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FOX News reports that support for drilling in California will yield little return on oil if legislators insist drilling take place at least 100 miles from the coastline -- here's why:
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Senator Bob Corker (R-Tennessee) has signed the letter to protect October 1 as American Energy Freedom Day, and to “actively oppose” any attempt to extend bans on offshore drilling and oil shale beyond their expiration at the end of September.
In his statement, Senator Corker said, "I support environmentally friendly offshore oil drilling and oil shale production as a bridge to the future while we invest in alternative energy technology. The reality is we cannot make the transition to alternatives overnight.”
To date, the following 39 Senators have signed the letter: Lamar Alexander (R-Tennessee), Wayne Allard (R-Colorado), John Barrasso (R-Wyoming), Bob Bennett (R-Utah), Kit Bond (R-Missouri), Sam Brownback (R-Kansas), Jim Bunning (R-Kentucky), Richard Burr (R-North Carolina), Saxby Chambliss (R-Georgia), Tom Coburn (R-Oklahoma), Norm Coleman (R-Minnesota), Thad Cochran (R-Mississippi), Bob Corker (R-Tennessee), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Larry Craig (R-Idaho), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Jim DeMint (R-South Carolina), Pete Domenici (R-New Mexico), John Ensign (R-Nevada), Michael Enzi (R-Wyoming), Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina), Charles Grassley (R-Iowa), Judd Gregg (R-New Hampshire), Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas), Jim Inhofe (R-Oklahoma), Johnny Isakson (R-Georgia), Richard Lugar (R-Indiana), Mel Martinez (R-Florida), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Pat Roberts (R-), Jeff Sessions (R-Alabama), Richard Shelby(R-Alabama), Ted Stevens (R-Alaska), John Sununu (R-New Hampshire), John Thune (R-South Dakota), David Vitter (R-Louisiana), George Voinovich (R-Ohio), Roger Wicker (R-Mississippi).
Text of the letter...
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We pause today, just as we have in the past six years since 9/11, to somberly reflect on the events of that bright, sunny September morning in 2001, when terrorists hijacked four passenger airliners. Two planes, American Flight 11 and United Flight 175, departed Boston’s Logan Airport and were flown into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City. After taking off from Dulles International Airport in the Washington, D.C. suburbs of Northern Virginia, terrorists seized American Flight 77 and flew it into the Pentagon. Shortly after take-off from Newark, terrorists killed the pilots of United Flight 93 and turned the plane toward Washington, D.C., with the U.S. Capitol as a likely target. Brave passengers fought back, rushing the cockpit and forcing the terrorists to crash the plane in the rural Pennsylvania town of Shanksville, thus saving possibly thousands more American lives and serving as a prominent symbol of American democracy.
For a nation enjoying the peace dividend resulting from the end of the Cold War, the attacks of September 11, 2001 were a shocking reminder that we live in a dangerous world. Adherents of an extremist ideology used civilian airliners to target American civilians of diverse race, ethnic backgrounds and religious beliefs. The terrorists sought nothing less than to destroy Americans and to irreparably harm the American spirit.
Fortunately, the terrorists badly misjudged the American spirit. In the days and months following the attacks, Americans came together in resolve that no extremist shall curb our freedom or undermine our liberty. Americans pitched in to rescue victims of the attacks and to help the recovery effort. That very dark day yielded to the shining brilliance of American compassion and our indomitable will.
Today, President Bush joined Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mike Mullen, survivors and family members of 9/11 victims in dedicating the Pentagon Memorial. President Bush said, “The day will come when most Americans have no living memory of the events of September the 11th. When they visit this memorial, they will learn that the 21st century began with a great struggle between the forces of freedom and the forces of terror. They will learn that this generation of Americans met its duty -- we did not tire, we did not falter, and we did not fail.”
On this day of remembrance, I ask you to join me in praying for the survivors and the victims’ families to find peace. I also ask you to pray for the men and women who protect us from further attack.
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Next April, we will celebrate the 60th anniversary of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, which was formed in the wake of the Berlin Airlift to counter the threat of Soviet aggression in Europe. In 1949, NATO began with 12 nations wanting to create a more secure and stable Europe. Over the last 60 years, NATO has continually expanded from Spain to Germany to several former Soviet Republics. Today 26 countries are members of the alliance.
And despite the end of the Cold War, NATO is just as important today. The threat of terrorism in Europe, and Russia’s recent invasion of Georgia, serves as a stark reminder of the need for collective security among Europe’s democracies. Nations such as Albania, Croatia, Macedonia, Ukraine, and Georgia crave the security guarantees that NATO membership offers.
We have witnessed the benefits of NATO expansion and the vitality new members bring to the alliance. The most recent members of NATO have been some of the most powerful voices and strongest leaders in defense of Europe’s interests and willingness to confront emerging threats and challenges. Several months ago, the Czech Republic agreed to house a missile defense system radar, and last month, Poland signed an agreement to base the interceptor missiles needed to shoot down any ballistic missiles aimed at the Europe or the United States. Both of these countries joined NATO less than 10 years ago, but are also some of the strongest supporters of the War on Terror in Afghanistan and Iraq...
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Last night Sen. DeMint joined Sen. Jim Bunning (R-Ky.) on CNBC's "Kudlow & Company" to discuss the government bailout of mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and the current drilling debate heating up in Congress.
Click here to watch a video clip of the interview.
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Recently, a notable economist who supported the stimulus tax rebate checks mailed out this spring admitted the checks failed to give the economy a much-needed boost.
Martin Feldstein, a Harvard professor who chaired the Council of Economic Advisers under President Reagan, wrote in the Wall Street Journal:
Those of us who supported this fiscal package reasoned that the program would boost consumer confidence as well as available cash.{…}The evidence is now in and that optimism was unwarranted. Recent government statistics show that only between 10% and 20% of the rebate dollars were spent. The rebates added nearly $80 billion to the permanent national debt but less than $20 billion to consumer spending. This experience confirms earlier studies showing that one-time tax rebates are not a cost-effective way to increase economic activity.
Not only were the stimulus checks ineffective, they added nearly $80 billion to our permanent national debt. Once again, our government’s knee-jerk reactions will cost our children and grandchildren for years to come...
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Senator John Thune (R-South Dakota) has signed the letter to protect October 1 as American Energy Freedom Day, and to “actively oppose” any attempt to extend bans on offshore drilling and oil shale beyond their expiration at the end of September.
To date, the following 39 Senators have signed the letter: Lamar Alexander (R-Tennessee), Wayne Allard (R-Colorado), John Barrasso (R-Wyoming), Bob Bennett (R-Utah), Kit Bond (R-Missouri), Sam Brownback (R-Kansas), Jim Bunning (R-Kentucky), Richard Burr (R-North Carolina), Saxby Chambliss (R-Georgia), Tom Coburn (R-Oklahoma), Norm Coleman (R-Minnesota), Thad Cochran (R-Mississippi), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Larry Craig (R-Idaho), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Jim DeMint (R-South Carolina), Pete Domenici (R-New Mexico), John Ensign (R-Nevada), Michael Enzi (R-Wyoming), Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina), Charles Grassley (R-Iowa), Judd Gregg (R-New Hampshire), Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas), Jim Inhofe (R-Oklahoma), Johnny Isakson (R-Georgia), Richard Lugar (R-Indiana), Mel Martinez (R-Florida), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Pat Roberts (R-), Jeff Sessions (R-Alabama), Richard Shelby(R-Alabama), Ted Stevens (R-Alaska), John Sununu (R-New Hampshire), John Thune (R-South Dakota), David Vitter (R-Louisiana), George Voinovich (R-Ohio), John Warner (R-Virginia), Roger Wicker (R-Mississippi).
Text of the letter below...
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Today, Senators Saxby Chambliss (R-Georgia) and Norm Coleman (R-Minnesota) have signed the letter to protect October 1 as American Energy Freedom Day, and to “actively oppose” any attempt to extend bans on offshore drilling and oil shale beyond their expiration at the end of September.
To date, the following 38 Senators have signed the letter: Lamar Alexander (R-Tennessee), Wayne Allard (R-Colorado), John Barrasso (R-Wyoming), Bob Bennett (R-Utah), Kit Bond (R-Missouri), Sam Brownback (R-Kansas), Jim Bunning (R-Kentucky), Richard Burr (R-North Carolina), Saxby Chambliss (R-Georgia), Tom Coburn (R-Oklahoma), Norm Coleman (R-Minnesota), Thad Cochran (R-Mississippi), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Larry Craig (R-Idaho), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Jim DeMint (R-South Carolina), Pete Domenici (R-New Mexico), John Ensign (R-Nevada), Michael Enzi (R-Wyoming), Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina), Charles Grassley (R-Iowa), Judd Gregg (R-New Hampshire), Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas), Jim Inhofe (R-Oklahoma), Johnny Isakson (R-Georgia), Richard Lugar (R-Indiana), Mel Martinez (R-Florida), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Pat Roberts (R-), Jeff Sessions (R-Alabama), Richard Shelby(R-Alabama), Ted Stevens (R-Alaska), John Sununu (R-New Hampshire), David Vitter (R-Louisiana), George Voinovich (R-Ohio), John Warner (R-Virginia), Roger Wicker (R-Mississippi).
Text of the letter below...
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