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Bill Nelson says offshore drilling "a huge day for Floridians"...Landrieu ecstatic.

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madfloridian Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Dec-10-06 12:54 PM
Original message
Bill Nelson says offshore drilling "a huge day for Floridians"...Landrieu ecstatic.
Chortling with glee, Bill Nelson is just so very proud of this bill.

http://www.theledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061210/NEWS/612100427/1039

"This is a huge day for Floridians," Nelson said. "Not only were we able to get needed protections from drilling, we also got a major tax break for the state's residents."


And Landrieu got what she wanted for her state. It was such a lopsided vote...we were sold out again on the eve of a Democratic congress.

The clearest winner is Louisiana, which accomplished a long-sought goal of tying offshore drilling to expensive plans to restore the state's disappearing wetlands. The bill shares 37.5 percent of federal royalties from offshore leases with Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama based on proximity and using maps that favor the Pelican State. Sen. Mary Landrieu, a Louisiana Democrat who made revenue sharing her personal mission, said she didn't know what pleased her more: the prospect of being in the majority next year or winning the drilling deal.

"It's great victory," she said. "There is no economic future in the Gulf of Mexico, particularly in south Louisiana, without securing a permanent revenue stream dedicated to wetlands restoration."

EXPENSIVE BUFFER

The price of Florida's wide 15-year buffer zone was exclusion from the revenue sharing that will funnel billions, possible tens of billions, to Louisiana alone in coming decades.


This did not have to happen. It opens 8.3 million acres in the Gulf of Mexico beginning 125 miles south of Pensacola and 234 miles west of Tampa bay, a buffer that would last until 2022.

It passed so easily, just like there had never been any controversy. We got sold out on this so casually. "The 79-9 Senate vote at about 1:30 a.m. followed a similarly lopsided 367-45 decision in the House."

In another article Bill Nelson implied that he had to save the rest of the Gulf from Jeff Bingaman, another Democrat.

Bill Nelson and Mel Martinez seem determined to bring up drilling off Florida again.

Something is wrong with this picture. We get the okay to drill off Florida just as the Democrats are taking over, and the vote is not even close. :shrug:

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alarimer Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Dec-10-06 12:56 PM
Response to Original message
1. Assholes are determined to do as much damage as they can
before they leave. Why the hell are the Democrats selling us out already?
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KoKo Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Dec-10-06 01:44 PM
Response to Original message
2. Won't it bring in alot of cash to both states? Isn't it about Pork and
representing the best interests of your state? :shrug:

If citizens don't want this they they should have thrown them out. Or, join an Environmental Group to stop it through legislation. :shrug:
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madfloridian Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Dec-10-06 02:30 PM
Response to Reply #2
4. How do you throw out a Bill Nelson?
He has a higher rating among Republicans than among Democrats. No Democrat ran against him. A couple of no party candidates did, and a lot of us voted for one of them....but the Republicans in Florida like Nelson.

He can vote any way he wants, and he will still gets the strong support of the state party leaders and the Democrats in Florida who tend to be as conservative, or whatever word you choose, as Republicans.

There are many here who want change, but we don't have a vehicle yet for it. They asked Dean about not winning much in Florida..in an interview on a local network here today. He said considering we had a Republican governor, house, senate, and the gerrymandered districts....he thought we did ok.



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madfloridian Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Dec-10-06 02:44 PM
Response to Reply #2
5. Doesn't look like Florida got much pork.
Maybe I am reading it wrong, but sounds like only a good deal for Louisiana.

"EXPENSIVE BUFFER

"The price of Florida's wide 15-year buffer zone was exclusion from the revenue sharing that will funnel billions, possible tens of billions, to Louisiana alone in coming decades."

I don't see a win/win for Florida except that Bill Nelson is happy.
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Cha Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Dec-10-06 01:49 PM
Response to Original message
3. To me it doesn't seem like a
Big Picture kinda thing. When they reach Peak Oil then what do they have? A freaking mess on their state environment?
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Kellyiswise Donating Member (113 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Dec-10-06 03:05 PM
Response to Original message
6. We should subract the amount of their "tax break" from any disaster relief
from the hurricanes that will trounce their efforts.
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Hippo_Tron Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Dec-10-06 03:35 PM
Response to Original message
7. From the perspective of someone in Louisiana
Our state needs money and we need it NOW. Yea we could raise taxes on the rich, cut the Pentagon, or get out of Iraq all of which would be better alternatives to offshore drilling, but all of those are going to take time if they are ever going to happen.
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