Wherein I have a thought about offshore drilling...

by figgy, Sat Aug 02, 2008 at 03:48:16 AM EST

I've been thinking all night about Obama's concession on offshore drilling. I'm a fairly pragmatic person so his quote wasn't an "oh noes" moment for me. I've tried to explain to people I know why offshore drilling is nothing but a BS campaign year boondoggle but gosh darnit their gas costs lots and they seem to think gasoline will come pouring out of the ocean beds if we just make some holes down there. Sigh. So to be honest I am content with this decision, it's a loser as an issue with the general population and his framing was exactly right. He's for it as long as it is part of a comprehensive energy bill that addresses alternative energy in a serious fashion and as long as the drilling in question is as ecologically safe as possible. You can drive a truck through most of his caveats but whatever ;)

Then, this evening, I watched Keith Olbermann and Richard Wolffe ponder why he would say such a thing the same day he announced his plan for the $1000 dollar per family stimulus package to be paid for by a windfall profits tax on oil companies. They were saying to paraphrase "why not let that be the story all by itself, why this reversal on drilling the same day". Hence my thinking 'til this ungodly hour.

I think I realized something. There is a subtle narrative being built here. Of course its drowned out by Paris, Britney and Moses but I guess that's understandable considering the level of the American Press. Yesterday Obama was hitting McCain, in the speeches he did in MO, regarding the $1.1 million the McCain campaign had miraculously collected from oil execs in the month since McCain himself had put on the old flip flops of offshore drilling. Hmmmm.

So to recap, yesterday McCain is a pandering venal flip flopper who sells out his previous beliefs for much needed campaign cash. Today Obama wants to give YOUR FAMILY $1000 bucks of filthy oil company lucre, essentially forcing those greedy bastards to rebate some of YOUR money...then he says he'd be open to drilling should it accomplish his goals of getting on a meaningful path to alternative energy and ultimately clean energy independence. Flip flopping on this issue is largely neutralized by McCain's own flip flop, yet Obama comes out clean because I don't really think the oil companies will be lining up  their execs to donate the max to the man who wants to take all their ill-gotten gains away.

Obama is reasonable and will make necessary compromises to get things done, he feels your pain, he's here to help. McCain is selling you out to give those dirty oil bastards even MORE money.

Well that's my narrative and I'm sticking to it :D




Tags: Oil, Campaign Finance, Taxes (all tags)

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Tips for a shameless Obama booster? (2.00 / 1)

and I feel your pain!


by figgy on Sat Aug 02, 2008 at 03:49:58 AM EST

Congress isn't going to pass any offshore drilling (2.00 / 2)

legislation before the election.

So non-Pumas/McTrolls should take a chill pill and let Obama thwart McDesperate's only barely resonant issue.

After Obama is sworn in offshore drilling will go back into the closet.


by Glaurung on Sat Aug 02, 2008 at 04:18:20 AM EST

Re: Congress isn't going to pass any offshore dril (none / 0)

I agree, although I would love to see his windfall tax proposal shoehorned into an offshore drilling bill and watch all those repubs desperately trying to cling to their seats have to vote against it. Would work even greater wonders on down-ticket races, particularly in less affluent districts.


by figgy on Sat Aug 02, 2008 at 04:45:04 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Congress isn't going to pass any offshore (2.00 / 1)

This might be like Obama's foreign trip where McDesperate goaded Obama into it only to find himself outmaneuvered.


by Glaurung on Sat Aug 02, 2008 at 05:12:38 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Wouldn't it be delicious (none / 0)

Since I've seen that dipshits campaign box themselves in before I figure a girl can dream right?

I'm looking ahead to a $5 million dollar nationwide Olympics ad buy, perhaps bookended with a VP announcement and then the Dem convention.

I keep reading our guy is playing chess not checkers...


by figgy on Sat Aug 02, 2008 at 05:33:23 AM EST

Gah! (none / 0)

meant to reply to Glaurung dangit!


by figgy on Sat Aug 02, 2008 at 05:35:04 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Wherein I have a thought (none / 0)

I agree that Obama is just taking this straw derrick off the table...

Notice how he is saying only if necessary to pass legislation...Now if we get the Senate pick-ups this will NOT be necessary.

"If, in order to get that passed, we have to compromise in terms of a careful, well thought-out drilling strategy that was carefully circumscribed to avoid significant environmental damage - I don't want to be so rigid that we can't get something done."


"harlequin speech of suicide, demanding instantaneous lobotomy"
by nogo postal on Sat Aug 02, 2008 at 08:19:12 AM EST

Re: Wherein I have a thought about offshore drilli (none / 0)

I see brilliant strategy, combined with teaching.

His lesson to the ever-critically thinking masses is:

It is often more effective to negotiate than to fight (and lose). Be pragmatic; compromise enough to win the issue but don't give away your planet... and while you're at it, put the money where it is needed. Not into the hands of the greedy companies that have been driving the country into the ground, but back to the masses, and into new alternative energy business.

Brilliant. Are you listening, America? Are you learning?

Traditional media: Naah, he's just a flip-flopping celebrity. Too smooth, too confident. He even likes himself. Look, he's even planning and preparing for the job. We don't want someone that competent. We want more of the incompetence of the last seven years.


by klevenstein on Sat Aug 02, 2008 at 09:07:56 AM EST

Re: Wherein I have a thought (none / 0)

it isn't new, it's what always happens to get legislation passed. There is no lesson here that isn't well known.

So, you think it's because more than half of Americans think off shore drilling is now a good idea, so he's given lip service to it, to 'take it off the table,' or you think it's a way of showing that he can compromise even on off shore drilling, so he can clearly compromise?

I think he just said it poorly. He should have said off-shore drilling is poor public policy and won't help drive down gas prices, and, he's ready to compromise for a good enough energy bill that would not pass without some concession to fatheads.  Or words to that effect.  


what a relief
by anna shane on Sat Aug 02, 2008 at 11:16:41 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Wherein I have a thought (none / 0)

He did say it was poor policy. He made it clear his acceptance was a concession on this aspect in order to get a full bill passed. He restated his belief that drilling will not solve the problem. His quote from the St. Petersburg Times article

In Friday's interview, Obama reiterated his belief that "we are not going to drill our way out of this problem. ... We have 3 percent of the world's oil reserves; we use 25 percent of the world's oil."


"The true measure of a man is how he treats someone who can do him absolutely no good." Samuel Johnson
by MS01 Indie on Sat Aug 02, 2008 at 12:05:43 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Wherein I have a thought (none / 0)

didn't say he hadn't, I was meaning that if he wanted to make the point that he can compromise when the stakes are high enough, he should have simply said that.  If he wanted to make the point that it's new to compromise to get a bill passed, he'd be wrong, it's ordinary. If he wants to say that he'd like to respect different opinions even when they're bad public policy, he should just say that. If he wants to say that Americans are now for drilling and he's now on board too, he ought not to say that. American also think the war in Iraq is going better, if it polls that way, will he be for staying longer to 'stabilize' the country? It's bad public policy, it won't work, but that would leave him open to such a fear.  

This was one of my early complaints, when some of his supporters suggested I read his book to find out what he'd said.  In a message you have to include what you've said before, you can't just assume that since you said it once, it needs not be repeated. This makes him look like he flipped for political reasons, and since that's the charge he makes against others and says it's not true of him, at the minimum he stated his position incompletely.

I don't think it is true - I think this is his main philosophy of governing, that you have to pay respect to the other side, even if you don't agree, so that we can all get along and end the bickering. Now, I also think this philosophy isn't workable in the real world, I think when you give away a compromise you won't' be thanked, you'll be expected to give even more.  But I do think this is his philosophy and that's what he was trying to get across.  


what a relief
by anna shane on Sat Aug 02, 2008 at 12:12:53 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Wherein I have a thought (none / 0)

This is very workable in the real world. In fact, if you don't have a solid majority, it's the only thing that will work. How do you think the Dems got the new GI bill passed? They forced the Repugs to compromise in order to get what they wanted.


"The true measure of a man is how he treats someone who can do him absolutely no good." Samuel Johnson
by MS01 Indie on Sat Aug 02, 2008 at 12:24:52 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Wherein I have a thought (none / 0)

compromise is workable, but giving it up before there is something real as stake will lead to a demand for more.  


what a relief
by anna shane on Sat Aug 02, 2008 at 12:33:50 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Wherein I have a thought (none / 0)

Nothing has been given up. There is a bi-partisan proposal from 10 senators that includes limited off-shore drilling. Obama stated he was willing to consider this if it was necessary to get a comprehensive energy bill passed. A bill that would address all aspects of the problem.


"The true measure of a man is how he treats someone who can do him absolutely no good." Samuel Johnson
by MS01 Indie on Sat Aug 02, 2008 at 12:42:09 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Wherein I have a thought (none / 0)

then why the 'misunderstanding?  Please explain why you think it looks like he's chasing McCain in agreeing now to this possibility?  


what a relief
by anna shane on Sat Aug 02, 2008 at 12:54:07 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Wherein I have a thought (none / 0)

What misunderstanding?


"The true measure of a man is how he treats someone who can do him absolutely no good." Samuel Johnson
by MS01 Indie on Sat Aug 02, 2008 at 12:58:10 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Wherein I have a thought (none / 0)

you didn't notice he's been called a flip flopper who has betrayed progressive values and concerns about the environment?  How might he have made the point you think he was making and avoided this misunderstanding?  


what a relief
by anna shane on Sat Aug 02, 2008 at 01:04:07 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Wherein I have a thought (none / 0)

He did make the point. People are basing their opinion on the partial quotes they've seen on blogs instead of bothering to read the articles containing the quotes. Nothing new there. Have you read the article?


"The true measure of a man is how he treats someone who can do him absolutely no good." Samuel Johnson
by MS01 Indie on Sat Aug 02, 2008 at 01:06:19 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Wherein I have a thought (none / 0)

again, then what would you recommend. Surely he knows about sound bites, and the need for him to get his message across so it can't be used as a smear?  If you think he's perfect and he'd getting a bum rap, how will that help him win?  The bum raps have just started.  he needs to figure this one out.  


what a relief
by anna shane on Sat Aug 02, 2008 at 01:12:09 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: We Need to Learn from History (none / 0)

The policy failure was when some folks decided to curtail oil and gas exploration and regulate the industry so much that refineries have not been built, along with no new nuclear power plants.  This is why we are paying $4.00 a gallon at the pumps.  Decisions always have consequences.  Bad decisions cause bad consequences... i.e. $4.00/gal gasoline.


by LesGovt on Sun Aug 03, 2008 at 01:09:19 AM EST

His whole rational (none / 0)

came out of an e-mail my cousin sent me from the states last night;

"It's nice to know Obama isn't like George W. Bush and won't make everyone suffer until he gets his way 100%."


The American people; they were for the war before they were against it.
by nrafter530 on Sun Aug 03, 2008 at 04:18:55 AM EST


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