Do NOT stop Offshore Drilling

Oil is necessary for the present day American economy. Other energy sources such as solar, wind, bio-diesel, coal, natural gas, and nuclear power all have great potential and one or more of these combined with future technologies may greatly reduce oil demand and even make oil obsolete but that will not happen until some unforeseeable point in the future.

In the mean time our choices are to get as much domestic oil as possible, or to import more at prices made higher by reduced supply. The latter will undermine the U.S. economy and there is little doubt that it will further enrich leaders of many nations hostile to us.

The former does carry the risk of further oil spills. When such spills happen those responsible should be held responsible and be made to bear the full cost of environmental cleanup as well as compensating people whose livelihoods are damaged, as well as pay penalties for any negligence that was a factor in causing the spill. If it can be shown that legal reforms are necessary to make sure that those responsible pay the full amount they owe, then make those reforms. Banning offshore drilling altogether - and in fact not opening up more areas for drilling both on and off dry land - is a panicked overreaction to a tragic but rare accident. The risks of offshore drilling can be managed; the risks of greater dependence on foreign oil are much greater and much more difficult to manage.