John McCain is slated to give a major policy address on energy tomorrow in Houston, Texas. In a press conference today, he tipped his hand about what that speech will include: He says he'll call for federal limits on oil and gas exploration to be lifted, in order to allow states that want to permit exploration within their boundaries to do so.
"I think that this, and perhaps providing additional incentives for states to permit exploration off their coasts, would be very helpful in the short term in resolving our energy crisis," said McCain.
The candidate also said he will reemphasize his support for a "gas-tax holiday" in his speech tomorrow.
Oh, and he did mention renewable energy, too: "We must embark on a national mission to eliminate our dependence on foreign oil and reduce greenhouse gases through the development of alternate energy sources." Watch it:
According to the National Review's coverage, later on at the press conference someone asked McCain about drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, and whether lifting drilling restrictions elsewhere is "a way of addressing conservative irritation" with his position on ANWR. He has, in the past, opposed drilling there.
McCain: "I believe ANWR is a pristine area ... but I also believe lifting the moratorium on offshore drilling for oil and natural gas is a very high priority."
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escrowe Posted 6:44 am
16 Jun 2008
Escrowe
"Fool me once, blow your head off..."
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wiscidea Posted 7:37 am
16 Jun 2008
Are there Federal limits on drilling for oil on state-owned or private land, aside from laws protecting private property and the environment from pollution?
The oil under Federal land belongs to all U.S. citizens, so states alone really shouldn't be able to authorize exploration or drilling. I assume McCain -- a firm believer in property rights and capitalism -- is not advocating giving away property owned by tax-paying U.S. citizens!
Then there's that word "exploration". So, McCain wants to permit states to permit corporations (doesn't matter if they are American-owned, by the way) to look for oil. He's not actually saying "drill" for oil. Is this a slick way for McCain to say he's both against and for drilling... an audience that already favors McCain will hear what they want to. Brilliantly smarmy.
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bigTom Posted 12:14 pm
16 Jun 2008
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