OIL FROM ANWR

There are still some negotiations with the House to go through, but as of now it looks like the eco-whacko crowd has lost the battle to prevent oil exploration in the northern reaches of ANWR.  Belinda is in mourning.

Just some quick facts for you to peruse:

• Caribou?  They don't care.  The population of the Central Artic caribou herd near the oil fields of Prudhoe Bay has grown an average of 8.5% per year.  The oil exploration operations don't bother them a bit.
  
• When ANWR was created in 1980 a section was set aside for oil exploration.  It is that area in which the Senate has approved oil exploration.  Imagine that.  Exploring for oil in a section of ANWR that was set aside for exploring for oil.  Who would have thunk it?
  
• Take the highest estimate of oil reserves from ANWR, then take the lowest.  Use those numbers to come up with a mean estimate of ANWR oil potential.  That figure is 10.4 billion barrels of oil.  That much oil could meet the total petroleum consumption needs of the state of New York for 34 years;  Georgia for 54 years, Maine for 259 years, Pennsylvania for 39 years.  That is not an insignificant amount of oil.
  
• If the most optimistic estimates of oil reserves in ANWR turn out to be true, it would be enough to replace 30 years of oil imports from Saudi Arabia.  That is not an insignificant amount of oil.
  
• Will oil production from ANWR exceed estimates?  Who knows?  The estimates for Prudhoe Bay were around eight billion barrels of oil.  So far we've extracted 14 billion barrels .. and we're not near through.  

This is being referred to in USA Today and other newspapers as "a blow to environmentalists."  Exploring Section 1002 of ANWR for oil is not a blow to true environmentalists.  It is a blow to assorted leftists, socialists, communists and various anti-American types who have all but taken over the environmental movement, and whose true goal is not so much protecting the environment as it is weakening the American economy.

As for Democrats?  They're already reeling with Bush's success in Afghanistan, Iraq and the rest of the Middle East.  Proposed elections in Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan and Lebanon.  Syria pulling back in Lebanon and pleading with Bush to give them time to reform.  Messy?  You bet!  But it's starting to look like Bush just may accomplish his goals in the Middle East.  The United States will be better off for it, and there will be the hated George Bush taking the credit.  So ...let's carry this forward to the ANWR situation and oil prices.  Right now oil prices are soaring.  People are paying over two bucks a gallon for gas.  Sad to say, but Americans will stand mute as the government seizes about 14% of each paycheck for the hideous Social Security scheme .. but pay over two bucks a gallon for gas and all hell breaks loose.  Democrats are loving this.  The price of gas could be a huge campaign issue for 2006!  I can hear it now:  "Bush's failed energy policy" and so forth.

So ... what could happen if exploration is authorized in ANWR?  What if the oil sheiks suddenly realize that America is serious about moving toward energy independence?  What steps could they take to protect their market position?  Well, for starters they could work to lower the price for crude oil to bring prices down at the pump.  With lower prices Democrats could lose another campaign issue ... and Bush ends up looking good again.

Make no mistake .. there is a huge, almost insurmountable level of ignorance about ANWR.  You'll hear people talk of gently rolling grasslands, pristine rushing streams and waterfalls, snow-capped mountains.  True ... some parts of ANWR fit this description ... but not section 1002 .. the section originally set aside for oil exploration.  In the Winter .. the only time that vehicular traffic will be permitted across the precious frozen tundra ... section 1002 looks like an iced-over dirt field. 

I'll concede that there are people who are opposed to oil exploration in section 1002 for purely environmental reasons.  These people are deluded and ill-informed.  The rest of the opponents are lying to you about their motives.  Their goal is to make sure that America does not alleviate its dependence on foreign oil sources, to weaken America's economy, and to keep high gas prices as a campaign issue.

Crank up the drills.

IT'S ST. PATRICK'S DAY!

Big deal. If they don't really care in Ireland, why do we make such a fuss about it here?  As an excuse to drink! Duh!

IRAQI ASSEMBLY SWORN IN

Operation Iraqi Freedom, which began two years ago this month, is now starting to wind down. Iraq's first freely elected parliament in 50 years took their seats yesterday. Not only is this historic, but we've been told for months by the left that it would never happen. 

First, it was the invasion...surely it would cost tens of thousands of American lives. It did not. Then it was the handover of power to an interim Iraqi government. That was unrealistic, decreed the Democrats. It should be delayed. We handed over power early, without incident.

Then there were the elections. We were told by the left and their America-hating counterparts at the U.N. that the elections should be delayed. Surely a vote was impossible while the insurgents were taking over! Not only did the elections get held, but there was record turnout and minimal violence. Even still, in the face of such an overwhelming success, the Bush administration got no credit for being right.

And so now here we are...the new parliament in Baghdad is in session. Yet another chapter in the stunning success of democracy in Iraq, even though you don't hear much about how well it's going. 

STUDENTS WALK OUT ON RACE WARLORD

An interesting development out of the Paul VI Catholic High School in New Jersey. New Jersey Secretary of State and race warlord Regena Thomas was there giving a speech last week on "racial justice" (whatever that is.) Apparently, in her speech, she blasted one student for not knowing his black history, and insinuated that the students were racist.

So what did the students do? Did they cower in the face of the mighty scepter wielded by the race warlord? Did they accept being made to feel like guilty white liberals? Nope.

At an assembly Tuesday where the principal supposedly tried to heal the rift, the students let the administration and the secretary of state know exactly how they felt about their multicultural psychobabble: they walked out.

By the way, many students are reporting that the racial problems began only after the speech on race. True to form, race warlords never want the problem of racism to go away, for it is where they draw their power. Nice to see the kids not putting up with this nonsense.

By the way, Regena Thomas has an interesting background. She was sworn in as the Secretary of State by the now-disgraced former Governor of New Jersey James McGreevey. She's also worked for Senator Corzine, and for The Torch, Senator Slimeball himself, Robert Torricelli. But if you inch just a little further back in her bio, you find that she worked for 12 years for.....drum roll please! ... The National Rainbow Coalition, and its founder, Jesse Jackson. 

It always comes back to the same place, doesn't it?

READING ASSIGNMENTS

Missed this yesterday.  A feature article in Wednesday's USA Today told the tale of Social Security privatization in Galveston County, Texas.  Everybody should hear this story ... and if you read this article and you're still opposed to private accounts ... well, you're just beyond help.  Simple as that.

It's Thursday.....which means it's Ann Coulter time. What is the real reason Brian Nichols got away and was able to commit murder four times? Because he wasn't being guarded by two large men. 

The Bush administration, ever a favorite of illegal aliens, has apparently set forth a proposal that could result in illegals getting Social Security benefits. The question remains the same as before: why not just send them home?

President Bush has selected Deputy Secretary of Defense and neocon extraordianire Paul Wolfowitz to lead the World Bank. The Euro-weenies are already upset....good.

Victor Davis Hanson, one of the best pundits out there, says President Bush's policy of spreading Democracy throughout the world is now a realistic policy, despite the cries on the left just a few months ago that such a policy was "unrealistic." 

The problem with negotiating with terrorists that they remain  terrorists, even while you're talking to them. To negotiate with them is to tolerate them.

Keith Olbermann on the little-watched MSNBC is upset with the Media Research Center for their reporting of his bias. Naturally, the MRC has a response.

Both Ohio Governor Bob Taft and new Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels have become tax-hikers....and Robert Novak says they're getting plenty of criticism. Remember, these are supposed to be Republicans.

Feminists are at it again at the University of North Carolina, and you know what that means...UNC Professor Mike Adams is there to face them down.

Not only are liberals wrong about things today, but they have been wrong frequently throughout history. Larry Elder says the war in Iraq is only one such example.

Ari Fleischer, former Bush press secretary, has a book out where he talks about how he faced down the liberal media day after day. Brent Bozell has a review.

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