Do you chant "Drill Baby Drill"?

Drill drill drill now. Get as much domestic oil as possible. Then we can concentrate on more long term ambitions to acquire alternative means of energy. So YES! DRILL AWAY! It's the first step towards energy independence.

Mr. Natural - we should be doing both. And it's not a question of whether or not there's a crude oil shortage, it's a question of WHERE we get our supply from. I don't know about you but I'm tired of being dependent on foreign countries that hate us and support terrorism.

It will not take 10 to 20 years to see an effect from new drilling.

Every single time something is said or happens that makes it look like we might start drilling, the price of oil drops immediately.

There also won't be a reserve. Whatever is collected will be sold. They won't be getting enough to have extra.

Nothing you said explains why we shouldn't drill though anyway. We have the oil and aren't tapping into it. It's better than doing nothing while waiting for alternatives. The fact remains that we need oil and will continue to need oil for many years to come.

And if anyone paid any attention at all to the actual news yesterday, OPEC plans to regulate production to keep the price of oil above $100 per barrel; since they have lots of oil and tons of money, they can do that and we can drill all we want, as long as international markets are being manipulated by other oil producers it won't make a tad of difference. Except jobs for us workers, more access to our land by oil companies, and depletion of the last bit of oil in our own country so down the road in 50 to 100 years we could REALLY get hung out to dry.

Just imagine if we had of been drilling 20 years ago instead of worrying so much about the Caribou. The prices would have been significantly lower right now! Relying on our own reserves also keeps us less dependent on foreign oil and that's important. Also, it's much better to do something than to do nothing at all. If it helps the generation 10-20 years from now, so be it, it would be worth it wouldn't it? Frankly I don't believe it would take that long for it to start paying dividends.

No...you're right. While we wait for the government to implement an alternative energy source that can compensate for the mainstream usage of 320,000,000 Americans, we should continue to use oil our enemies provide, and at their whim. If they want to charge $140BBL, than let them, right? I mean, we all know how fast the government works around here, so it's only temporary! We'll abandon all plastic and styrofoam usage, and from now on, everything will be made from hemp, glass and metal (if we can find anything to fire up the mills). I live in the most densely populated state in America (and one of the richest, and most Blue) and I can count the solar panels I've seen across this state on one hand. I have no doubt though, that by this winter, every single one of us will have solar panels or wind power to heat our homes, and we won't have to use oil. We're all getting electric cars with solar panel installation as well.

You're smart.

everything depends on how drilling is done,could put requirements that oil sold here,could let army corps of engineers drill and process oil and put it on market here. don't forget it is expensive to transport oil so better to keep it here then to put it on market and ship it over seas.10 years is a crock,if resources are put behind it oil could hit market in very short time,during world war 2 ships were being built at a ship a day,when just before the war it took 5 years to build one,don't underestimate what can be done if it is necessary

Oil contracts are sold on NYMEX and like other commodoties, the larger the supply the lower the price. Even if you don't understand, we will be increasing our domestic supplies.

I'm sure you read the news yesterday about OPEC (Saudi Arabia, Iran, and other oil producing countries) decided to cut production of oil because they don't want the price to continue to drop. Americans are tired of foreign countries controlling oil supplies.

And, that's a problem why? You liberals keep telling us we use 25% of the oil. So, we will benefit the most from falling global oil prices. Plus, we will be keeping the money at home. I know you like the saudi's and Chavez more than american companies, so anything that helps our country your against. You no growth liberals are sickening, the way you claim to look out for the little guy, then drive the price of fuel through the roof.

Okay, and slightly is better than nothing and perhaps even more since speculators will back off knowing there is more on the market. Nothing wrong with keeping prices down a bit while the technology catches up with demand. Keeping them high and in 10 or 20 years technology catches up doesn't make sense.

Drilling will not change any thing. It will take years to actually find and drill for and pump up any oil we find. It will take years to refine. Mean while we will keep watching the price of oil go insane so that in 20 years or so we can affect the price of oil by a penny per barrel.