Republicans Hold Back on Off Shore Drilling
The Republican-led House voted by a wide margin of 279-141 across party lines to uphold the 25-year old ban on offshore oil drilling outside the western Gulf of Mexico. Among ban advocates is Rep. Adam Putnam (R-FL), who also successfully inserted a continuation of the ban on offshore natural gas drilling. GOP opposition to offshore drilling was led primarily by reps in coastal states and the northeast, citing threats to the environment and tourism industries.
While I agree that finding more domestic sources of energy is critical, I continue in my opinion that drilling for more oil is not the long term solution. First, it will do nothing to reduce current prices. Second, it will only prolong our ‘addition to oil,’ as the President likes to call it. Third, EVENTUALLY we will run out of oil. Finally, renewable energies can be developed to provide for our energy needs, while producing less pollution. The better solution is to offer strong incentives for developing alternative sources of energy. The Republican-introduced “H-Prize” is just one small example of the things government needs to do.
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