Tim Pawlenty: Obama "sat on his hands" on drilling
Win McNamee/Getty Images
In an interview with Chicago's "Don Wade & Roma" radio show, Pawlenty, who announced a presidential exploratory committee last month, argued that Mr. Obama was not interested in Americanizing the country's energy sources.
"We've got a country that's got some enormous energy assets that are not being exploited or leveraged to the benefit of our country and to our people," Pawlenty said.
"If you look at the Democratic party and what [Mr. Obama] believes, they're mostly beholden to what I would consider to be militant or unreasonable environmentalists," Pawlenty added. "Of course we have to be protective of the environment, but at the same time we've got to meet this country's energy needs."
Pawlenty argued for increased excavation of natural gas, as well as drilling offshore and in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR).
"I support drilling in ANWR, I support drilling offshore, in ways and places that are appropriate," Pawlenty said. "And this is a country that needs to get much more serious about Americanizing our energy sources and doing everything we can to develop our own energy here and add more supply."
In a press briefing on Monday, White House Press Secretary Jay Carney reiterated the president's goal of boosting investment in clean energy and reducing American dependence on foreign oil - but he emphasized that providing oil and gas companies with tax incentives was not the way to do that.
"Major oil-and-gas companies are going to report this week significant if not record profits," Carney told reporters during the briefing. "Given the constraints that we are under, given the need to tighten our belts, given the need to reduce the deficit, this president feels very strongly that it is inappropriate to continue those subsidies."
"I think most Americans would agree with the president that it is simply crazy and unsustainable to continue to subsidize the oil-and-gas companies when we need to reduce our deficit and invest elsewhere," he added.
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Pawlenty argued for increased excavation of natural gas, as well as drilling offshore and in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR).
"I support drilling in ANWR, I support drilling offshore, in ways and places that are appropriate," Pawlenty said.
"Major oil-and-gas companies are going to report this week significant if not record profits," Carney told reporters during the briefing. "Given the constraints that we are under, given the need to tighten our belts, given the need to reduce the deficit, this president feels very strongly that it is inappropriate to continue those subsidies."
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Why is Pawlenty not talking to these Oil and Gas companies to increase drilling in over 90% of their assets - When Oil companies only drill in under 8% of their available properties while smiling to the bank with Record profits - how is this POTUS to blame ???
It must be really SAD to be a PAwlenty right now.
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by jimbom121 April 25, 2011 9:24 PM EDT
Too bad the facts don't back up Tpaw's statements. Domestic drilling is currently at its highest level since 2003.
The most insane aspect of this policy is that we do not yet have the technology in alternative energy to meet the energy needs of the nation. You don't force people to go to something that is not ready ready yet (unless you are consumed by extremist left wing green ideology).
President Obama can try to point that finger at big oil or speculators all he wants, but his bad policy is intentionally driving up the price of fossil fuel. His administration is a major contributor to the rise in fuel costs. President Bush and most Alaskans wanted to open up ANWAR for drilling, and President Obama stopped it. After on foreign oil company acted irresponsible in the Gulf, President Obama halted all deep water drilling for months - causing many of the oil companies to pick up and leave. This administration has imposed more regulations on drilling, making it more difficult for US oil companies and forcing dependence on foreign oil. The energy policies of President Obama have been a disaster, and we are just now beginning to feel the effects.
Pawlenty is absolutely right.
The law of supply and demand definitely applies in this case. High gasoline prices are in a large part a result of reduced domestic production, 2011 productions levels are expected to continue to fall from 2010 levels as a result of administration pressure on the permitting process, limiting new drilling.
The Fact is that since the Obama administration began regulating oil production after the Gulf Oil spill, the retail price of gasoline has increased 43% ($2.67/g to $3.87).
The price of gas began to spike after the unrest in Egypt started.