I can't believe that our congress could be so stupid. The Democrats (and I am one of them) voted for this Democratic Congress thinking things would change for the better, things like bringing the war to an end etc. The American taxpayer and voter has been duped again!

No matter who wins the presidency, he will be up against the most horrid economic and political situation in decades. The winner may very well have buyer's remorse. I hope our candidates are up to the task, but I am not banking on it. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth

Can't get past the idea of $600 Billion for this, $700 Billion for that, $10 Billion per month for the other. Just an FYI, you will NOT see a serious reduction in you energy costs with this action. Something tells me that the Repunks allowed the overspeculation in order to force the opposition into providing "foe relief' to the people. With all the info in front of you, you can not believe these punks are for everday people. No, no, no, they are for large corporations, banks, and Wall Street. If we keep the knowledge that they are not for us, as our common denominator, our foundation, maybe we will be able to see through to there wicked plans. I've said this time and time again….Something is nottt righttt.!

you know it might take couple of years until we actually see difference at the pump. But you know what, for a change from comments that I read on this blog, I plan to be here in good ol USA in couple of years. This should serve us as a bridge until we develop solar, wind and nuclear.
A lot of people do not realize although I have to admit Obama plans are ambitious and do sound good, it will take decades to implement wind, solar, and nuclear( I do not think he is for this last one). If elected he has 4 year, if he leads the country good 8 years.
While the alternative fuels are developing, we need to bridge the gap with domestic oil and gas.

Thats my 2 cent.

The issue is not if we will drill. That was inevitable. The issue is whether or not we can continue the push to make dependence of crude a subject for the history books. Obama is not the one with the policies that will help this matter. He is way to stubborn and will not work with the republicans. Hilary would have had a better chance, but the democrats wouldn't have it. McCain does show a little more promise that he could actually gain the bi-partisan vote to take America to less dependencies on crude than ever before. Will we see drops in the pumps before 7-10 years as told by these "Experts"? Well these "Experts" are the reason we are in this economic stink in the first place. You can not yell bomb on a plane and not expect a panic. The same goes for here. You can not yell recession and expect America to continue to buy. We do not need speculators. We need leaders with a plan.

Okay so now we can drill. How long before Americans get a clue about how little oil we have. This won't lower your prices nor will it even put a small dent in foriegn dependencies. What would happen if we all had roofs made of solar shingles tapped into the power grid? What if we all drove electric cars. Maybe if the government subsidized this we all would be off foriegn oil and we could breath a little better. Wake up…

That is just great - more garbage from the Republicans. This continues the theme of what our country has become - I want what I want and I want it right now. The selfishness in this country is disgusting. Want to know what I think? Get rid of money - you want a house, go help your neighbor….you want a new car, teach some children how to read….you want that new Gucci purse, spend time with your kids….then maybe we would actually understand and appreciate what we have on this Earth - in nature and in people….

Why not give the 'clean energy companies' the same tax breaks as 'big oil'? Level the playing field between these industries. That would only be another $30-40 billion? That type of tax break for an investment would yield great dividends in more jobs, competition between competing industries, and innovation.

Thanks to the majority Democratic congress, we have lifted the ban on drilling. They didn't block it because the American people wanted it. Democrats listen to the people. Now, let's see how much the oil companies will pay for the right to drill. I say they should pay a % of the profits, don't sell our resources to the highest bid when the highest bid is a lowball.

Drill baby Drill, problem solved, Let's vote in more democrats. They get things done when they are in the majority - they listen to the minority.

we are out of gas down in the south, no one seems to care, they are too busy trying to make more problems, rather than facing the ones that really matter. lower gas prices, lower food prices, restore the jobs that have been driven to other countries, help real American familes, we are suffering.

Thank god the republicans took the lead on this issue… As a democrat I think the democrat party and Obama are not right on many issues. I have always been a democrat but this election the democrats are out there with no leadership .. Obama knows nothing so he is no help to anyone.. Hillary would have been a better choice. So I as others will back McCain/Palin. Experience means everything in politics. Not pretty speeches. Last night debate McCain came out way ahead of Obama. Maybe in 2012 we will have a more experienced democrat to run…..

Drilling costs money and in a time where we have a crippling deficit and are preparing a $700 billion corporate bailout we need every single penny going to alternative fuels. We have to stop punishing the environment so that we can continue to use oil and gas. Losing our addiction-depenence on oil will allow us to focus on domestic issues and not the Middle east all the time. Once the drilling and refineries start going of our states beaches Sarah Palin won't be able to see Russia from her back yeard anymore.

I need my car as much as the next person and energy to keep me either warm or cool or to cook, etc., but enough is enough.

We need to find an energy source that can benefit us all (including other life forms). Animals have no where to go now and are adapting to town living with opposition from humans. Where will the sea life go except into death. And don't we have enough land ugly without making our seaview ugly also.

Let's say that there is no more oil on planet earth - don't you think we would figure out another way to make our cars work?

That is the stand we should be taking that there are no other options available.

Wow, McCain can take credit for this one, too. Wow, that makes two big things in one week for McCain. He solved the banking crisis, solved the oil shortage crisis and now he's solving my worry of him ever becoming President. He can't mislead the intelligent and I'm finally convinced that we reign. Thank you dear Lord.

nice, more spending of money we don't actually have

I hope everyone realizes that as long as there is a game being played, that rules need to be in place. All the politicians that voted for deregulation has not admitted to this huge mistake nor has anyone been arrested for robbing us blind. A person that shoplifts $100 worth of merchandise is handcuffed. These people are responsible for nearly bankrupting our economy, and they are being ignored, bankrupting banks that has been in business for over 100 years.
Robbing the economy of billions of dollars and nobody is blamed. I guess a lot of crooks are ready to sign up for this job.

The days of cheap oil are gone forever, it's time to move on!

I can't wait for all of us to die, were just tearing up this beautiful natural environment we live in. There are different solutions to this type of problem and all we do is approach it with the same result. How innovative are we, we are a country that lacks creativity, and thinking beyond what we know we can already do. Screw drilling bring on alternative fuels to pave a new and better America.

I suggest that the people commenting not drive.

Put your money where your mouth is.

I'm all for green technologies, but these technologies won't provide for our full energy needs for many years. Get a clue.

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Nice to know that, thanks to these imbiciles, my grandchildren will have to wear respirators to walk outside. "Drill, baby,drill!" Will only know what a whale or dolphin looks like from the pictures in the encyclopedia. "Drill, baby, drill!" And will still have to figure out a way to get off our oil dependence because these morons can't. "Drill, baby,drill!"

Can't wait for the crying to start when we have our first major spill. What short sighted numbskulls the majority of Americans have become.

Our 2007 federal spending was 2.7 trillion. 700 billions would be more than a quarter of our annual budget. It is nuts to think we will give 700 billions to Wall Street to continue the same practice of business as usual so we can give another bailout ten years later. Why do we reward greed and stupidity? What come with profits are called risks. Haven't they learned anything about risks?

I am glad the adults won over the kids in this debate. We need to expand our oil drilling and the sooner the better. Obama is against drilling and McCain was for it.

I don't know how Obama is going to give away our money in the form of tax cuts while our country is on the brink of disaster. But then I would let him explain it. I would like him to say, "no new taxes."

Why are they making fuss about Obama calling John Mccain John and not Senator, do you know how many times Sarah Palin called him John today in Media, Penn. so they can wrap that urgument up in some paper and smoke it, and another thing I think Obama did well last night I don't see anything wrong with telling a person they are right on certain things I also like they fact that he stopped Mccain in his track when he was telling lies he said WAIT WAIT WAIT NOW JOHN THATS NOT TRUE YOU KNOW THATS NOT TRUE Good Job Obama you did good without call him a liar great choice of words.

The big wealthy oil companies must be happy. This will no NOTHING to help resolve our dependence on foreigh oil for several years, if ever.

Keith, great thing about sarcasm, eh? Honestly I think limited drilling would be okay but come on everyone knows they'll go crazzzzzy with it. We need alternative energy also. When is that going to happen? This isn't going to help with pollution in the least. We've already destroyed huge amounts of land for lumber, parks, development etc. When's that going to stop.

I'm sure John McCain won't approve unless there's money in this bill to start a war.

ONE NATION

The economy must really be in dire straights or the Dems would not have agreed to this Bill. It tells me that Americans don't even know a quarter about the Disastrous economic deeds the Republican Administration has carried out over the past eight years! The next President will have a monumental task before him in straightening out the disaster that the Bush Administration is leaving behind. And I hope when the new Administration takes office we'll really find out just how much damage this Administration has done!

Dont complain that this could take 7-10 years. If we would have done this 7-10 years ago we wouldnt even be having this discussion today. At some point we need to start planning for a future with oil, instead of saying that we are just going to find a magic solution to living without it.

The rich get richer the poor get poorer and thats the American way.

I used to feel sorry for ordinary Americans becuase of the way they are lied to so big business can roll over their very existence but after watching the polls along with some of the bloggers who cares!

Sounds like all of the under-educated voters who were backing Clointon have switched to Obama.

The post was closed on a previous topic, so i'm putting it here:
I'm watching the ballot bowl and CNN showed about 2 minutes of Obama talking and about 15 minutes of Sarah Palin and 4 minutes of Biden, and now McCain with talking for about 15 minutes what's up with that? Sarah is not fit to be any party's VP. She shouldn't be treated any different then anyone else. I'm tired of hearing about how Biden is going to have to "watch his words" when it comes to her, but she can say whatever she wants to say. I'm sick of this. It's clear who won that debate last night and it's clear who is going to win next thursday as well as the election on Nov. 4th it's Obama/Biden. Now post this CNN!!

I think we should be concerned about this drilling business. I want to see what the candidates plans are for wind and solar solutions.

"Seems I recall that most experts think it will take 7 to 10 years to see the first drop of crude even if they started drilling tomorrow."

That's based on if we put oil platforms at the distance offshore where they currently are drilling, but new technologies suggest there are better drilling spots closer to shore. These closer spots can be achieved without harming the environment.

Granted, I don't like a dependancy on oil, but for the larger part of the US, its all they can afford at the moment. Do you think every household is able to afford a hybrid or an alternative fuel vehicle? Drop down the price a bit and that answer would be yes.

Obama is a better speaker, and McCain is a better do-er. McCain is working on the financial problem in Washington today - trying to get a bill pushed through. Obama has gone to NC to resume his campaign, explaining to voters why he'd be a better president than McCain.

When will you people smarten up and realize the media is owned by the far left. Of course the polls favor Obama. These radicals think if they own the media, they can control the people. Don't be close minded, it's obvious.
There is a large part of this country that are the "silent republicans" that do not care or worry about polls, do not spew vile comments and are open and sensible.
Both parties are just as guilty, McCain isn't bush and he'll be a lot more bipartisan than Obama, who is in the tank for his own party.

So wise up, it's Country First, as has been shown and proven. Spin it or live it.

McCain/Palin

The oil companies don't have much interest in drilling offshore in the first place — this is just another Repub political football for their brain-dead supporters.

Keith from above, there isn't that many years of oil left on the planet. MANY people living today, gen X and even boomers, will see the day of oil extinction. You get this, right? How long? 10yrs?20yrs?

If there were ever any doubt that we descended for Neanderthals, Keith would be definite proof. Do you not realize that if we destroy the earth it wont matter who's president or where we store waste or who supports it, because we will all be dead. You obviously worship Limbaugh and O'Reilley. Bigot.

Did anyone hear McCain has decided not to go to Capitol hill. He is now…get this… going to stay away and keep up with phone calls…LMAO. Is that not what Obama has been doing for the past weeks. Oh my this guy is so out of it!

The old twist your arm behind your back to you give in trick. They rape us at the pump till we are willing to do anything to lower prices. Time to get out of America.

This is a good bill, which gives immediate help to people, isn't the off shore drilling supposed to be so far out from the shore? and doesn't it also state that it is up to the State?

SOME KEEP SAYING , ALTERNATIVE FUEL . ANYBODY ANY ONE HURRY UP AN FIND A WAY TO COLLECT ALL THAT METHAINE GAS THAT THE DC BUCH IS SHOWERING OUT .
NOW THEY ARE COMPLAINING ABOUT COW MANURE , THAT THE FARMERS HAVE TO BRING THAT TO A HALT, AN COLLECT IT . WELL WITH ALL THAT BS THE DC BUNCH HAS SPREAD ALONE IN HOLLYWOOD , AN DENVER WOULD OF RUN NY, NY FOR 19 MONTHS. AN THEY ARE PRODUCING MORE BY THE HOUR ALONG WITH MAIN STREAM MEDIA.

SORRY MICKEY MOUSE . AVON, AVON .

Drilling is nothing more than a useless political ploy that won't do us one drop of good.

Senator Barack Obama was criticized for not wearing the flag pin on his lapel. On an important night like the first debate that the whole world is watching, Senator McCain was not wearing his pin and no one said anything. I need to hear comments on that even though it may sound petit.

yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!! thank you thank you thank you for spending my tax dollars President Bush i am loving it!!!!!!!!!!!!! you are a joke and GOP THANK YOU FOR DESTROYING MY COUTRY!!!!!

When McCain was running the government when Clinton was the President all of the Democrats LOVED him.Now that he has run the government the last 8 years,you don't like him.Your Fickle !!!!!

McCain 08

It is time to vote out every Republican running for re-election in Congress & the house. This party has demonstrated that they will take their so called "conservative values" to the death of the economy, to the loss of over 3300 americans in Iraq, to the destruction of the earth for a moderate amount of oil and no resolution to the energy crisis. Where ever you live, vote out this lost policy of :self first and others can figure it out on their own". That is the staple of the republican party, the just call it "family values" and hide it in a "Christian view". There is nothing christian about killing, destroying, stealing and what happen to "do unto others" in the christian view?

Vote out Republicans and Joe Liberman so our country can regain what we lost 8 years ago!!!!!

Drilling for more oil makes for a good sound bite but does very little if anything to help with todays problem - will take a least 5 years to see any new supplies - but one must admit that anything that can be done to help with the current problem will also likely take 5 years - so with that said we must start somewhere. So lets go with all others at the same time.

SPEECHLESS

What will it be 10years or so before we will feel any of this relief anyways? Then they say that once we can refine the oil we drill up, that it might go on the global markets anyways? Hope for us that we start an energy policy that works for all of us. The only one that I trust to really bring an energy policy that works is Obama.
Instead of Drill baby drill, it should have been Invent baby invent.
Hopefully Obama will be elected and we can start wind, solar and green energies— our future depends on this.

You can't explain anything to the eco-nitwits that not evryone is interested in returning to a nineteenth century lifestyle.

Yeah, my 81- year old grandmother is interested in riding a bicycle to her doctor's appointment.

Understand that clean energy is years away (provided the eco-terrorists aren't launching a lawsuit a minute).

Everyone talks about the wealth transfer to unfriendly nations. Well, that would slow down or stop if the USA had more of its own oil. Every dollar earned from a barrel of oil would stay here augmenting the economy as opposed to fattening some dictator's wallet.

10,000,000 barrels of oil per day at $100 per barrel adds up quick.

Think of the benefit to the American economy if we can produce one tenth of that.

Greater employment with extremely high-paying jobs.

Breathing room till the new sources of energy can be delivered.

Diminished funding for USA-haters.

What's the problem with that? Too easy?

I gues you guys are editing my comments-not posting them again. Obama's Campaigm must have put one hell of a deposit into your Accounts.
Oil VCompany s will not dril baby drill if Obama's Team takes Office-Just to get a Windfall Tax by 90% to 100% to pay for you guys getting Freeride. From buying Homes you couldn't afford with to start with. acorn, Fannie Mae and Fred holding the Dems in their Back pocket Chicago Style. We own them thet wiil do as they say.

WHY ARE YOU LIBERALS SO STUPID???? WE HAVE BEEN SEARCHING FOR ALTERNATIVE ENERGY FOR THE PAST 40 YEARS AND NO ONE HAS COME UP WITH ANYTHING THAT ACTUALLY WORKS. iF YOU ARE ALL READY TO WALK TO YOUR SPAS AND STARBUCKS THEN SHUT UP AND FIND SOMEONE ELSE TO BUG!!! THE EARTH WAS PUT HERE FOR MANS USE, INCLUDING ALL THE ANIMALS AND CREATURES, JUST READ YOUR BIBLES INSTEAD OF THE STUPID INTERNET ALL DAY AND YOU MAY REALIZE JUST HOW STUPID YOU ALL ARE. DRILL, DRILL, DRILL AND DRILL SOME MORE……OBAMA IS GOING DOWN…..

This crisis really put McCain in a MESS………….“Hollis PROTECTED Harry Clark and Rick Davis by intentionally MOVING their contracts INTO an account that Hollis controlled and had to REVIEW and APPROVE. “Hollis THOUGHT McCain WOULD likely WIN the ELECTION and Hollis wanted to begin making the case for Freddie Mac’s CONTINUED existence as EARLY as POSSIBLE.” said a third person with knowledge of the planned meetings.” Rest on FOX news, CNN won’t let me post entire story.

drill baby drill… what a bunch of nuts….

Great! This is great news! Now the rest of the country can experience tar on the bottoms of their feet like people in Santa Barbara where the drilling rigs leak their crude. Excellent. There's nothing like scraping black tar of the lily white feet of rich beach combers who will stop at nothing to get their oil.

I agree with M. Winners. Also, I'd really like to know what follows now that each state can separately decide to allow off-shore drilling or not. Will the coastal states actually do so or not? Seems to me the ones most eager to lift this ban were actually the politicans from land-locked states.

Is this $600 billion spending bill connected to the $700 billion bailout ? Where does all this money come from ? Am I missing something here ??

Now let me see, is this 600 billion in addition to the bailout?….. Oh well, as long as they get their talking points.

"The campaign says that Senator McCain will head to Capitol Hill later this afternoon. They weren't clear exactly what he's going to actually do when he gets there."

Neither does McCain.

The last refinery in California was shut-down decades ago. The oil company could not operate at a competitive cost locally so they started trucking the fuel from other states. This caused the gas prices to soar even before these last few years. This has had an enormous impact on California's agricultural market, property values, taxes, etc. It's funny how the Hollywood types never make political statements about the abuse of workman'c compensation insurance or employers leaving the state. Yet people still listen them.

California is the last place to find sanity since Ronald Reagan left politics. Speaker Pelosi is getting schooled. I predict she will be served her own crow pie shortly.

Republicans do or say almost nothing about alternative energy. That's because the oil companies who they're servants to will loss a ton of money if we have more electric cars and cars that can go 60 miles per gallon instead of 20.

Oh Goody! More oil AND loans to automakers - an industry that is ALSO covered in the bail-out package.

SELL your house on the Jersey Shore.
BUY Exxon, GM and Ford

Those who can, will always profit. Too bad for the majority!!

Phil Gramm. Eight years ago, as part of a decades-long anti-regulatory crusade, Gramm pulled a sly legislative maneuver that greased the way to the multibillion-dollar subprime meltdown. [Anyone remember ENRON] Yet has THIS A OLE Gramm been banished from the corridors of power? Reviled as the villain who bankrupted Middle America? Hardly. Now a well-paid executive at a Swiss bank, Gramm cochairs Sen. John McCain's presidential campaign and advises the Republican candidate on economic matters. He's been mentioned as a possible Treasury secretary should McCain win. That's right: A guy who helped screw up the global financial system could end up in charge of US economic policy. Talk about a market failure. McCain is a walking disaster for this country.

M. Winners:

Great points. Don't forget that the republicans countered your scientific fact argument (about the 7-10 years) by saying that the oil speculators will now start selling their oil futures based on their feelings that prices will come down…and that action, in turn, will cause prices to lower.

Okay, speculators…the clock is ticking…let's see those prices drop.

More of the same. More of the same.

They can drill but they can't drill their way out of this election. They may have scored some points on it but it's not going to win them the election. Drilling is only a part of the energy solution and not the whole solution. So, don't start celebrating yet.

Funny how the same people who say we won't see a change in the oil price for several years, are the ones who opposed drilling in ANWR for the same reason. We would be feeling that difference in the price of gas now had we drilled in ANWR, but I guess liberals don't believe in long-term planning. Just b/c something doesn't give instant results doesn't mean it's a bad idea! That's the problem w/Washington right now - everyone worried about their re-elections and never thinking about the future.

Screw the environment and drill!!! Who the hell do whales and dolphins vote for anyway? Democrats probably. Let's end bans on pollution, exploit the natural resources from national parks, use the Grand Canyon to store toxic waste…let's soil our bedclothes and pretend we dont care…USA USA USA

If Obama gets elected Pelosi and Reid will be running this country and China will own this country. Just keep spending you idiots.

WOW - BARACK OBAMA IS ALREADY LEADING THIS COUNTRY. JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING GEORGE BUSH DOES THESE DAYS IS RIGHT OUT OF THE BARACK OBAMA PLAYBOOK.

SHOP AMERICAN……….SAVE OUR ECONOMY

Whatever…. just send me the bill….. do you take credit cards?

Printing More Dollars Only Makes The Value Of The Dollar Decline! He You Print Enough Of Them They Will Soon Be Worth A Nickel!

Apparantly, his staff forgot to notify Mr. MaGoo that the offshore drilling prevention aspect he was raling like a madman about last night, will not be renewed.

Just more evidence, he is WAY out of touch!

Lifted the drilling ban? That's nice - will we see an increase in supplies any year soon? How about lower prices at the pump?

Seems I recall that most experts think it will take 7 to 10 years to see the first drop of crude even if they started drilling tommorow.

The repugs should be happy now since they have another false and hollow talking point to brag on how they are "solving the energy problem". Yeah, right…

doesn't matter to me on the main st.

I hope Arnold doesn't cave and let them drill off CA. Why not put more money into finding alternate fuel sources rather than going the dirty, anti-environment route? "Drill Baby Drill" is so disgusting. I wish the Republicans could see the whole big picture rather than just their little lives. Everything on Mother Earth is NOT here for us to destroy.

as long as it gets us through until barack is president. then we can start repairing all the damage done by rpublicans and neocons.