Election year move.

We can drill for all the oil we want, until we see more refineries built, it won't make much of a difference.

My thoughts exactly.

Maybe George should go to camel land and dance with a sword again. That impressed the Saudis that last time he did it.

Yeah, in about 10 to 15 years from now, we'll have enough oil to not last very long. I know the big oil companies have wanted this to happen for a while now. I'd like to see them do something with the leases they already have first, and I'd really rather not have tar back on the beaches like it was when I was a kid.

I heard a guy on the radio say that oil companies can expand existing refineries immediately and it would increase output by 25% within 4 months. He also said it does not take 10 years to build a new refinery, but closer to 2 years. He claimed to be in the business for 25 years, but who knows.

Flying-J first announced its intentions to expand their refinery in Bakersfield 2 years ago, estimating it could be completed by mid 2008. The way Dean Florez and others are fighting, it probably will be 10 years, if ever, before it is expanded.  As far as tar on beaches goes, the Santa Barbara spill was almost 40 years ago and technology has advanced a little since then.  Major hurricanes rip through the Gulf of Mexico (Katrina, etc.) where there are hundreds of oil platforms and what kind of environmental disasters were there?  Those hard "working class" Americans that the Democrats rely on will soon tire of high gas prices, and won't give a rip about some rich snob's ocean view and beach front property.

BTW, that Flying-J expansion is estimated to cost about $500 million.  That might provide a few jobs.

According to NBC Nightly News, the congress is unlikely to approve George's idea. I don't have much faith in new drilling to lower gas prices. More drilling is not a fix. The Alaskan Pipeline is pumping about 1/3 the oil it was when first put into operation. This is because the "easy" oil has been sucked up. Steam heat is being used to extract the oil that's left. (This info from National Geographic.)

Alternative energy, such as nuclear,solar, wind, and biofuels with hybrid technology is going to do more for solving our crisis than drilling.