Not Positive

In case you haven't noticed there's this door in Washington D.C. that President Bush is trying to open. Unfortunately for the president every time he's able to unlock the door, Congress is there to keep him from entering.

The topic of offshore drilling has certainly been a hot topic what with the high gas prices, and today President Bush promised to lift the ban on offshore drilling. By making this move, the president has placed the pressure on a congress mostly made up of Democrats. "For years, my administration has been calling on Congress to expand domestic oil production," said Mr. Bush. "Unfortunately, Democrats on Capitol Hill have rejected virtually every proposal. And now Americans are paying at the pump." But though the president wishes to lift the ban, it takes the action of congress to completely do so. Apparently there are two prohibitions on offshore drilling, one imposed by Congress and another by executive order signed by the first President Bush in 1990. Said the president, "When Congress lifts the legislative ban, I will lift the executive prohibition."

Now maybe you're sitting there reading this thinking how President Bush has failed the country again, but I would just like to point out the key word here, "Congress". Also, when you hear how Bush's approval rating continues to fall, ask yourself why that is, and then ask if the people who believe he's failed really know what they're talking about.

Sen. John McCain shares the same feelings as the president on this topic, while Sen. Obama wishes to help Americans with a second economic stimulus package so they can afford to pay the high gas prices. Both candidates also wish to develop alternate energy sources, but while it's a good idea, we're no where near that point.

According to Obama spokesman Bill Burton offshore drilling would provide short-term relief at the pump or a long-term strategy for energy independence. "It would be worthy of consideration, regardless of the risks," he said. "But most experts, even within the Bush administration, concede it would do neither. It would merely prolong the failed energy policies we have seen from Washington for thirty years." Thank you Mr. Positive, and when can we expect results from the Obama administration? Oh yeah, that's if he's elected, and that plan would still be a good decade or two away from completion.

Apparently even if Congress was to do their part is lifting the drilling ban, we wouldn't see results anytime soon, and when drilling operations finally got underway the results would be insignificant. But come on, isn't it better to try and so something than blaming the president for doing nothing? So thanks to the negativity on Capital Hill who knows what we can expect, because so far when it comes to gas, it's certainly not positive.