A return to the Issue of Resources

This has been long overdue. So I'm finally going to follow-up a short post I made about a month ago concerning off shore drilling and the ineptitude of the Democratic defense (which, as I watched the coverage of Obama's acceptance speech last night seemed to be the case across most issues except from Obama himself. Many of the democratic politicians used as cannon fodder for Shaun Hannity came across as horribly inarticulate. Perhaps it's the nature of the "liberal" message.)
About a week following my post Obama folded to the political pressure and decided, since a large majority of Americans apparently believe off shore drilling will immediately cheapen gas and lessen our dependence on foreign oil, to side with many congressional republicans and support the elimination of the national off shore drilling moratorium. In his speech at the time, Obama made a number of excellent points, which he reiterated last night. Here is one I pulled from the following article.

- "We can't drill our way out of the problem," he said. But, he continued, "I also recognize that in the House and the Senate, there are Republicans who have very clear ideas about what they want, and at some point people are going to have to make some decisions. Do we want to keep on arguing, or are we going to get some things done?"

It is this sort of tactfulness that we should ask for in a president. A tactfulness that will very likely go beyond energy policy and cross over to foreign policy. In the comments to this article, a respondent wrote the following:

To put it simply
The Renewable Energy Tax Credit (RETC) runs out in January.
Thats over 60,000 jobs, and over 6,000MW of renewable energy development down the tubes if that happens. (Not to mention a brain-drain of the key professionals in this area overseas)
Republicans have blocked the 2009 renewal of the RETC 8 times so far this year.
Republicans have previously blocked it in 2000, 2002, and 2004. (It also lapsed 3 months into 2008) During those years, the market completely crashed.
There are ONLY 3 weeks left in September of this congress session before they close for the rest of the year.
Democrats got 51 votes in the Senate.
Democrats NEED 67+ votes to pass the renewal of the RETC.
So the only way that Democrats are going to get the RETC passed is if they give Republicans something they want.
And while that may not be "ideal", thats what we have to deal with.
-David Ahlport

But even if congress lifts the moratorium, the majortiy of governors in coastal states oppose lifting their own state bans.