YOUR COMMENTS

so where are the screamers,every major
republican acts like they cant say "failed
democratic congress", where are the calls for a no confidence impeachment for
pelosie and reed, why are we not blaming
the demcoratic congress for failures in
iraq, if the dems had have suported bush
as hard as they fought him the troops
would be home now. the dems divided
america to get political gain.
dont take it anymore,stand up and scream.
- danny hollen, garland texas

My prediction (9/20/08):
Note that under the Democrats' bill all land within 50 miles offshore would remain off limits. However, most of the oil and natural gas, it seems, is within that zone. The Republicans will oppose it, Bush will veto it, and the Democrats will use that as an argument against the Republicans: "See? We supported the bill and the big bad Republicans opposed it!"
And in either case the environmentalists will take the issue to court!
- Guy Plante, Manchester

I think the question that we all should be asking how can our congress and senate take vacations when we all are paying more at the pumps.

They came back what a week ago and then all of a sudden they pass a very weak bill but a bill. Seems funny that this close to the election they now know they have to do something.

We have to do the all of the above plan when it comes to energy. You can't tell me that keeping the money that we are sending to other countries in our economy will not help us.

Wake up people! We have to hold the people that we elect accountable for our best interest not a polital interest or lining my own pocket interest.
- Cindy, Texas

Jeff: "Why don't the oil companies drill on all the lands that they currently have access to?"
Hmmm. Has it ever occurred to you that maybe they already have drilled there and they've decided there's really nothing there to continue drilling for???
- Guy Plante, Manchester

Ken, Ken

From what I can tell I agree with all but one point in your post, and that point is that the growth of FED involvement in private business situations and therefore the growth of the federal government IS a long term problem.

Yes, the current problems will pass, but the FED's involvement in actively bailing out private business will not. I think this is a very, very bad thing. Our ingenious private businesses in a relatively free market come up with all kinds of energy solutions: like drilling everywhere. But free enterprise will fail to work properly when businesses know that the FED will save their butts if they do foolish things. We can’t get government off of businesses backs if we are going to bail-out businesses, which the FED has decided to do. This will lead to more government regulation and business taxes or ‘government insurance’ fees, etc. All bad.

On the point of off-shore drilling: While big oil has their puppet federal administration in place they want to gain access to off-shore oil. I have NO problem with that, but don't think passing this bill is anything more than that.
- Peter Sorrentino, Manchester

I always like to read the posts from our loyal Democrats. They continue to spout the Democrat talking points: drilling will take 10 years to get oil, there's only 1 year's worth of oil where we want to drill, the big oil companies are making billions per month, and blah, blah, blah. All of that is garbage. Pure garbage. There are many years of oil under our ground, that is there was, and we hope the Chicoms and Mexicans have drained it all out yet, and oil companies can get drilling rigs up and pumping oil in 6 months, not 10 years. And, as so many posters have pointed out, we need refineries and conservation and renewable energy, all at the same time.

The mere threat of drilling and our American stubbornness to not be defeated have already dropped the price of oil from $150 a barrel to 92.

And for Ray in NC, this is NH, one of the original 13 colonies as NC was I believe, and our motto is still, Live Free or Die. So thanks for the compliment!
- Pete, Swanzey

Andrey - 7 years ago we did not have an energy crisis. Now we do and the GOP is the only side willing to do something about it while the Democratic congress is only concerned with a power grab. 2 years ago when the Dems took control of Congress they promised to lower energy costs and since then they have DOUBLED. Nice work by Pelosi and crew. Also, this is as much about national security AND energy independence (Pelosi and crew could care less about these) as it is about easing the burden on consumers. The GOP's bill INCLUDES multiple provisions for alternative fules as well so don't believe everything you hear from the left. They are scared.
- Eric B, Lexington, MA

It's true that drilling now won't produce enough oil domestically for the foreseeable future and that alone will not lower the immediate price at the pumps, but...
The world's oil producing and exporting countries who are now squeezing every last cent out of the pockets of Americans will react in only one way when we show them we mean business by letting the ban on offshore drilling expire and start drilling:
they will want to continue to get a piece of the oil pie for as long as they can and will consequently increase production of oil thereby lowering the price at the pumps within weeks - maybe days - of our decision to lift the ban on drilling here in our own country.
- Guy Plante, Manchester

I hate to paint with a broad brush, however, I think we're all missing the big picture here. None of the so-called "issues" mean a damned thing to our near or distant future. Until we change the processes of politics, or eliminate the politics from the most pressing problems, we'll never fix a thing. Partisanship has become nothing more than rival gangs of untethered thugs slugging it out for turf control, accomplishing nothing but terrorizing the residents of the neighborhoods. The current economic crisis caused, in whole, by mismanagement at the top of these corporations is a mirror image of the mismanagement at the highest level of government.
The machine is broken...
- Mike LaMontagne, Raymond

If the Democrats had simply pushed to extend the ban on offshore drilling, as has been done since 1990, the Rebubbakins would be screaming bloody murder and blaming them for not allowing drilling- just the kind of election year posturing the Dems are being blamed for here. This bill is obviously an attempt to begin a process of compromise- easing up some on the offshore drilling restrictions in order to get concessions on corporate tax breaks and investment in renewables. A compromise will ultimately be necessary, so why don't we begin to accept that?

A compromise hammered out by the legislature is certainly preferable to more closed-door meetings with Cheney and his oil company pals playing with maps of Iraq. The results of that corrupt process have become painfully obvious.
- Dave, Sandwich, NH

Your editorial is a pleasant surprise this afternoon, being as close as I am to Washington and having to endure the liberal Post spin.
Yes, conservation is great; I wish our country would shut down on Sunday so we could enjoy our families and life, but it's not going to happen.
Oil is a national security issue. If the U.S. was flush with oil, would we be embroiled in the Middle East? Not a chance. Let's utilize our God-given resources and intellect to solve this problem for our children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
- Howard, Stafford, Virginia

Folks,

I am a small business person in North Carolina, struggling to get by. Your editorial is like a breath of fresh air. I am so glad to see that the folks in NH "get it". The Democrats approving "off shore drilling" is a huge scam and a cop-out of the first order. Thanks for keeping them honest. I hope that everyone in the US reads your editorial. Top-notch work here! Kudos!!
- Ray Saunders, Indian Trail, NC

1. Great information in this article - it really exposes the political chicanery of the Democratic leadership in Congress.

2. Even though offshore drilling is a long term solution it won't happen at all under the Democrats plan. Obviously their plan is to prevent it.

3. Tax cuts are not the same as giving away money. Taxed money originally belonged to the taxed, not the taxer. Reduced taxes is not a gift or any sort of charitable action at all. It is leaving the money in the hand of the people who earned it.

4. We, the people - the government, should have to demonstrate why it is necessary for national well being to tax one group more than another before being able to do so. The key word is necessary.
- Jim Philipson, Pelham, NH

I am appalled by focus on the issue of drilling. Our energy issue has two sides, supply and demand. Certainly it's politically expedient for both the right and the left to beat each other about one aspect of the the supply side of the equation, but no one appears to have the courage to discuss the demand side.

Clearly, the US' disproportionate consumption of energy in the world is a major contributor to our energy problem.

Every single one of us can help solve the problem - some of us need a little more incentive than others. The adage, "think globally, act locally" makes a lot of sense. To this end, I have begun to make changes in my lifestyle. I now bike to work at least twice a week, reducing my total gasoline consumption by about 10%.

In the last year, increase in gas prices have reduced driving, and gasoline demand, by about 2 to 4% . Imagine what effect it would have if we did more than just drive a little less.

It is the responsibility of our country's leaders to make it clear that we, the people, create the demand for energy and that we, the people, can reduce our demand.

I would love to see some of our leaders propose some real programs that will incentivize reduced consumption, not just discuss ways to increase production. For example, tax incentives that apply to more areas of energy-efficient purchases would be a great way to start.

Let's expand the debate beyond drilling.
- Dan, Auburn

The insanity of not drilling for oil and gas is breathtaking. Doing so will put billions of dollars back into our economy, creating thousands of jobs. State and Federal governments will also benefit from increased tax revenue, which can be used to reduce deficits at the state and federal level. In the meantime we can be developing our future alternate fuel/power needs.

Only Gov. Palin seems to understand this...wake up people!!!

Let’s put American resourcefulness and ingenuity back to work and quit acting like Europeans.
- Joe Ptak, Island Lake, Illinois

Clearly this bill is a fraud as it essentially extends the ban. Democrats are only in favor of drilling where there is no oil. This is similar to how they only support free speech they agree with or "choice" that matches the "choice" they would prefer.

Comments about when supply comes on line show a total ignorance of the way futures markets work. The supply does not have to be available today to lower the price today. When President Bush removed the executive level ban on offshore drilling, crude was at $145 a barrel. It now hovers around $100. If the legislative ban expires (as it should) on October first, watch it drop to $75 or below within 1 week. It is absolute foolishness not to exploit domestic resources to maximum extent possible. Drill here, Drill now, pay less.
- Mark, Amherst

"It is exactly this type of politics that has given the Democratic Congress a lower approval rating than President Bush."

Congerssional approval ratings weren't much better when Republicans controlled all three branches and could actually get stuff passed...

http://pollingreport.com/CongJob.htm

It's not the Dems fault that the Republicans filibuster or have Bush veto every significant bill the they support.
- Dan, Manchester

Peter, Peter

The short to mid term problems with the economy are caused by sub-prime mortgages which were encouraged by both Dems and Repubs to encourage home ownershiip. The Fed made is worse by keeping interest rates too low for far too long. Make no mistake, these are serious problems, but long term problems are much, much worse. There is simply no way that we have a stable economy when we send $700 bilion a year to countries that are:
A. Outright enemies, or
B. Don't like us, or
C Politically unstable

The ONLY way we can improve our long term economic outlook is to go all-out for energy independence. We have to conserve, and we also MUST make maximum use of EVERY energy source available, including solar, wind, geothermal, tidal, hydro, nuclear, and drilling. No one thing can come close to resulting in energy independence, and it is doubtful that we can reach true energy independence even IF we "do all of the above". Nancy Pelosi's scam bill is a pathetic example of partisan politics at work. She should be ashamed.
- Ken Shafer, Fernandina Beach, FL

Oh, by the way, the Interior Department is in bed with big oil, literally. Where are the numbers that show how much relief will actually be seen at the pump, and when we will see it? They're never included because the relief amounts to nothing. Why don't the oil companies drill on all the lands that they currently have access to?
- Jeff, Manchester

I applaud the Editor for showing the crippling hypocrisy of Nancy-Peolosi-Obama..........Do we reallu trust these people ever for doing what is right for this Country?

This Democrat will vote for McCain
- CRAMOS, Princeton, NJ

It's unfortunate that the recent decline in newspaper revenue has hit the UL. With statements like "poodle army" and "Pelosi puppets", the UL has evidently farmed its editorial writing out to a local junior high student. What's next, Obama is a "big jerk" who "smells funny"?

Yes, we should expand off-shore drilling but that is a long-term solution with only long-term benefits. This bill includes many components that the Repubs have decided are completely unacceptable - repealing billions in tax cuts given to an industry making billions per month in profit, using that money to expand research into alternative energy sources, promoting conservation. These are really the problems that the GOP and the UL have with this bill.

Remember, in the UL's world giving financial assistance to the poor or needy is socialism and is always wrong. Giving it to the rich and big industry is simply the right thing to do.
- Jason, Londonderry

Democrats have no interest in solving the energy problem, if they did the bill would include building new refineries, nuclear, coal, hydroelectric and natural gas power plants, dumping the absurd ethanol and windmill ideas and reducing/eliminating many of the government restrictions that hamstring private enterprise while driving up the cost of mass energy production.
- Ron Brock, Dyersburg, TN

How does this bill provide an increase in domestic production of crude oil? Answer it doesn’t. About a month ago Tom Friedman (#1 best selling author, columnist) while commenting on the high price of gasoline at the pumps stated he felt gas prices should be frozen at $4.00 per gallon. If the cost of gasoline lessens to say $2.75 per gallon the difference $1.25 would become new tax revenue. The Democratic mantra of more taxes and regulations is their only solution. Citizens must wake up and decry the policies of tax increases and the submitting of disingenuous bills only meant to give the appearance falsely that they had a comprehensive alternative.
- Jim Johnson, Brentwood

Politicians are alot like cockroaches in that they like to do their business in the dark where they think that nobody knows what their up to. Finally someone turns on the light! Lets see where the cockroaches scatter?
- Rob, Manchester

The Dems have an agenda - Destroy Our Country! This will take place at the borders, on Wall Street, by decreasing/dishonoring our military, and by taxing us into oblivion to support those who don't work.
- Bob, Litchfield, NH

Here we go again. With all the economic news currently unfolding, the editors have chosen to go back to an issue that has long since been rehashed. The world needs more oil, drilling off of the coast would add a tiny bit to the supply in ten years, so a political distraction has been made using this issue. The Union Leader has eaten the distraction up. Like a child being fooled by a half talented birthday magician. Worse, the child continues to talk about the tricks they saw weeks after the party was over.

The FED has already given $8 per share of taxpayer money away to Bear Sterns shareholders. The FED is about to put trillions of taxpayer dollars on the line to bail out Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. The FED has laid out plans to buy a financial institution, Lehman. This is never happened before. During the depression, the FED refused to buy corporations, farms, etc. They said it was not the government’s business. The recent decisions made by the FED indicate a big government philosophy to economic management and will lead to a dramatic government expansion and spending. How can any fiscally conservative paper in the country not find this the most important issue of the day or month and maybe even the decade?

For the longevity of the Union Leader, its editors better grow up and start to see the difference between parlor tricks and important, dramatic government action. It is editorials like this one that lead one to think the paper is a Republican rag. The GOP said “Don’t look behind the curtain, watch the cut puppy in the corner.” and the Union Leader editors happily watched the cute puppy. The End. – to what was once a good paper.
- Peter Sorrentino, Manchester, NH

Thanks again Democrats. Thanks for nothing. You must be so relieved that your pals in the media won't point out the little inconvenient truths that are called out in this op-ed piece.
- Mike, Temple

We all know that the GOP grasp of immediate drilling as a campaign issue is a red herring. We don't have the rigs to drill, you are talking about years down the road. The real problem here is the GOP pumping up the issue to take the public's mind off of it's failed management of the last seven years. Grow up GOP, we have a country to run, stop playing politics with the issues.
- Andrey Levinson, Bedford

Pelosi and friends are counting on generous donations from the environmental lobby groups for the upcoming election. How dare we interfere by asking for more domestic oil production!
- Peter, Warner