<![CDATA[Grist - Comment Feed for Gingrich’s group is flush with victory and flush with cash]]> Grist Comment Feed en Comment #1 by GreyFlcn http://www.grist.org/article/how-much-for-that-policy-in-the-window/ Thu, 25 Sep 2008 08:43:07 -0700 http://www.grist.org/article/how-much-for-that-policy-in-the-window/1 Sitting on our hands was not an option!

One thing a lot of people ignore is that once Bush undid the Presidential offshore

If the Democrats sat there and did nothing, then offshore drilling 3 miles off the coast would automatically be legal on January 1st.

To reinstate the drilling ban Democrats would need to pass a new bill banning it.

And that would include getting 1/3rd of Senate Republicans to agree with the ban.  Which would be virtually impossible.

_

So as a compromise, Dems allowed drilling 100 miles offshore, and 50 miles offshore if the state agrees to it.

It ain't perfect, but it's a hell of lot better than what would have happened if the Dems weren't able to pass a bill.

__

(P.S. The Dems also got the Renewable Energy Tax Credits renewed as well out of all this.)

-David Ahlport

]]> Sitting on our hands was not an option!

One thing a lot of people ignore is that once Bush undid the Presidential offshore

If the Democrats sat there and did nothing, then offshore drilling 3 miles off the coast would automatically be legal on January 1st.

To reinstate the drilling ban Democrats would need to pass a new bill banning it.

And that would include getting 1/3rd of Senate Republicans to agree with the ban.  Which would be virtually impossible.

_

So as a compromise, Dems allowed drilling 100 miles offshore, and 50 miles offshore if the state agrees to it.

It ain't perfect, but it's a hell of lot better than what would have happened if the Dems weren't able to pass a bill.

__

(P.S. The Dems also got the Renewable Energy Tax Credits renewed as well out of all this.)

-David Ahlport

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