.
I’m sure this has been polled and focus-grouped out the wazoo and Team McCain figures that whatever price they pay amongst Greenies (and voters in Florida, where offshore drilling is held in considerable disregard) is small compared to what they stand to gain overall. Seems like a risky move to me but then gas prices are the tangible symptom of our economic woes. So maybe people will go for it. Or the right people in the right districts anyway.
On the other hand, it really does compromise one of the central planks of the whole maverick shtick McCain and the press bat around like giddy boys at the start of summer. This continues to be my biggest problem with McCain: he’s a flip-flopper who does the bidding of big money, be it oil or minerals or timber.
No kidding he’s “more than happy to examine it again.” John McCain: a serial reexaminer.
Posted on June 19th, 2008 by seanreagan
Filed under: McCain, The Environment
This is complete pandering. But current polling suggests it may work, even in FL. However, since the election is in November, a lot of countering can be done to help the public see that
1. It would take several years to even see the oil, much less get it through the refinery system.
2. The refinery system is already close to peak capacity.
3. Oil coming from any off-shore dwelling is still a global commodity and isn’t going to be any cheaper than Venezualan or ME oil
4. So it would have a limited to no effect on gas prices.
Additionally, two points that haven’t been brought up that I can see:
The environmental impact has only been loosely associated with this and needs to be played up more.
Secondly, this would lead to other concessions. A couple years ago there was some controversy about drilling for natural gas in the Great Lakes. If we lift this morattorium, how long will it take for people to start pushing for a lifting of the moratorium on Great Lakes exploration and drilling?