Drill, Baby, Drill
| Sun Sep. 7, 2008 10:14 AM PDT
DRILL, BABY, DRILL....Daniel Larison watches the Republicans in St. Paul:
When the theme of the convention seems to have been, "Drill, baby, drill," which is an energy policy in exactly the same way that, "Tax, baby, tax" is a fiscal policy (i.e., it isn't), slogans are obviously all that the party has left. Even if you think that increasing oil exploration and supply through more offshore drilling makes sense, you cannot really take these people seriously.
Unfortunately, yes you can. This, by the way, was the moment when I completely gave up on the convention. It wasn't Giuliani, it wasn't Palin, and it wasn't McCain. They were just the closing acts. It was when I realized that the most reliable applause line on the convention floor was "Drill, baby, drill." Even by the low standards of political campaigns, this is a slogan so imbecilic that it makes you fear for the future of the Republic.
Then again, you can hardly blame them, can you? Here is the LA Times doing one of those obligatory man-in-the-street pieces in Uniontown, Pennsylvania:
Waitress Judy Artice, "Miss Judy," as she is known at Glisan's roadside diner, declared Palin "the perfect candidate" after watching her Wednesday speech. That said, Artice had already decided that her vote would go to the first candidate who mentioned gasoline prices.
"And — I'll be danged — it was Obama," Artice, 46, said between servings of liver and onions during the lunch rush.
Needless to say, Obama will have the same short-term impact on gasoline prices as McCain: none whatsoever. But apparently he won a vote in Uniontown merely by the good fortune of holding his convention first and making sure to mention gasoline prices in his acceptance speech. If that's what you're up against, I suppose that "Drill, baby, drill" makes perfect sense.
In other words, we're all doomed. In the meantime, though, I have named my cat consul of the empire and plan to repair to the living room to watch the Hannah-delayed remnants of the U.S. Open. I might as well enjoy myself while I can, right?
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Comments
Actually, the "drill, baby, drill" chant was started by Michael Steele earlier in the evening. He actually said it with a flair and good humor that worked in the situation. When Rudy tried to, um, go that well again, it just didn't work as effectively.
Submitted by Winston Smith (not verified) on Wed Sep. 3, 2008 7:50 PM PDT.
Wow. I'm starting to think these guys might be even crazier than I thought.
Which is saying something.
"Drill Baby Drill" is derived from Burn Baby Burn, which, before becoming a Trammps hit on the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack, was used associated with the Watts riots and the militant wing of the black power movement.
Very weird to see it adapted to a pro-oil Republican chant.
George W. said we are addicted to oil. Wow, was he right, or what?
It is scary that a crowd who is potentially nominating our next president would take such joy in and so cavalierly endorse drilling for oil in our beautiful ocean. I thought the baby was so far over the top as to be dispicable. Imagine bringing your baby into that crowded noisy place late at night just to get a good TV shot. Shame on them.
TJ, no offense intended, but, if you're going to quote T.B. Pickens, you should at least be honest with yourself and the rest of the readership. Pickens says "East, West Coast, and ANWR - get it all". http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VC8s7VipVic
Mr. Smith, as for how a crowd could "cavalierly endorse drilling for oil in our beautiful ocean" ... when is the last time we have had a major spill from an oil platform? Someone that is truly worried about the ocean should be doing everything they could to encourage local drilling, because the overwhelming majority of spills occur while transporting crude in tankers. If we drilled our own, there would be less tankers on the ocean. Also, do you really think the Saudis, Iranians, and Russians are taking any better care of the oceans/environment than the U.S. is???? It is a safe bet that we are much more environmentally friendly than any of the foreign producers.
The fact is, we do not currently have alternatives, and every drop we obtain on our own is one less drop that comes from Saudi Arabia, Iran, Russia, etc. That makes good strategic, economic, and environmental sense to me.
Submitted by Andre Nicolai (not verified) on Fri Sep. 5, 2008 2:15 PM PDT.
If the Republicans make "Drill, baby, drill!" their crallying cry we should respond with: "Spill, baby, spill!".
That "drill baby drill" chant is Stepfordian and spooky. I just think of oil drenched sea animals washing ashore and wildlife sniped from the air to clear the path for contractors.
Can Palin can balance her job and her kids? Sure! Just ask her nanny.
Drill Baby Drill is actually derived from the catch phrase used by my father the Magnificent Montague when he was the top D.J. in Los Angeles on KGFJ. It is well documented and if you google search him or go to www.magnificentmontague.com you will find more info.
Thanks
Kevin, We should drill, if for no other reason to remove that cry from the Republicans "solution" to our energy problems. (Of course, I want Bilbray and Rorbacher (sp?)to introduce the bill.)
Maybe then we could get to real solutions.
Kevin--
A number of serious economists argue that the futures markets cause long-term expectations to have a significant impact on current prices. They point to the recent doubling of world oil prices as an example, since current supply and demand do not justify it alone. What goes up can come down.
Or course you may be right and people like Marlin Fitzwater wrong, but what would you care to bet?
Note: Conservation, alternative energy, etc all count as "drilling" in this analysis, which is why McCain, if not his supporters, advocates much more than just "drilling."
I gave up on the GOP years ago. In fact I've long thought one of the country's deepest problems is that half of the electorate support a party of brain dead theocratic authoritarianism.
Even if the other party (which is certainly not perfect) manages to temporarily wrest power from the authoritarians, it is easier and quicker to run the country back into the toilet than it is to drag it out.
So the only long-term fix is to completely reform or eliminate the GOP. And if it's the latter we need a new opposition party (hopefully from the progressive side of things), or else the Dems will rot into complacency once they've got rid of their competition.
Every corrupt pol and business person in AK, and it sounds like there are a few, will be trying to milk Troopergate. I don't think we should count on truth emerging on this one, folks.
Imagine the gold rush that's on right now! People jumping into 4×4s and planes, racing all over AK for face-to-face meetings that can't be recorded. It would make a great film.
Alas!-Ka.
Tom Friedman is at his best these days when talking energy. He was on MTP today being very thoughful and I dare say enlightening.
Most Americans are so stupid and misinformed that they think building nuclear power plants somehow helps reduce our dependence on foreign oils. Less than 2% of our electricity is produced by oil. Nuclear power is the most expensive, most dangerous and the slowest way to produce more power for this country. When McCain says "more nuclear power", remember one word - Chernobyl. Do we want to make large parts of our country uninhabitable and give al-Qaeda new targets to crash planes into? Nuclear power also uses massive amounts of water and requires massive government subsidies to be profitable. You might have missed this, but our country has no money to subsidize nuclear power, or anything else for that matter...
We need to focus on energy efficiency (i.e. "negawatts"), solar, wind, smaller cars and more mass transit.
Atrios is correct
The whole point and entire content of the Republican Party messaging is to piss off and defy "liberals", and to thereby demonstrate just how much Republicans despise "liberals".
It doesn't matter that such slogans as "drill, drill, drill" don't mesh into sensible policies. It doesn't matter if the slogan is in fact a bald-faced lie.
All the GOP has left to offer are its resentments and its fears. And that's what the "base" wants, demands, roars for.
Somehow, I don't think the million-dollar-beach-condo owners from the the Redneck Riviera are clamoring for a new oil rig off their coast.
Interesting experiment -- is their first response going to be "Yay! F*ck the liberals!" or "Boo! I now have negative equity and tarballs on the rug!"
Here's an alternative to nuclear and wind turbines along our coasts. Tidal energy.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/sep/04/waveandtidalpower.rene...
I think it's quite obvious who has clout w/the Repubs when you see and hear the "Drill, Drill, Drill" from so many of them. They obviously believe that that is the medium to press a point. One other placard I saw was "Air Force for McCain"! Beg your pardon! Which Air force? That placard was placed up in the empty seats behind some pundits after the festivities. Oh those Repubs-They are so clever-Doncha' think?
John McCain says, "I hate war." and then chants "bomb bomb bomb bomb bomb Iran. bomb bomb bomb bomb bomb Iran."
Republicans chant "drill drill drill", "drill baby drill".
Hatred of Democrats seems to be their unifying theme. That's certainly not a light to govern by.
Bloggers have studied Palin quickly and discerned practically everything she's said so far has been a lie, not just a mistake, but a bald-faced lie.
That's certainly not good character.
What's to like about McCain-Palin? The Cold Warriors might like a renewal of war with Russia and the Fundies like being told they're wonderful.
But, again, that's not really good for America, is it?
That was the thesis of Frank's "What's the Matter with Kansas". Since the Democrats gave up on supporting unions and delivering on pocketbook issues then the Republicans are free to win on irrational emotional issues. That is why liberals are to blame for everything. Liberals are to Republicans what the Jews were to Nazis; a scapegoat around whose neck every negative could be hung. There is no logic to this and trying to rationally debate their slogans is a losing proposition.
I don't know how we get out of this quickly. Simply countering the emotions of the angry right with logic rarely works. As John Rothman says, "Don't confuse people with the facts."
So the public doesn't understand economics.
Nothing new in that.
And most oilmen are Republicans. This is not news.
They've nailed an effective issue, and mere logic is not going to save the Democrats, any more than it did Michael Dukakis or Al Gore.
There's no way pumping out 2-3 years of US supply over the next 50, or about 1% of world annual demand, is going to lower the price of oil.
But that will do Obama's presidential aspirations not one whit of good at all.
President McCain, and then when he becomes incapacitated, President Palin. Joy.
I sense a moment when the Joint Chiefs may find themselves in the difficult position of overruling their constitutionally appointed Commander in Chief.
Let's pray for a good Secretary of Defence.
All I can add is "Drill Baby Drill" goes very well with the previous Republican energy policy - "Close your eyes and keep on pumping."
This all feels real good but at some point you'll climax and then you'll open your eyes and have to reach for a wet wash cloth.
Submitted by Matthew Finnell (not verified) on Mon Sep. 8, 2008 1:41 PM PDT.
Crosspost from Environment America's "Drill Baby Drill" Daily Kos diary HERE.
I couldn't quite believe it myself when I heard the crowd at the Republican National Convention last week, whipped up into a frenzy over the idea of opening our precious coasts to new drilling.
Click here to see and hear it for yourself.
In the last few days, 10,000 of us have urged our representatives and senators in Congress to say no to new offshore drilling, no to putting our beautiful coasts at risk of devastating spills, and no to the false hope of a quick-and-dirty fix to our energy problems. That's a fantastic accomplishment in such a short time.
But frankly, we need to do more to make ourselves heard over the din of "drill, baby, drill" -- especially when Big Oil's propaganda machine can so easily amplify their call on Capitol Hill.
As soon as the next few days, Congress will vote on whether to pass an energy policy paid for by Big Oil or one that puts us on a path toward a clean, sustainable energy future. Tell Congress to put a stop to the Big Oil agenda right now.
Take Action
We're raising the voice of people from all over the country to expose Big Oil's self-serving agenda, which includes:
* Saying NO to clean energy and energy efficiency tax credits,
* Saying YES to $13.5 billion in tax giveaways to the oil industry, and
* Saying YES to new drilling off our coasts.
Let's face facts. Big Oil's agenda is not about saving us money at the pump. It's about making them more money any way they can.
As outrageous as that is, we cannot win without Congress hearing from more Americans like you.
Click here to tell Congress to pass a sensible energy policy.
"Drill, baby, drill" is no solution to our energy problems, not by a long shot. Help us stand up to Big Oil today.
