Offshore drilling could have legs for Repubs.

[elkston]

Its all about the perception. With drilling, it seems proactive. We are doing something about the oil crisis.

Then when they say Obama is NO for drilling, it makes those less informed wonder WHY? Why does he not want to help us with oil prices?

Then Obama has to explain why drilling will not lower prices now, and possibly even ever. He's got to make the case why lowering demand is the only surefire way to bring prices down. There's also the environmental concerns.

Of course Obama's stance is the correct one, but it requires more explaining.

But I fear that in the final ad blitz leading up to the election, the easy "sound byte" will win with the low-info voter.

Offshore Drilling (picture of oil rig) ===> More Oil ===> Good ===> MCCAIN!

[PBS Poll-435]

1. Yes, you are right.

We need to get out in front of the issue with something more powerful than "NO."

[nc4bo]

2. This is what I don't get........

What about the 68 million acres they already have.

Why aren't they drilling that NOW!

Why aren't they drilling this http://www.nextenergynews.com/news1/next-energy-news2.13s.html now?

The entire argument for OSD is based on what?

[Cosmocat]

9. It is a LOT like the Gas Tax issue ...

at first blush, it seems like a good idea ...

once people got the information that it 1) was going to give the average person no more than a couple bucks relief over the course of a month 2) would debilitate the infrastructure fund, people got over it ...

Now, the whole drilling thing is a LOT more pervasive than the gas tax, but an effort has to be made to lay out the facts 1) that oil companies already have thousands of wells they haven't tapped 2) that it will take YEARS for the drilling to have what impact it will have 3) That impact will be again, be at most only a few cents on the dollar 4) the one the burns my butt to no end - THE OIL DRILLED WILL BE PUT ON THE OPEN MARKET !!!

It will take a lot of gleen off of it ...

But, it does have legs now, no doubt, and the Dems have to get on the same page, and people are going to have to put money into debunking it ...

[zbdent]

11. I think that, when McCain first suggested eliminating the 18cent gas tax ....

gas was about $2.60 a gallon ...

[Alter Ego]

3. Obama's already doing that...his townhall in Missouri addressed this very issue.

[flamingdem]

4. Windpower Looks Leftie-Girly to Low Information Voters, Drilling "Macho"! n/t

[elkston]

12. LOL!!! n/t

[Vinca]

5. I think Democrats in Congress should call their bluff.

If Republicans can PROVE drilling in every nook and cranny will reduce gas prices by a significant amount within 6 months, agree to the drilling. Also tack onto the bill the end of oil company subsidies, an expiration date on new leases and new subsidies for renewable energy development.

[pscot]

6. AS an issue

we're on the losing side. Democrats mightbe able to reframe this by opening these areas to exploration, but changing the nature of the lease agreement. Clearly establish the principal of public ownership of the resource, and assure that large royalties go to the government. The Saudis and the Venezuelans don't give their oil away. Why should we. This would kick the legs out from under the Reublicons and their big oil sponsors.

[jwirr]

8. Also base any new leases on using the existing ones first.

[jwirr]

7. In Springfield MO Obama said that he wants them to drill on the

68,000 acres they already have under lease - I think that is the best route to take. We are not against drilling - we are against speculation.

[flamingdem]

13. Agree: He Needs to Attack Speculation VERY CLEARLY! n/t

[polichick]

10. Obama needs a hard-hitting ad that exposes this bullshit...

It needs to talk about the 68 million acres of leases not yet used ~ and a list of refineries closed by oil companies because they weren't making enough money for them. This is an enormous hoax in order to grab more leases for the future when Americans are vulnerable.

[flamingdem]

14. Obama did call it a shell game but he assumes too much of the electorate, he has to be CLEAR nt