Last night the Democrats caved in on the "drill baby drill" mantra of the GOP and voted to allow the oil companies to drill off shore... sort of.
What the Democrats actually did was apply some very clever strategy back against the Pro-Oil Company Republicans, turned the tables on them, and got more for the United States than anyone could have imagined.
First, a question, did you ever notice that the Republicans never tell you how much savings 'We the People' can expect from drilling off shore? They are screaming, "America needs relief" ... well, we all agree on that one. They scream, "We can get billions of barrels of oil off our shore"... well, that is true but they leave out an extraordinarily important fact - We the People will only save 3 cents a gallon, that's right, just 3 cents.
Startling but it's true... every single estimate shows that American will save 3 cents a gallon in 10 years and up to 7 cents a gallon in 20 years. Do you remember when Glenn Beck mocked those that said, "You won't see any savings for 10 years"? He spit back his retort by screeching, "I want to drill now because I plan on being here in 10 years", but he never did tell you what the savings would be. Bush, McCain, Palin, Limbaugh, none of them ever tell you.
3 cents a gallon.
The news media has been equally to blame for not telling the American public these facts. The national polls just ask Americans if they are in favor or not in favor of drilling off shore, without telling them that Exxon-Mobil will make billions of dollars in profit and 'We the People' will save 3 cents a gallon.
Last night the Democrats gave something to the oil companies, they allowed them to drill off shore... 50 miles or more off shore, and, only if the State agrees. Fifty miles away where an oil-spill would not damage our shorelines and there is little to no oil. The oil companies are not going to drill there.
The legislation also included the following three points, (source CBS News):
1. Provide tax credits for wind and solar energy industries, the development of cellulose ethanol and other bio fuels.
2. Require utilities nationwide to generate 15 percent of their electricity from solar, wind or other alternative energy source.
3. Give tax breaks for new energy efficiency programs, including the use of improved building codes and for companies that promote their employees use of bicycles for commuting.
The news media will leave out all the details and just say, we're going to drill baby drill, and since it is a popular idea right now, (again because Americans aren't told what the miniscule savings will be), it takes this off shore drilling argument off the table for the Republicans.
The Democrats are learning to play the game, just like the Republicans. Instead of playing the game to benefit the oil industry, however, the Democrats are playing the game to benefit 'We the People', the Environment and to funding renewable energy resources. Very well played.