THE ANSWER TO HIGH GAS PRICES.....DRILL !

20.5 Million barrels each day. This is the total oil consumption for The United States. With a barrel of oil equating to 42 gallons of gas.....well you do the math and no matter how you add it up we as Americans use quite a lot of the infamous, "black gold." In fact in comparison to the second largest consumption nation , China, The United States is more than double in its consumption, though with the economic growth China is experiencing their consumption will be increasing.


Surprisingly , especially when taking into account the perception that the Middles East is the largest in oil production, The United States ranks third in that category behind the Saudis, who are number one and Russia who is number two. The US produces 8.69 million barrels each day, the Russians 9.27 and the Saudis 10.37. Yet the US imports 11. 8 million each day to meet the large demand.


With gas prices at or near record prices, how then can the US meet demand, ease the cost of fuel for the American people and not damage our oil based economy in the process ? Despite the cries of environmentalists and those who are pushing for alternative fuels to decrease our dependency on foreign oil, the only logical answer in the short and longer term to our energy problems is to drill for new oil.


While alternative sources like hydrogen are fine for the future, that technology is still years away and cannot help the current problem. Electric vehicles are still years away from being a viable source for the US driver and let's face it until they produce an SUV type vehicle that can travel several hundred miles without a charge, have the muscle to run 75 or more on the interstate and not bankrupt the buyer through the cost of the purchase, the American people as a whole are going to steer clear of electric.


Ethanol costs more per gallon to produce and purchase than oil so it too is not feasible. Adding to that the fact that the government is subsidizing the production of corn for the use of ethanol which is already beginning to effect the corn market and if this, "alternative, " fuel is pushed much more we could very well see a much greater economic impact .


Conservation is well and good and we each should do our part, but the American people prove with every passing holiday and vacation season that traveling and the use of vehicular traffic whether car or air only increases in this country and we are willing to pay whatever price is at the pumps in order to live the life style that we have chosen in our free society.


Yet the continual increase in gas and fuel prices are taking a toll on consumer pocket books. The latest estimates by retailers as we enter the all important holiday shopping season show that consumers are feeling the crunch and have indicated that shopping may be a little on the lean side this year.


So once again the only logical answer to the problem is to drill for new oil. Yet the left and the environmental whacos have controlled this issue for so long that their lobbying has begun to show results of the neglect in not only searching for oil in the US but in the dependency on foreign oil and our increasing consumption which has created the crises that we face today.


In Anwar, Alaska alone the capability to produce one million barrels each day with no environmental impact and the ability to get the oil out of the ground within one year after approval can begin easing the crises rather quickly but the left and the whacos fight logic everyday while complaining about our dependency.


Just off the coast of my home, Myrtle Beach, SC, the largest natural gas deposit in recent history and a sizable oil deposit wait to be tapped, but enviro whacos claim that it will disturb the pristine view from Grand Strand beaches and nothing has happened. This despite the fact that the deposits are more than 25 miles off the coast and if one stands at the top of the tallest hotel on the beach with a set of high powered binoculars it would STILL be next to impossible to see any well!


This is the logic of the whacos and the left about drilling to make this nation oil independent. The environmental impact that is used as a scare tactic by the left was also proven false after Katrina damaged three drilling platforms in the Gulf in 2005 and NOT ONE DROP of oil was spilled. The safety standards for wells has improved to the point that accidents are virtually non-existent. Yet the whacos cry foul and the drilling for new oil remains in limbo.


Finally the US is building one new oil refinery to help increase refining capability which has not changed since the last refinery was constructed more than thirty years ago despite a huge increase in consumption. And even this new construction met with protests from the illogical left and the whacos.


We have the capability to be completely independent of all foreign oil and reduce our gas prices by more than two dollars per gallon if someone would have the strength enough to stand up to the left and the whacos and force the issue over drilling for new oil. The left has had control of this issue long enough and the American people while environmentally conscience understand that drilling is safe and will answer the crises we face today, if Washington will get off their political duffs and move on drilling for new oil.

The whacos are in the minority but create fear in Washington because their lobby is so vocal and threaten politicians with false or highly exaggerated environmental impact reports and flash sizable sums of campaign dollars. Those of us who pay the price at the pumps are the majority and if we speak in one voice Washington will be forced to listen. We can force this issue and get America off the dependency wagon and onto a free society who control our own energy future and financial capacity through oil produced at home for home consumption!

Ken Taylor