The Hill: Senate turns back sweeping oil-drilling amendment

[Patricia M. McBride]

This is quite interesting in several ways, but the most glaring is that this president and his cronies in the congress have us on a downward trajectory, and want us to stay there. Should we reach out and do what we should have done years and years ago, and make ourselves energy independent, we would see an economic resurgence beyond any proportion anyone could imagine.............................and that is not what Obama wants. Obama wants welfare, food stamps and entitlement programs and a weakened US where the democrats can control things and continue dumbing down children and turning our country into a huge plantation full of slaves. Making us energy independent destroys his plan to take us from the shining beacon on the hill to the flickering light at the bottom of the valley.  It is certainly not about the environment at all.

 

By Ben Geman and Josiah Ryan - 03/13/12 02:48 PM ET

 

The Senate on Tuesday blocked an amendment to pending transportation legislation that would have mandated a huge expansion of offshore oil-and-gas leasing, opened the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to drilling and approved construction of the Keystone XL oil sands pipeline.

Sen. Pat Roberts’s (R-Kan.) amendment, which failed 41-57, would have also extended several energy efficiency and renewable fuels tax incentives and extend a pay freeze for federal workers, among other provisions.

"My amendment addresses the rising cost of gasoline," said Roberts in support of his amendment prior to the vote. "It cuts red tape, opens up more federal land for oil-and-gas exploration and drilling, it would approve the Keystone XL pipeline and extend renewable tax provisions."

While the measure fell short, it provided Republicans another messaging vehicle, amid rising gasoline prices, to allege White House energy policies are keeping too many areas off-limits to development.

President Obama opposes opening the Arctic refuge in Alaska, and his administration’s offshore leasing plans are focused on the central and western Gulf of Mexico, where development is already centered.

READ MORE HERE:  http://thehill.com/blogs/floor-action/senate/215787-senate-turns-ba...