Little to Like in McCain’s New Ad
By Alan Stewart Carl | Related entries in 2008 Election, McCain, OilJohn McCain is running a new ad blaming rising fuel prices on opposition to oil drilling in the United States. The ad specifically references Obama as one of the hindrances to the drilling.
That’s misleading at best and dishonest at worst. If we canceled the ban on offshore drilling today, we wouldn’t be able to add any additional oil/gasoline to market until 2030. Even if we could fast-track that delivery, we’re talking about a distant impact on fuel prices. The psychological boost of knowing more resources will become available in 20+ years wouldn’t be all that significant. Too many immediate factors are at play.
But I guess the McCain campaign thinks “Obama doesn’t want more fossil fuels available in 2030” was a little lackluster of a point to make. Easier to just sensationalize and demonize. That’s a shame. Increasing domestic drilling is definitely an issue we need to debate and McCain used to be a guy you could trust to talk about such matters seriously. Now he sounds like any other politician looking for an advantage rather than looking out for the nation’s interests.
This entry was posted on Monday, July 21st, 2008 and is filed under 2008 Election, McCain, Oil. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
July 21st, 2008 at 3:33 pm
[...] (which we already do) will some how lower gas prices in today’s market. Alan Stewart Carl of Donklephant gives his two cents on that particular notion. He claims, "If we canceled the ban on offshore [...]
July 21st, 2008 at 11:12 pm
“Imagine all the people, living for today…”
That’s sounds a lot less harmless now.
BTW, if we wasted 22 years instead of a mere decade doesn’t that imply we should regard environmentalists as even more discredited than we originally thought?
July 22nd, 2008 at 12:18 am
All the more reason to start now…If we wait 5 years it will be 2035 before it gets here…I think we are gonna need oil then too.
And just to rain on the parade their are several fields off the California coast that are almost ready to go. Surveyed, some drilled, Just waiting for the ban to lift to put up the platforms.
July 22nd, 2008 at 7:12 am
As I said, I think increased domestic drilling is an important debate we need to have. I could definitely be convinced that we need to begin lifting bans immediately. What I’m against is using the issue as a political bludgeon. It isn’t accurate to claim today’s fuel prices are due to the current opposition to lifting the bans — it’s not like we have a magic bullet against today’s high fuel costs and are neglecting to use it.
July 22nd, 2008 at 10:30 am
Hillary threw the kitchen sink. McCain is throwing oil wells.
July 22nd, 2008 at 10:53 am
Stupid Democrats…
1-2 years to market off California
4-6 years elsewhere
Think they’re be a solar adapter for your Prius in 4-6 years.
July 22nd, 2008 at 1:25 pm
Many Dems believe the call to drop the ban on offshore drilling is just looking backwards and yet another example of perpetuating the corporate agenda that the Repubs are so eager to do, for good or for bad. We’ve seen too many of these business/government partnerships over the last few years that haven’t gone too well, like the banking debacle, sub-prime mortgage co.’s bailout, manufacturing and service co’s outsourcing, seen as the results of our governments trade practices, to name a few. Therefore we are, rightfully so, skeptical about the Repubs and Big Oil’s request for more leases.
What I don’t understand is the Dems are saying that the oil co’s already have plenty of leases at their disposal for which they paid a great deal for. Why aren’t these tracks any good? Have they exhausted their potential or is it the Alaska track what they desire, so much so that they don’t want to bother with the rest?