Upon entering Congress in 1987, Representative Nancy Pelosi quickly became part of the solid California front against oil drilling along much of the nation's coast.
The 1969 Santa Barbara oil spill and the steady push to tap the potential reserves off the state's rugged coast had galvanized Californians and made opposition to offshore drilling part of the political DNA of up-and-coming figures like Pelosi.
She repeatedly resisted oil drilling in marine sanctuaries off the state's coast near her San Francisco district and, after joining the Appropriations Committee, was an advocate of reinstating the coastal drilling ban through spending restrictions each year.
"We learned the hard way that oil and water do not mix on our coast," Pelosi told a key committee in 1996 as she made her case for keeping the ban in place before a Congress then controlled by Republicans.
Now, with gas prices soaring, those drilling restrictions are facing their most severe test in years as calls intensify to more aggressively pursue domestic oil. Yet despite increasing pressure from President George W. Bush, a full-bore assault by congressional Republicans and some anxiety among her own rank-and-file Democrats, Pelosi is not budging.
Ok, first off, trying to blame other's for something that is clearly not their fault shows a stunning lack of leadership. Secondly, you're going to "let him get away" with anything he likes because you have no spine. Remember all the shit you promised during the 2006 election? Yeah, how many of those have come true? I can only count one: Raising minimum wages.
Besides, you'd rather get oil from foreign sources, rather then our own? You'd rather nations who hate us get rich off of us rather than create good paying jobs for Americans?
Well of course you do, I mean you opposed the minimum wage increase for America Samoa, which just HAPPENS to be where a major plant owned by some of your constituents is located.
Thirdly, let's talk about energy use:
Amazing Stat: California Uses More Gas than China
Given all the news coverage about the rise of the Chinese economy, you could be forgiven for thinking that the world's most populous country is hogging all the world's resources, while the developed nations are fighting for scraps.
But, at least with transportation fuel, you'd be wrong. California alone uses more gasoline than any country in the world (except the US as a whole, of course). That means California's 20 billion gallon gasoline and diesel habit is greater than China's! (Or Russia's. Or India's. Or Brazil's. Or Germany's.)
That's according to the California Energy Commission's State Alternative Fuels Plan, which was posted online last Christmas Eve (pdf). The whole report makes for some fascinating reading because it's a blueprint for a low-carbon and renewable transportation fuel future. The dominant takeaway: it ain't going to be easy.
One more choice statistic: gasoline usage in California has increased 50 percent, that's 10 6.7 billion gallons, since 1988. Has there been anything close to a commensurate increase in quality of life here to accompany that rise in energy use?
That's right, your own state uses more gasoline then any of the above mentioned countries. You TALK about energy conservation, but what are you DOING about it? My guess is nothing. You oppose getting your fuel from land that you already own, and instead, want to pay to have it shipped from foreign lands pulled out of the ground by foreign workers.
How does that make sense?
You really should have a CAT scan done to see if you have severe brain damage, as your actions lately seem to show.
At least Texas has it right:
Texas gives green light to lots more wind power
Texas officials gave the go-ahead Thursday to the nation's largest wind-power project, a plan to build billions of dollars worth of new transmission lines to bring pollution-free energy from gusty West Texas to urban areas.
Texas is already the national leader in wind power, and wind supporters say Thursday's move by the Public Utility Commission will make the Lone Star State a leader in moving energy to the urban areas that need electricity.
"We will add more wind than the 14 states following Texas combined," said PUC Commissioner Paul Hudson. "I think that's a very extraordinary achievement. Some think we haven't gone far enough, some think we've pushed too far."
Tell me, why is it that "redneck Texas" is more environmentally conscientious and sound then "liberal Californians"? Oh that's right, because you're fucking hypocrites.
Travis
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