Anyone who has watched Barack Obama’s cozy relationship with nuclear power companies shouldn’t be surprised. He’s opening up offshore areas to oil exploration, but he’s making sure to keep California, a rich electoral state, free from invasive drilling. However, those who misconstrued Obama’s marketing to mean he would side against business are in shock today. EnviroKnow has a terrific round up of progressives who are screaming drill, baby, drill.
So much for the youth climate movement. They came out to vote in droves and now are feeling a sharp pain in the middle of their backs:
Youth, the millennial generation so inspired by Obama to vote in record numbers, have the most to lose from the expansion of drilling. Even some coastal governors and senators will be angry about the announcement because of the small amount of oil and huge environmental risks. If white-haired governors and senators are worried, what about young people who are thinking about protecting this coastline for us and our children, long after the tiny amounts of energy have been extracted?
[...] We aren’t going to take this. A protest is planned for an event in Florida today where Newt Gingrich will be promoting drilling. Nevermind that he needs to entice people to come with free “Drill Here Drill Now Pay Less” bumper stickers to the first 1000 rsvps, this event shows how dangerously aligned the Obama administration is getting to the industry-cheerleading GOP.
Obama to conservatives (in both parties): I’ll give you coastal drilling, but I’m coming back for cap and trade “energy independence legislation,” so remember this gesture when I do.
… Under the plan, the coastline from New Jersey northward would remain closed to all oil and gas activity. So would the Pacific Coast, from Mexico to the Canadian border.
Under the plan, the coastline from New Jersey northward would remain closed to all oil and gas activity. So would the Pacific Coast, from Mexico to the Canadian border.
The environmentally sensitive Bristol Bay in southwestern Alaska would be protected and no drilling would be allowed under the plan, officials said. But large tracts in the Chukchi Sea and Beaufort Sea in the Arctic Ocean north of Alaska — nearly 130 million acres — would be eligible for exploration and drilling after extensive studies.
[...] The Senate is expected to take up a climate bill in the next few weeks — the last chance to enact such legislation before midterm election concerns take over. Mr. Obama and his allies in the Senate have already made significant concessions on coal and nuclear power to try to win votes from Republicans and moderate Democrats. The new plan now grants one of the biggest items on the oil industry’s wish list — access to vast areas of the Outer Continental Shelf for drilling. [...]
This is a calculated and pragmatic political decision, mixing all the possible variables facing the President. It’s not progressive, but then Pres. Obama isn’t a progressive. If you thought he was you simply didn’t pay attention. Today’s decision is simply the energy version of what happened on health care.
“the energy version of what happened on health care”
Yup. That was my first thought.
Mornin’, Pilgrim.
Of course, it is different in that health care is quite a bit more personal, the ramifications of access obviously politically smart.
As for Obama’s version of “drill, baby, drill,” the youth movement in particular, which is so invested in Obama, is very environmentally engaged and educated. They’ll get the message.
Selling out key constituents is part of Obama’s coldly calculating political style. I’m sure it’s a rude awakening for many.
Party elites and insiders consider it business as usual, which it is, except Mr. Obama campaigned on being different.
Oh, how well said.
“coldly calculating plitical style” Heartbreaking and true.
Back in Chicago, the signs were there. As one of your respondents sometimes chimes in with a one-word comment: “Present.”
He didn’t, and doesn’t, like taking a clear stand.
Obama’s slim pre-WH experience made “progressive” positions very doubtful. Now we see it in very real experience, one issue at a time: Iraq/Afghanistan/Pakistan; Wall Street / Corporation Nation; health care; DOMA, DADT, ENDA (he did sign the Hate Crimes bill, but that’s about the extent of his efforts with that); energy politics is just the latest.
I do feel sorry for, and angry on behalf of, the “millennial generation” — wonder how many of them will end up deciding it isn’t worth bothering with that voting thing.
I’m sure the Wh welcomes a little protesting from “those dirty hippies who care about the environment”. It will him them with their moderate Republican base. You can call his base progressive if you want to but it is not true.
Lake Lady: yes
I guess there was a base of progressives, deluded progressives, back in ’08.
I don’t know if they will consent to being deluded again.
He might just find himself stabbed in the back Taylor, the environment is not negotiable to people in my age group. We know the choices the powers that be make today will affect us in our old age.
and many old people (who are the voters) also care about environment, they care on account of their descendants.
Well, Iceblinkjm, all I can say is that holding politicians accountable through your vote is the ONLY thing that matters. It’s rare, because in the end people usually “come home,” due to the lesser of two bad choices alternative.
I hope Iceblinkjm is right. It’s up to the the younger ones now. (I gave a speech at the very first Earth Day decades ago at the college where I was an instructor.) The environment can’t be negotiable! But now it looks like East Coast beachgoers will get to enjoy the ugly tar spots on the feet I used to get in Texas. And worse…
Green energy? Hahahaha. If Obama isn’t the anti-Christ (I know, I know), he’s the next best thing to it. I’ve abandoned politics after 45 years and won’t be voting any more except with a pitchfork. I hope the Dems lose horribly in the fall and in 2012.
Depending on the kids to put their bodies on the line like we did to stop the war in Vietnam. I’ll be there with ya, but the young ones have to take the first step. Nothing else makes an impression on society.
And I DON’T think voting is the answer. More like a terrible deception, if you ask me. Boots on the ground, that’s all that counts.
actually I think T. Marsh is right about voting, and she’s also right about the “come home”/lesser of evils factor, and there’s the rub, the bitter rub, and of course it’s what Mr. O & Co. count on.
It’s sad.
“djjl says:
05 June 2009 at 2:50 pm
I recall JN saying he didn’t expect Obama to govern the way he ran for office – I guess he got what he expected. Although, I find that one hell of an odd way to evaluate a presidential candidate – not to expect them to mean what they say.”
I don’t think that this was even what JN felt Obama would do. I wish he’d come back and let us know what he thinks about all this now.
JN…who’s that?
Pilgrim
JN was a poster who was very active here during the primaries. He is knowledgeable generally and smart. This statement from him was just so bizarre.
I miss him and a few others like jf, FNelson, etc. Even though I didn’t agree with jf generally, I appreciated his comments and he made a great contribution to this site imho.
Regarding “coming home to vote for BO in 2012″
His actions toward poor people (no public option), GLBT community (honey, don’t even ask), stance on DADT and gay marriage — well, all these things are bad enough coming from a Democratic president. However, all these things can change in the future and the political/social winds blow.
HOWEVER – destroying the environment is FOREVER (mountain top mining anyone???).
We do not need a president without a soul (or maybe a soul that was sold to big business to get the $$$$$$$$ to win the WH).
I hope Romeny runs in 2012 with a decent VP candidate so I’ll have someone to vote for.
I’m not sure about Romney’s soul, but he did enact health care in Massachusetts, which was so good that Mr. O. copied it.
I see the views on the cape were left unsullied. Thank god the Kennedy’s weren’t inconvenienced in any way.
I thought the same thing JoeCHI~
This is what John Mccain and Sarah Palin ran on in 2008. Her motto was “Drill Baby Drill” and now president Obama is going to do the samething that Sarah Palin wanted to do. This is going to get interesting. I was actually against the offshore drilling because I think its dangerous to the environment and because the atlantic ocean is a major shipping hub, I am afraid that something is going to happen. I am for getting off foreign dependence of oil so that why I am for solar,wind,and other clean energys as well as offering people tax breaks on environment friendly homes and bussiness. I think this is going to tick off some in the democratic party. People jumped on Sarah Palin for wanting to drill off the shores, I am going to wait and see if President Obama is going to get called out on this,or will he get a pass !! I am glad Taylor Marsh has brought this up because it shows that there is people that want a clean and safe environment.
Obama’s proposals to allow offshore drilling and the building of new nuclear power plants are silly diversions formulated by simpletons in the WH to try and distract the Left from focusing on Afghanistan (his grand plan is failing badly here), Iraq and Israel. Unfortunately for Obama, Hillary (she is enraged at Canada for pulling out of Afghanistan next year) and the rest of the corporatist warmongers the Left can successfully juggle multiple issues simultaneously. As the new bumper sticker reads: “No Drilling! No Nukes! No War!” Peace
Here is a facinating treatment of President Obama by Shelby Steele an AA conservative. He provides some interesting things to think about. I don’t agree with his description of liberalism but he does have facinating insight.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304370304575152023005805864.html
Lake Lady, I followed your link and looked at that article. Very interesting.
Lake Lady, could you tell me how to do links?
Hi Pilgrim… not LL.. but if you copy the URL… paste it in your post… and hit enter following the end of the paste… it should appear as a link:
You can also tiny URL your link (makes the URL smaller). Here is a link to a site to tiny your URL.
http://tinyurl.com/
Thanks
i fully expected this move on drilling. he hinted at it at sotu. this is classic obama. im impressed iwth how hard the enviros hit him. esp oceana- which had a hard hitting presser and a you tube clip of obama arguing to folks in fl in 08 how bad offshore drilling is. and yeah offshore drilling is huge in fl- people there wildly oppose such drilling. in 06 congress wrote a law that bans all drilling from the w fl coast.
the dems who hit obama were on point using his own arguements against drilling on him. i will try and post some here shortly. mikluski, lautenberg and merkley were the ones who caught my eye. merkley is known and respected the most by enviro grps in dc bc of his work on ore there. and merkley is very much opposed to this piece of crap. merkley- if anyone- has influence with green activists and can really raise hell. one can hope now right?
here is some reactions. love lautenberg’s quote on obama’s plan- “kill baby kill!”
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2010/3/31/852842/-Ending-Our-Dependence-on-Fossil-Fuels-By-Expanding-Drilling-for-Fossil-Fuels
It will indeed be interesting texan…somehow I don’t think environmentalists will lay down for him like women’s rights groups did.