Offshore drilling - I'm starting to have a conspiracy theory

[Rude Horner]

About two weeks ago, this right wing nut job at work forwards me this email about ending the ban on offshore oil drilling that has been in effect for about 27 years now. I glanced at it and as is the case with most of the emails I get from this guy, I deleted it. Occasionally I "snopes" them, but I was busy. Since then, it's all over the news. McCain talks about it. Bush talks about it. Blah blah blah Their reasoning being that the time is right to lift the ban. With the price of oil skyrocketing, we have to do this to try to increase supply and get costs down.

But it got me thinking. Maybe I'm becoming too much of a tinfoil hatter, but still...

Remember way back when Cheney had that secret energy meeting with all the big oil execs? I'm picturing these oil guys telling Cheney, "We've got to find a way to lift the ban on offshore drilling. But how can we get the public behind that? With the price of gas still fairly reasonable, they're going to go ape shit if we suggest lifting the ban. Hmmmmm...what to do, what to do? I know. Let's gradually raise the price of gas over the next few years. We'll make a fortune, and when the price of gas gets so high that people are screaming about it, THEN we start pushing for the ban to be lifted, telling them that it's the only way to fight the rising costs. Great idea!"

In short, I'm wondering if this has been the plan the whole time these past few years of rising gas prices. I mean, all of a sudden we've got talk of drilling in Anwar Alaska, and offshore. These oil companies have been drooling over those for years.

What do you think?

[mucifer]

1. we are doomed

[Xenotime]

13. We?!? Try the whole fucking earth and all that live on it.

America's greed has got to stop.

[spanone]

2. juniors gift to cheney & friends....our coastal waters

[Arctic Dave]

3. That pretty much sums it up. n/t

[liberal N proud]

4. How do we stop them?

They have started the propaganda now that tells the sheep that more people are claiming on board the plan to destroy the last pristine coastlines in the US.

They have played this one out so well. Peak Oil, Supply and Demand and oh we can fix this problem if only we can have the coastlines of Florida and California.

Never mind the facts that it will take 5 - 10 years before they could even pump any oil from these potential oil fields.

The sheep will believe them and think it to be an instant remedy to the pain at the pump.

Still no plans for alternative energy. NONE!

[populistdriven]

8. get the word out digg it

http://digg.com/2008_us_elections/McCain_s_Oil_Scam

[blonndee]

5. Of course.

[notadmblnd]

6. send your friend this link. KO talking about gas prices

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ugss-PcNomg

[RufusTFirefly]

7. Your theory is closely related to Naomi Klein's "The Shock Doctrine"

The basic idea is that you take advantage of fear, chaos, or economic hardship by forcing through cruel, neo-liberal policies that slash the safety net and sell off public trusts and public institutions to the private sector.

Classic planned examples include Pinochet's coup in Chile and the illegal American invasion of Iraq. In other cases, you turn natural disasters into "opportunities" (another name for what Klein describes is "disaster capitalism") by doing the same thing: gutting public spaces and public institutions and replacing them with private ones. A good example of this is the Indonesian tidal wave, which Condi actually called "a wonderful opportunity." Finally, there are disasters that are the result of deliberately neglecting infrastructure (Katrina is a horrific example, but bottled water is a more insidious one) or manipulating the markets. Perhaps this is the explanation for the push to introduce offshore drilling.

[Lone_Star_Dem]

9. Sure they want to exploit the moment while it's ripe. I think calling to nationalize refineries

was the correct and logical move for the Dems in response to this.

[BeHereNow]

10. It's a distraction technique- They don't want you to notice the Bakken exploration

They have already made a TON of money there-
and you can bet so have the congress piggies.

BHN

[havocmom]

11. Been sayin, since 80s, the GOP is gonna make US workers so bad off,

they will beg Congress to get rid of ALL environmental protection laws.

I hate it when I am proved right after being called a nut case for years.

Just call me Cassandra.

[Rene]

12. Definitely - this is Cheney's last chance during waning time of this admin to get drilling going in

Anwar and offshore. As I was pumping $57.00 for just over 1/2 a tank....I read the sign about paying cash first and then pumping. In our state, up to about 15-16 months ago...MANY gas stations were set up so you'd pump your gas and THEN go inside to pay. Every one of them changed that policy at the same time. Pay then pump. These high prices have been planned for a long time in order to get us to give our OK to drilling in Anwar. Conserve gas, car pool, use mass transit, grocery shop with neighbors in a pool, work remote if you can, get those van pools going again. Don't give Anwar and offshore drilling to these bastards. Hold out til the end of this admin --- then we really get going on alternative energy, efficient cars for milage etc, more mass transit, more rail systems.

[MH1]

14. Cafferty pointed out tonight that the weak dollar is contributing to the increase in gas prices

He said, it doesn't matter what you do to supply as long as the dollar is weak.

I'm pretty weak in economics myself so I don't know how accurate that is, but no one on the program argued with him on this point.

Earlier today I'd also been thinking similarly to you: there are a lot of people who will make a lot of money if the ban on offshore drilling is lifted. Hmmm.

Edit to add (too quick on the post button): of course the weak dollar may be a genuinely logical and appropriate approach to our economic situation, but it basically is a policy decision, that the Bush administration could reverse if it wanted to. (if I understand correctly.)

[MiniMe]

15. I think that Jeb is no longer the governor of Florida

That's why Jr hasn't pushed it before. McCain has to tread lightly on this, the people of Florida don't want offshore drilling.

[spag68]

16. Coastal oil

Please don't forget that the Chinese are drilling as we speak, only 60 miles off our shore in Cuba. Got to get the oil before they do.I just know those Chinese are in league with Castro, don't you?

[NewEnglandGirl]

17. I wouldn't be surprised

if everything you wrote in your post was 100% correct. I also think that they (Bush, McCain etc.) are making those statements now as sort of a covert way to blame the gas prices on the democrats, (i.e. we don't want Anwar/offshore drilling.)

[karmaqueen]

18. you are probably right.

Sad but true, this is the crap they always pull but most people can't see it. I hope if this is the case that somehow it can be stopped.