07-03-2008, 09:48 PM
KokaneeReaper, I know that it is a popular idea to think that the oil companies own the politicians, and to a certain extent I agree but there are a few flaws in that logic.
First, if the oil companies had their way oil would not be $140 dollars a barrel as it is today, especially in an election year. Oil companies would rather have a Republican President vs. a Democrat because of taxes and drilling oportunity, and they would rather have cheap oil right now so oil wasn't an issue during the presidential campaigns.
Second, if oil companies owned our politicians we would already be getting oil from the places that are being argued about today, like ANWR, Offshore, Oil Shale etc. The oil companies have been trying to drill in these places since the last oil crunch in the '70s, and every time the Democrats have either blocked the drilling in Congress or it has been vetoed by Clinton like in 1994 when Congress passed drilling in ANWR.
Here is the voting record for congress concerning domestic oil production since 1975.
ANWR Exploration
Republicans: 91% Supported
Democrats: 86% Opposed
Coal-to-Liquid
Republicans: 97% Supported
Democrats: 78% Opposed
Oil Shale Exploration
Republicans: 90% Supported
Democrats: 86% Opposed
Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Exploration
Republicans: 81% Supported
Democrats: 83% Opposed
Refinery Increased Capacity
Republicans: 97% Supported
Democrats: 96% Opposed
SUMMARY:
91% of Republicans have historically voted to increase the production of American-made oil and gas since 1975.
86% of Democrats have historically voted against increasing the production of American-made oil and gas since 1975.
While the Dems have historically voted against domestic oil production since the '70s our domestic oil production has fell from 9 million barrells a day in 1975 to 5.5 million barrells a day today.
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I will agree that the generally speaking the Republicans favor the oil companies but the Democrats favor Extreme Enviromentalism when it comes to energy production. Untill both sides get away from their extreme views we will never get out of this mess we are in.
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First, if the oil companies had their way oil would not be $140 dollars a barrel as it is today, especially in an election year. Oil companies would rather have a Republican President vs. a Democrat because of taxes and drilling oportunity, and they would rather have cheap oil right now so oil wasn't an issue during the presidential campaigns.
Second, if oil companies owned our politicians we would already be getting oil from the places that are being argued about today, like ANWR, Offshore, Oil Shale etc. The oil companies have been trying to drill in these places since the last oil crunch in the '70s, and every time the Democrats have either blocked the drilling in Congress or it has been vetoed by Clinton like in 1994 when Congress passed drilling in ANWR.
Here is the voting record for congress concerning domestic oil production since 1975.
ANWR Exploration
Republicans: 91% Supported
Democrats: 86% Opposed
Coal-to-Liquid
Republicans: 97% Supported
Democrats: 78% Opposed
Oil Shale Exploration
Republicans: 90% Supported
Democrats: 86% Opposed
Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Exploration
Republicans: 81% Supported
Democrats: 83% Opposed
Refinery Increased Capacity
Republicans: 97% Supported
Democrats: 96% Opposed
SUMMARY:
91% of Republicans have historically voted to increase the production of American-made oil and gas since 1975.
86% of Democrats have historically voted against increasing the production of American-made oil and gas since 1975.
While the Dems have historically voted against domestic oil production since the '70s our domestic oil production has fell from 9 million barrells a day in 1975 to 5.5 million barrells a day today.
[inline crudeprod.gif]
I will agree that the generally speaking the Republicans favor the oil companies but the Democrats favor Extreme Enviromentalism when it comes to energy production. Untill both sides get away from their extreme views we will never get out of this mess we are in.
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