While the U.S. oil industry wants access to more federal lands to help reduce reliance on foreign suppliers, American-based companies are shipping record amounts of gasoline and diesel fuel to other countries.
A record 1.6 million barrels a day in U.S. refined petroleum products were exported during the first four months of this year, up 33 percent from 1.2 million barrels a day over the same period in 2007. Shipments this February topped 1.8 million barrels a day for the first time during any month, according to final numbers from the Energy Department.
The surge in exports appears to contradict the pleas from the U.S. oil industry and the Bush administration for Congress to open more offshore waters and Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to drilling.
Lessee now — two oil men have been in the White House for nearly eight years, and we are shipping more oil per day out of the country than the government’s own mean estimate of daily production from drilling in ANWR (1.6 million barrels versus 780,000 barrels). Golly — whoda thunk it?
And where do you suppose much of the oil drilled out of ANWR would go, hmmmmmm? It’d go wherever it would have to, in order to maximize the profits of the oil industry. That’s what the “drill now” meme is all about, folks.
(hat tip: John Cole)
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August 6, 2008 at 5:39 am
Orion
And as we all know, increasing supply has no effect on prices.
And, increasing domestic sources will have NO effect on our ability to react to restrictions in foreign supplies.
Orion
August 6, 2008 at 7:02 am
meatbrain
This, of course, is an argument I have not made. It is an example of the hoary and dishonest tactic known as the “straw man”. Jeff Burhans (aka “Orion”) again demonstrates his utter inability to conduct an honest discussion.
This, of course, is an argument I have not made. It is an example of the hoary and dishonest tactic known as the “straw man”. Jeff Burhans (aka “Orion”) again demonstrates his utter inability to conduct an honest discussion.
August 6, 2008 at 4:08 pm
Orion
No, it’s actually an example of sarcasm and snark, but don’t worry about it.
Orion
August 6, 2008 at 4:28 pm
meatbrain
Wingnut tactic #54: When caught using a fallacious argument, claim that you were merely making a joke.
August 7, 2008 at 2:16 am
Orion
Yes, I’m quite sure that humor isn’t in your vocab – You are, after all, the man who accused me of ‘hiding behind the dictionary.’...
rolls eyes
Orion
August 7, 2008 at 7:01 am
meatbrain
The comment that Jeff Burhans (aka “Orion”) made above was not an attempt at humor, but instead was an example of the hoary and dishonest tactic known as the “straw man”. Having been caught in yet another example of intellectual dishonesty, Burhans tries to cover his offense by pretending he was just joking.
Burhans enjoys lying about what he has done, and does so at every opportunity.