Poll: Most Americans want offshore drilling
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2008/images/07/30/art.gasprices.gi.jpg caption="Most Americans are for offshore drilling but are split on whether it will change gas prices."](CNN) - Most Americans favor an increase in offshore oil drilling but the public is split over whether or not it would result in lower gas prices in the next year, according to a just-released CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll.
More than two thirds of Americans say they favor increasing drilling efforts off America's costs while only 30 percent disapprove of such action. Those numbers come the same day President Bush publicly scolded Democratic congressional leaders for not putting his proposal to expand domestic oil drilling, specifically on the outer continental shelf, to a vote.
iReport.com: Is drilling the best option?
The issue has become a divisive one on the campaign trail, with John McCain in favor of lifting a congressional ban on offshore drilling while Barack Obama is opposed to such a proposal.
McCain has said such increases in drilling efforts could ease prices at the pump within a "matter of months." But Obama has said there is little evidence that drilling offshore would have any positive effect on American consumers and is instead pushing energy rebates.
The poll also shows Americans are divided when it comes to the effect of offshore drilling. Just over 50 percent think it will reduce gas prices while 49 percent say it will not.
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$4.59? Where the heck is that at? Right now it's more like $3.60.
This should be a three pronged attack on the price of oil and speculation; better legislation, releasing 5% of the 97% full oil reserves and a leader that can ask Americans to stay home for one day to create an additional surplus. The last the Bush Administration would never do because he’s and oil man. McCain would never do because he’s in bed with the oil man. For those that remember it worked under the Clinton administration very well.
The Republican Party under the rule of George Bush and Dick Cheney will say anything to get the American people to believe that opening enviromentally sensitive land will bring down gas prices.
The real plan is to get as much land freed up for the big oil companies before George Bush and Dick Cheney leave office.
So what this poll is saying is that we have a bunch of naive Americans willing to believe the lies coming from the Republcan party. Haven't they fooled us enough? How much more of beating can we take?
Why aren't we using the leases that we already have approved????This is PANDERING on the backs of Americans
Here's your choices:
Drill and increase the world supply...which simple economics tells you will lower costs(just the possibility of doing so lowered the cost) or we could follow the democrat's plan which is, well, um....nothing...there is no democrat plan. Oh wait....they do have a plan....raise taxes!
People like Pelosi and Reid and Obama are going to keep us dependent on every other country and we will never be oil independent. We are setting our selves up to be taken over and somone else will be using our resources. It is called National Security, not power play and control between bull headed power hungery control freaks. They have no clue or idea what is is to get us back as an independent America.
At nearly 70 yrs old I don't have 50 yrs to live to see if OBAMA and FLUFFY PELOSI ideas work. How many of you do??
Most of you are missing the point about increasing domestic supply. There are two issues:
1) Drill now so that oil doesn't cost $1,000 per barrel in 5 years. You are only looking at TODAY – think about the future!
2) Make sure $100+ oil doesn't go to countries who hate us.
McBush and McSame are using oil as an election gimmick. Note that Bush is an oil man. Now that he is leaving office, he wants to drill more oil and pocket the money. And McCain is falling into this trap because he is desperate to win an election. We cannot drill ourselves out of oil and the gains cannot be felt by the end of this year. It's going to take 10 years to see results. If Bush & McCain are serious about immediate relief, why not release some oil from the strategic oil reserve that America has been storing for so many years. These Republicans are much ado about nothing. It took Bush 71/2 years in the White House to start looking for a solution. And some naive people are buying this crap. Go figure!
Most Americans don't live on the California coast and have seen what drilling can do to WHERE YOU LIVE. Alternative energy- not more oil!!!
Drilling for oil within the US isn't going to lower gas prices. Oil prices are set by buyers around the world. This is just another stupid idea by the brainless neocons! Let's face it, it is time to look for other sources of energy that are sustainable for the long term. Neocons are like drunks trying to get off alcohol by hanging at a bar.
NOBAMA 08.
He tried to make america more suffered by higher taxes, higher gas, cost of life ZOOM UP... look at past two years that D has been control the congress, now look at it.... Before that, gas only nearby 2 dollars, now 4 dollars?!?!?!? who fault is that? it is D....
NOBAMA!