So you probably have all heard about the massive spill near Prudhoe Bay recently and how this lead to the closing of BP's pipeline from that field. What do we make of all this? I'm sure Republicans will say this proves how much we need ANWAR. They will argue that drilling in ANWAR would take up the slack in the supply.
However, consider this. These accidents at Prudhoe are exactly what Environmentalists warn could happen at ANWAR and exactly what Republicans say could never happen because their friends in the Oil Industry are so careful and responsible.
Well, I just heard an Oil Industry spokesman admit on PBS's Newshour that the pipeline in question was allowed to corrode until it was 4/100 of an inch thick without the pipeline ever being fully inspected internally. This is a pipeline that was opened in 1977 and it has never been inspected fully - until after the massive spill in February.
Another policy disaster brought to you by Bush & C0. Yet another reason to vote Democrat in 2006!
Tuesday, August 08, 2006
Prudhoe accident and ANWAR drilling
Posted by Raised By Republicans at 4:00 PM
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6 comments:
n fairness, that disaster wasn't brought to us by Bush. That is 20+ years of deregualtion and over friendly business policies. See my comment on the previous post.
// posted by USWest
I blame Bush and his friends because even before they hijacked our government, they ran an irresponsible oil industry that pushed for minimal regulatory standards and then side stepped the few rules that were imposed.
// posted by Raised By Republicans
12 years of Republican refusal to regulate industry, plus the Bush administration's penchant for special oil exemptions led to the problem. The particular pipeline at issue is "exempt" from federal regulation because it is in a rural area and low pressure. For that reason, BP didn't bother to do much to monitor it.
Why bother? After all the increase in oil prices will probably more than make up for the shortfall in producction available for sale. Also, wasn't it BP's turn to have an "accident" that would reduce production and increase prices?
Make no mistake about it: high oil prices mean huge profits for multinational oil companies that support Bush. He's taken Iraq out of the market, refuses to deal with Venezuela, pisses off the Russians, refuses to pressure the Arab allies into producing more, and is now taking aim at Iran's production. Oil wil hit $100/barrel effecting a direct wealth transfer between US consumers and oil companies (after all, the oil doesn't cost any more to get out of the ground today than it did yesterday). If this is a coincidence, I've got a bridge to sell you. Follow the money, people, really.
// posted by LTG
I think LTG's speculation about the Bush-Oil connection rings very true. It's a big reason I thought the Bush-Cheney, All Texas Oil Ticket, was so dangerous.
// posted by Raised By Republicans
You weren't the only one, RBR.
// posted by USwest
Yep! I was in the majority with that opinion!
// posted by RBR
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