Why didn't the republicans drill it from 2000 til 2006?
Look, we all know dems are pussies about drilling, Bush knows it too. Why the hell didn't he start drilling when he had the power to push the legislation thru?
If the dems had prevented it for 7 years, I'd agree here. But it was the repub senate that killed the bill over and over from 00 to 06. You expect dems to do that... but repubs?
Bill Clinton pushed through a 30 moratorium on drilling in ANWR, that would be something very tough indeed to push aside. Environmentalists are quite vocal and well funded plus they have some powerful voices with the media machine. Face it, in this country politics is a job and getting elected/re-elected trumps everything..even common sense, foresight and doing something that is right but unpopular. Besides, back then who cared about exploiting our own resources and truly becoming energy independent? It wasn't a "hot button" issue that people cared about, gas was cheap and it wasn't going to get anyone any cheap political points and no-one cared b/c gas was so cheap. Now it seems like a real no-brainer because people care now that it effects them, and with that, the politicians can get re-elected.
Although the Repub. congress from 2000-06 wasn't exactly "good" or "conservative", since the Dems promised all sorts of stuff like a "solid, common sense plan" to bring gas prices down (it sounds so easy when they say it!!) gas has gone up to the stratosphere and the best "ideas" they can bring to the table have been suing OPEC, having quaint populist show trailer with the oil Execs (Chairman Mao would be so proud!) and still be vehemently against domestic energy production and exploration.
Both sides have fumbled the ball horribly, no doubt about that...