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Senate rejects GOP oil drilling plan
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Published: May 13, 2008
WASHINGTON - The Senate has rejected a Republican energy plan that calls for opening an Alaska wildlife refuge and some offshore waters to oil development. Supporters of the measure couldn't get the needed 60 votes to overcome a Democratic-led filibuster threat.
Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky said more domestic oil production is needed to keep prices in check and to reduce U.S. dependence on oil imports.
Opponents said areas such as the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and coastal waters that have been off limits to drilling for 25 years ought to remain that out of bounds to oil companies. The GOP measure, defeated today by a vote of 56-42, would have allowed coastal states to get a waiver to the offshore drilling ban.
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Reader Comments
Posted by ( weh ) on May 13, 2008 at 2 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
OK, voters take note, the Republicans are trying to do something to ease the oil prices with a long-term plan, but the Senate, that is Democrat controlled rejected it. Vote accordingly!!!!!!!!
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Posted by ( WorstSiteEver ) on May 13, 2008 at 2:50 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Weh, what you don't realize is that drilling in wildlife reserves and just off the shores of our nations beaches is not a long-term plan. Our nation consumes over 21 MILLION BARRELS OF OIL A DAY. Drilling in these areas would only ease prices by a few cents a gallon for a short period of time, and heck, all it will take is the destruction of some of the only pristine wildlife areas this country still has.
This nation needs to start rethinking our addiction to oil. We need to invest in alternative fuels and energy sources, not destroy wildlife reserves so that a few million barrels of oil can be found and then burnt up in the same day.
Regardless of what we do, there is a limited supply of oil. We can keep drilling every square inch of natural habitat and polluting our environment, or we can start looking for new ways to produce the energy that we need to run our society.
The rejection of this plan is a positive thing for the US not a negative, and trying to use it as a reason to vote republican shows your ignorance. A 56-42 vote means that there were Republicans who opposed the plan, not just democrats.
So yeah, vote Republican, I mean they have really done a great job the last 8 years, let's keep the good times rolling! Here's to eight more years of an economy in shambles, home forclosures, inability to to deal with natural disasters, lack of a health care plan, and a pointless war thats cost this nation over 500 billion dollars! Wooo hoooo!
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Posted by ( lewissalem ) on May 13, 2008 at 4:04 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Yes, because the war in Iraq has yielded us so much oil. Prices are up because of supply competition people, not who's in office.
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