offshore drilling good or bad

[leoedw435]

I would like to get some feedback from the people on the site on what you think about off shore drilling. With gas prices the way they are and the U.S. getting 60% of our oil form over seas. I was thinking it could be good for our country and our fishing hear in Florida to allow offshore drilling. I have read how good the fishing is by these rigs and that there were no leeks even after the storms that hit the gulf over the last two years. So let me know what you think. Could this be a good thing or am I way off base.

[Twister]

I like it..

[Sinker]

As you may or may not know most of my 34+ years of fishing has been in California. There are many oil rigs along the coast line there as well. In fact during WWII a Japanese sub surfaced and started taking shot at some of the coast Santa Barbara.

Since 9/11 boaters are no longer allowed to come as close to these rigs to fish but still a good cast gets you in the game a smart well placed chum line will bring the fish to your boat.

It is indeed true that the platforms offer new structure and grown on the support pilings offer both protection and a food source for many varieties of fish.

When these platforms have out lived their usefulness or are moved which many now days can be the support structure is cut off well below the surface so even the largest of vessels will not hit the structure that is left. This remaining structure serves as an artificial reef and have proved to be very productive and well suited for this application.

On this aspect I am all for it.

NOW - as for the actual chances that it may lower gas prices - Don't believe it for a second. The biggest problem we have is that the U.S. can't even refine the crude oil we are presently capable of of drawing with the existing wells and pumps we have. We have not invested in new refineries or even upgrading them to make them more efficient and environmentally friendly.

The oil companies this year are experiencing a 7 Billion Dollar Net Profit OVER their net profit last year. Bottom line we are getting screwed and drilling off shore is not going to help this part as it is only one small part of the equation.

Now don't get me wrong. I fully am for the U.S. to get its act together and become self sufficient, start taking care of ourselves and our homeland, use our troops to fight war on drugs etc. It is a shame as we hand out dollars to other countries like it is candy and we are the place they want to go to like when you were a kid and went Trick-Or-Treating and went to were the good and most candy was at. We cover the highest portion of the U.N.'s cost, the building is on our land and we have nil for support from the majority of the nations now in the U.N. Again, fact is that the U.S. has really no marketable items for export.

Sorry got off on a bit of a rant there. Point is there are many things that need to be corrected for this effort to help us on the price of fuel front. From a fishing stand point, they have proved to be very good structure to hold a large variety of fish from small to large.

[Twister]

What Sinker said....

[CaptainSid]

Absolutely, What Sinker Said. Well Done.

[leoedw435]

sinker you make some real good pints. do you think there is any thing we can do to help?

[Kelley]

Well since sinker wrote alot it all lots pretty good so i just go along with him and make me sound good to......

did u just say that out loud...Oopps

[drangler]

A: No country has and no country ever will win the war on drugs. Just like we wont win the war on Terror. We adapt and they will adapt. Assholes exist and will continue to exist until the end of times.

B: Offshore drilling??? depends on where it is done. I not certain of the impact it would have on our fragile coral reefs down south. So that would be my main concern. Other wise I am all for it. I am sure the Jewfish will be happy too.

C: Gas prices will not go down. Wont happen because we are dumb enough to pay the dictated prices for an obsulete fuel system. Hey guys wake up, did you know that Brazil has 0% imported fuel. Thats right folks. A country that most would consider border line 3rd world has almost all diesel and biofuel cars. Guess who makes most of their vehicles? GM. We need to stop using gas, and start using bio diesel and bio fuel. For God's sake even Europe and Japan are ahead of us in this. Disgusting.

Ok now I am done with my tirade

[SourCreamnJive]

Yeah but California voted no to the biofuels...it's gonna take more to convince the politicians to change their minds!

[Carnivore]

All good points but we can win the war on drugs and terror but will not take the steps necessary to do so. They are DRASTIC and costly and like a speeding ticket on the free way everything is put in place to create revenue not stop what the law is intended for. If someone gets caught speeding and you took their car away (regardless if they own it or not) 10,000 fine, lost their license for 6 months but spent 6 moths in jail first who do you think would speed and or do it again with every thing doubled....???

Off shore drilling will never lower gas prices until it is deemed in the interest of national security and the government takes it over and forces and self reliant system. NOT GOING TO HAPPEN it generates money that in turn brings taxes intern feeds the fat cats in Washington and else where.

Brazil did change to methanol and has it's own crops supply it BUT they also have 1 car for every 6 house holds no 3 cars to every house hold like we have here. It is estimated to take half the crops raised to supply the fuel needed to run the cars in this country. Not going to happen. Now there are 100s of farmers paid by the government NOT to grow crops so the price of agriculture will stay up and they could now be put in a place to work for a living but still the over all picture isn't one that can change in anything less then a decade or more. We screwed ourselves now it is time to feel the burn...