Offshore Drilling

[pennypinch]

Did you hear about President Obama's plan to drill offshore for oil? I just heard about this today. I haven't seen the news much lately so I don't know when it was first announced.

He wants to drill offshore of Alaska, in the Gulf of Mexico and off the East coast I believe.

I am not real sure yet how I feel about it. Some say that it will help to ease the cost of fuel and others say it's just a drop in a bucket, that we won't see a change. And then you have to consider the enviromental impact of it all. What exactly will it mean for the planet. Not good I am sure.

"I want to emphasize is that this announcement is part of a broader strategy that will move us from an economy that runs on fossil fuels and foreign oil to one that relies more on homegrown fuels and clean energy," Obama said. "The only way this transition will succeed is if it strengthens our economy in the short term and long term."

This is a tough one for me. I don't really know how to feel about it yet. What is your take on it?

[moneysense]

I think that there are a bunch of grandiose ideas floating about these days and I really dont see where off shore drilling will ease the fuel crisis all that much.

And this brings us to the fact that an inundation to America of Iraqi oils was supposed to occur that would really have cut down on the cost of oils here in our country. What happened to that plan?

What we need now are jobs, plainly and simply, we need to get our fellow countrymen and women back into the job markets as it isnt gonna matter how much fuel we have if no one can afford to buy it.

Its time to hear how many people are back to work, how many new jobs have been provided for those who have lost theirs.

Our government needs to start at the bottom and work their way up to these bigger plans.

Instead we get off shore drilling, health reform that a lot of people wont be able to afford.

I say give us jobs, find homes for our displaced people who have lost theirs, then go for the bigger stuff.

[Rae74]

I think that the off shore drilling will bring more jobs to our country and should bring down the cost of fuel.

Think about it,it takes men to run the drilling stations and that means more jobs for some of the unemployed right now.Much less the fact that we should rely more on ourselves for fuel and not be totally reliant on other countries for something that we use everyday and so freely.

I really don't see anything wrong with it myself,It should aid the economy some and keep Iraq from having so much control over our gas prices.

[ClassyLady]

Wow one thing he may get right...LOL I hope he will follow though on this one. It is what the people have wanted for a while.

He sure did not listen to the people on the Health Care Reform bill. It was proven that at least 77% of the american people were against it, but did he listen?

[moneysense]

The problem with the off shore drilling is that it will take so long to produce the jobs. By the time the idea is put through all the channels that it has to go through before it becomes reality will be one problem. Then deciding where to put the rigs will be the next obstacle.

Then, yea, we will have jobs because the offshore rigs need to be built and then jobs to maintain them once they are built, but will the outgo of money be offset by the amount of oil produced? Highly unlikely.

My point here is that jobs are needed now. Now months down the line. And months down the line is when the offshore rigs and drilling will come to fruition.