Questions for John McCain

Senator, if you truly think we should be doing “all of the above” to reduce our dependence on foreign oil, why have you voted against every recent congressional measure to encourage renewable energy sources?

If you still worry about the effects of climate change, then why do you now emphasize drilling for additional oil offshore rather than energy sources that don’t create greenhouse gases? And why do you continue to talk about “clean coal,” which doesn’t actually exist?

Why do you say that offshore drilling will cut gasoline prices when the Energy Information Administration predicts that will not happen for a decade and will make little difference even then?

According to your best estimate, when will “drilling here and drilling now” reduce the price of gasoline in the United States? Please explain why you no longer believe in the data supplied by the Energy Information Administration, which you asked to provide the economic analysis for the climate-change bill that you co-sponsored with Sen. Joseph Lieberman.

When you assure audiences that drilling offshore will produce more oil within a matter of months, as you did in Bakersfield, Calif., last week, are you relying on sources other than the Energy Information Administration? Please identify the person or persons who told you that the oil industry can produce more petroleum within the next several months if we start offshore leasing today. Did you learn of that miraculous capacity from one of the many oil company lobbyists who have advised and raised money for your campaign?

When you said that there was no significant oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico even during Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, were you aware that at least 7 million gallons were spilled as a result of Katrina? How much oil must leak from a damaged offshore rig or barge before you would consider the spillage to be “significant”?

By the way, where will all that new offshore drilling occur if the states of Florida and California continue to oppose offshore leasing, as their governors have vowed to do? Do you still support the right of those states to prevent drilling in their coastal waters, as you promised last year? Doesn’t that promise conflict with your claim that offshore wells will produce enough new oil to lower gasoline prices?

Finally, what is so funny about checking tire pressure to save energy? Are you aware that auto and tire maintenance—like other conservation and efficiency measure—can save far more oil than offshore leasing will ever produce? Did you know that Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has urged the people of California to pump up their tires? Is it really prudent to mock him?

Truthdig - Reports - His Drilling Plan Is Full of Holes