Oil? Oil? Bit%# you cookin'!?

My pendulum is going to swing to the left from my previous position on Gitmo and the Supreme Court's controversial decision. On Wednesday, George W. Bush called for a lift on the Congressional ban to allow for offshore drilling, which will coincide with the suspension of a similar executive order. This is clearly a knee-jerk reaction to rising gasoline and oil prices, and meant to provide a solid soundbite for November. GOP zombie, John McCain wasted no time in associating himself with Bush's call for action (despite his multiple attempts to say that he is not a third term for Bush). McCain said, "It is much safer now, and if the oil rigs could survive Hurricane Katrina with little spillage then it must be save... ." I won't even get into the fact that oil companies already have a considerable amount of ocean real-estate that remains untapped. This is not about oil prices folks! Price relief at the pump will not be felt until at least three to five years from now if offshore drilling began immediately. I heard the funniest line today while watching CNN that I want to repeat because I think it bears repeating. "In the last eight years, the GOP has become the Gas, Oil, and Petroleum Party..." This is one more attempt to empower the oil companies and their lobbyists while crapping all over the environment. Think back to the oil leak in California in the late 1960's for evidence of what one mistake means for American shorelines and recreation. Sure people hate paying four dollars per gallon to drive to the beach, but what's if the beach is polluted to high hell? I'm far from what one would consider a "tree-hugger" , but I can say that the Bush/McCain solution is the same old solutions to complex problems. Where is the John McCain that opposed offshore drilling only a few years ago? Where has McCain's call for alternative energy and environmental sustainability gone? Funny how last election the Republicans used the word flip-flopper in nearly every sentence to describe Kerry, however John McCain is the "thoughtful candidate that is not afraid to change his mind." Wasn't McCain posturing himself as the candidate that didn't pander to lobbyists and special interest groups? Yet one more reason why the end of the Bush/McCain era can not come fast enough.