And the Democrats are dumber.

You do not have to look to far to see that there is really no difference between the insane position of the Republicans and the Democrats when it comes to offshore oil drilling. It seems when the oil industry speaks about drilling for oil off our coasts even people like Barrack "change" Obama listen. Here is exhibit A:

"Obama said Friday that he would be willing to compromise on his position against offshore oil drilling if it were part of a more overarching strategy to lower energy costs.-CNN

But, back in June Obama was speaking a different tune:

"When I'm president, I intend to keep in place the moratorium here in Florida and around the country that prevents oil companies from drilling off Florida's coasts," Obama told reporters in Jacksonville in late June. "That's how we can protect our coastline and still make the investments that will reduce our dependence on foreign oil and bring down gas prices for good."

The fact is if you listen real close neither Juan McCain, the Dumbocrats like Obama or the oil companies are promising that if the oil companies get the moratorium lifted to drill off the U.S. coasts that the oil found will be used to provide energy to U.S. consumers. I will put this little tidbit of information in the "I told you so file" for later use.
Meanwhile back in the oil company board rooms:

"HOUSTON -Oil giants Chevron Corp. and Total SA wrapped up a string of gargantuan, record-breaking earnings reports Friday, a stretch in which six of the major international oil companies topped $50 billion in combined profit for the first time."

Hello suckers! Especially those who think voting for Obama means that there will be a real "change" in Washington.

Republican insanity

I was reading the Wall Street Journal article yesterday about how the Republicans are hoping to use drilling offshore for oil as an issue against the Democrats. Have they gone insane? First it was picking a candidate like Juan McCain who ignores the conservative middle class of the party base in favor of hispandering to the illegal immigrant vote. Now they believe that the American public will vote for them if they give the oil companies what they want which is more drilling offshore. They are just nuts if they pursue this track. They do not seem to understand that oil is not the future. We have as a nation failed to understand this during previous energy crises. That's why we are paying over $4.00 a gallon for gasoline today. Second even if the Republicans allow the oil companies to drill offshore that does not mean that the oil will be used here in the United States. We have been down this road before and it leads nowhere good. As they say the very definition of insanity is doing the same thing over again and expecting different results. It seems the Republicans are insane if they think that more oil is a winning issue for them.

Deal or no deal?

The Washington Post reports:
"The oil deal signed between Hunt Oil and the government in Iraq's Kurdish region earlier this month has raised eyebrows, in no small part because it appears to undercut President Bush's hope that Iraq could draft national legislation to share revenue from the country's vast oil reserves. Making the deal more curious is that it was crafted by one of the administration's staunchest supporters, Ray Hunt."

or is it a deal?

"Any oil deal has no standing as far as the government of Iraq is concerned," Iraq's oil minister, Hussain al-Shahristani, told reporters earlier this month. "All these contracts have to be approved by the federal authority before they are legal. This [contract] was not presented for approval. It has no standing."

Welcome to the New Iraq.

Oil Money...

"Oil money can lead a boy away from home. Oil money a million jobs in the oil trade. A million dollars to be made."- OIL MONEY by Bill Morrisey

Agents from the FBI and the Internal Revenue Service raided the Alaska home of Sen. Ted Stevens (R) yesterday as part of a broad federal investigation of political corruption in the state that has also swept up his son and one of his closest financial backers, officials said.-Washington Post

The it would be ironic to see Senator Stevens testify under oath after he allowed Oil Company executives to do so before the Senate without being under oath.
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It's payback time for the oil companies

Gas is over $3.00 a gallon here on Long Island and I got a hot tip from a guy who filled my tank on the New Jersey Turnpike two weeks ago said it will be $4.oo before you know it. But, the big news that in the lame duck Presidency of George W. Bush it's time to hand out the gifts before he heads off to his ranch. Today's Washington Post has the story of one tied with a pretty blue ribbon for the oil industry. Here is the money quote:
"The Interior Department will announce a proposal Monday to allow oil and gas drilling in federal waters near Virginia that are currently off-limits and permit new exploration in Alaska's Bristol Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, "

Nuff said!