Why we should NOT be drilling for oil - according to leftists

First, to show that opposition to drilling is "bipartisan", opponents cite California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger who has come out strongly against any plan to drill off shore. The problem here is that most people, and all in the state, realize Schwarzenegger is not your typical Republican; whether being married to Maria Shriver or simply because he is a closet liberal on most issues, having the governor on board is hardly an example of bipartisanship.

Liberal news reports, such as recently appeared on ABC network TV stations, are found of scrounging for "experts" who are willing to get their 15 minutes of fame proclaiming the politically correct version according to the message the news source wishes to inflict upon their audience.

For example, to prove the point ABC had Severin Borenstein of the University of California say:

"Even if we approved oil drilling off the coast today, it would have no effect on the price of oil and no effect on the price we're paying for gasoline for five or ten years." This is the crux of the non arguments made in opposition to the "drill now" public clamor as gasoline prices soar at the pumps.

Only a small minority of TV time is given to proponents of drill now however the support for the idea is compelling:

Betsy Stark citing opponents’ estimate of how the offshore oil represents "about two and a half years worth of U.S. consumption at current rates", paraphrased the opinion of the experts she consulted: "Just the expectation of increasing domestic production at a time of tight supplies could drive down prices."

Of course, no where is the reality that access to off shore oil and other oil deposits have a far longer potential to supply America with oil than the few years cited by opponents.

NBC gave a somewhat more even-handed analysis; it ran a sound bite from energy analyst Daniel Yergin who predicted allowing offshore drilling "would send a psychological message to the world oil market which would affect prices before any of that new oil actually started to arrive."

Contrast the ABC and NBC approach with reports on CBS which included in their biased report the following [This item, by the MRC's Brent Baker, was posted Wednesday night on the MRC's blog, NewsBusters.org: newsbusters.org and referred to in the Media Research Center’s Cyberalert; this is a transcript of the story on the Wednesday, June 18 CBS Evening News anchored by Russ Mitchell]:

"RUSS MITCHELL: Now to a major political battle that is brewing over oil. There are billions of barrels of crude off the U.S. coast, but drilling for new wells has been banned for a quarter century. Today President Bush said America needs that oil, and called on Congress to take action so the oil companies can get it. Here's Bill Whitaker.

BILL WHITAKER: With gas prices topping $4 a gallon, President Bush says relief is at hand by lifting federal bans on offshore drilling, bans imposed in the 1980s by Congress and strengthened by the first President Bush. Today the current President Bush took aim at Congress, pressing Democrats to act first.

GEORGE W. BUSH: Americans will rightly ask how high oil, how high gas prices have to rise before the Democratic-controlled Congress will do something about it.

WHITAKER: Democrats fired right back.

REP. ED MARKEY (D-MA): If this was a good plan, then they would have adopted it over the six years they controlled the House, the Senate, and the presidency.

WHITAKER: Democrats are lining up behind Barack Obama to oppose offshore drilling. Republicans are pushing to open the taps. In the midst of the hot debate, John McCain and one of his possible VP choices, the Governor of Florida, reversed course and now support drilling.

GOVERNOR CHARLIE CRIST (R-FL): So long as it's done safely and protects our beautiful beaches and protects our state.

WHITAKER: But in California, which suffered a devastating oil spill from a rig off Santa Barbara in 1969, opposition to offshore drilling is bipartisan.

GOVERNOR ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER (R-CA): I myself want to do everything that I can to make sure that California is protected.

WHITAKER: From Republican Governor Schwarzenegger to local environmentalists, California is largely green.

MARK GOLD, HEAL THE BAY: You get a much bigger improvement in a much shorter period of time by really aggressively going after conservation than you ever would with offshore oil drilling.

WHITAKER: Drilling opponents say reserves off California wouldn't last long. In fact, at current consumption rates, 21 million barrels a day, Americans would use up the estimated 18 billion barrels off the coasts all around the country in less than two and a half years.

SEVERIN BORENSTEIN, UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA ENERGY INSTITUTE: Even if we approved oil drilling off the coast today, it would have no effect on the price of oil and no effect on the price we're paying for gasoline for five or ten years.

WHITAKER: Democrats say oil companies haven't yet drilled on some 68 million acres offshore and on that they've already leased. It seems this beautiful coastline will be fueling some ugly politics in this election year. Russ?

MITCHELL: Bill Whitaker on a gorgeous beach in Santa Monica, California, thank you so much."

Most Americans are aware of the liberal major media bias in news reporting and their support of all Democrat political positions, but with such an important topic for all American households, games should not be played with our ability to more economically drive to work, drive to schools and drive to buy food for the table.