Friday, August 1, 2008

Stale or just simmering

It has been a while folks, but I really wanted to get a good idea of what you think about the immigration issue.
I thought it was a hotter topic. I've been wrong before.
How about offshore drilling? That's going to be one of the biggest issues leading into the election, unless of course Congress gets off its collective backside and does something about it.
McCain's for it, Obama's against it.
Where do you stand and why?

15 comments:

Riggstad said...

Oil is not a renewable resource.

We will need to find new fields, or learn live without it.

Offshore drilling does have its environmental drawbacks. Oil spills, drilling fluids, metal shavings, etc.

It was determined that over the life of one such rig in the Gulf of Mexico, that it had dumped as many as 90 tons of drilling fluid and metal shavings over its life span.

However, with technology as it is today there are new and more efficient ways to protect the envronment while searching for oil fields off shore.

So the questions is not if, its when. There will come a time when we will have no choice than to find alternate ways to fulfill our oil needs without depending on other countries or the mideast.

Do we have a choice? Isn't now, with the global political climate the way it is, the time to take action?

Anonymous said...

Oil! If you are an elder statesman you will remember the Carter Administration - it was truly bad. The BIG problem then was not his brother "Billy" - who made life interesting, but, the problems at the pumps. In line and hopefully when it was your turn at the pump you could get a few $$ worth. So, exactly what happened my dear "Big Oil Companies"??? Now because of their neglect of their business, which always includes makeing plans for the future, we are in another crisis. Maybe, back to shorter work days closing all suppliers of fuel at 7:00 PM and also all stores/shopping centers at the same time. Sounds drastic, but maybe families will become more aware of who they are living with - wife & children.
Next problem - Electric and home fuel? How in the world are Seniors on fixed incomes and Single Mom/Dads going to find the funds for the increase that is now upon us? Well, that's another story.

Anonymous said...

Stan ... Immigration Issue in todays paper revealed exactly what our Employers and the ICE should be doing. All Unions should back them up also. In looking over 2007-2008 issues of various papers, yours included, the reason we have not seen progress in the Auto Industry's ability to make a more cost friendly and environment friendly cars, is because they got their tails burned when they came out with an Electric Car. Now, if you have an electric car, it does not need all the maintenance as a gas fired one. The same goes for Batteries and Tires that will last a zillion years. We need to keep all businesses happy and people employed - like you and me, so they too did not fly. But, as we stand now, offshore drilling should be kept at a minimum, because of natures balance and it will not help currently. So, drive less, insulate your homes and get the best heating system that your pockets can stand and wear sweaters for warmth, not just for looks, sorry men/gals, but that's the way it is.

Anonymous said...

Peoples memories become mired in their political leanings.

The price of gasoline today is a smaller portion of the average wage than it was 60 years ago.

The oil shortages in '73-'74 occured during Nixon and those in '78-'79 at the end of Ford's Administration and the beginning of Carter's. Carter initiated a national "Synfuel" project that was junked during the Reagan Administration.

The major appeal of drilling off the continental shelf is that it is in international waters. There are no leases 20 miles or so out to sea and no royalties to be paid, and few international controls. The U.S. oil reserves on land exceed those of the middle East, many times over. It's just that it's more convenient to buy or invade than develop domestic resources. The Canadian oil sands and Northern border sands and shale alone equal the worlds supply of proven resources.

Alaskan oils serve Japan not the U.S market. The world carbon demands have outstripped production and no one has restricted the building of refineries or investment in the development of electric cars or expansion of better public transportation.

Remember when they want to sell you something, the pitch is always the same, it will cost you less or next to nothing in the future. Atomic power would charge only for the service of the transmission lines, etc.

You can tell more about the future by recalling the past more accurately.

Anonymous said...

Clinton = Budget surplus!
Bush = Great-great-great-great grandchildren will be paying taxes for his favoring the rich, i.e., republicrats!

Anonymous said...

I say we drill everywhere, right here, right now..like John McCain thinks is so humorous. We could all be like the Beverly Hillbillies. I feel sorry for the next President, whoever that may be. George Bush will be leaving him a $280 BILLION debt, an invasion gone terribly wrong, and a legacy that needs a shovel to dig out of. Offshore drilling was banned during his administration, and now it's suddenly the great election buzzword.

Anonymous said...

The "opinion" to cut ABM loose from Montgomery County even though they said they were cooperating with ICE seems like one of those union people wrote it. What part of illegal alien don't they understand? They are not immigrants as they are not trying to come into the country the legal way. They commit the first crime of crossing the border illegally, then they continue with false names and social security numbers or by identity theft. Anyone else would be locked up! I don't feel a bit sorry for the woman who had a tracker put on her ankle. She is just like the other criminals that have those devices put on them. It's to keep her from running to another area and assuming yet another name to illegally stay in the US. They need to be processed, fingerprinted with photos (hopefully with those new iris identification photos), then deport them. They should go to the back of the line, after paying any taxes that they may not have paid while working under the table. Then they can apply, just like everybody else, to come to the US.

Anonymous said...

If a person is working under the table, the employer is not only breaking the law, like their employee,, but they are making illegal immigration an attraction, leading to ever more illegals.

Anonymous said...

Any person/company dealing with any of the following: Federal/State/County/Township/City government requiring a contract should have ICE confirmation of all employees as to their legal standing. More work for ICE and also more vans will be needed to transport those here with out the proper papers. A little more time spent when hiring will result in a better workforce that is truthful. There is a right way and a wrong way entering and remaining here in OUR COUNTRY. Who says it can't be done? Never take the easy way out and the whole country will benefit and so will those entering OUR COUNTRY and are seeking employment so that they can enjoy a full life here in their new found home.

Anonymous said...

Clerk of Courts can't deal with the backlog of criminal filings or the procedures are too cumbersone to expedite the filings in a timely manner?? No matter...Did I read correctly the statement was "PUT A CORK IN IT"...??? We do have three (3) Commissioners, right??? Is everyone consulted when an increase or new hire needs to take place??? I know there is a Dem. Convention going on and one of our three Commissioners is not available - but how could the other Dem. Commissioner (Matthews) make a decision without consulting the Republican Commissioner??? I'm sure our President Judge R.J. Hodgson would have placed his request/concern in writing if it were top priority so that ALL COMMISSIONERS were aware of the overload in the Clerk of Courts Office - after all this is the newly elected Democratic ROW OFFICERS and they probably would need a training period in order to get up and running. But, all excuses aside - It takes three, not 2, or 1 to make the decision Mr. Matthews - get your act together - it is OUR COUNTY and OUR TAX MONEY you are using...some where along the line Commissioner Matthews you have lost it - GOOD JUDGEMENT!

Anonymous said...

And the VP is??? The Gov. of Alaska! Now, since she has placed the skids on the "Bridge to Nowhere" how do you think she will react to more drilling? She did mention the gas line - but the drilling is another thing. I believe she was the right choice - it balances the Rep. ticket, just as the Senator from Delaware balanced the Dem. ticket. Now, we have a GREAT RACE GOING!

Anonymous said...

King Matthews makes all the decisions, because he has always known what is best for Montgomery County -- maybe hiring someone with skills and not because of their political connections would be a start. He needs to zip his mouth and listen to the Republican's Choice for guidance. Let the YOUTH LEAD!

Anonymous said...

In todays paper (9/11/08) an article on OPEC really started the conversations going on...Remember 9/11 and which countries were involved that started this nasty war we are now in. Oil was connected to the start of WWll with the Japanese. So, now do you believe we should "Drill, Drill Baby"?? Shortages just don't happen over a few years. This Administration has had to deal with many happenings that the UN for years did nothing and our US Presidents/Congress sat on their hands with their blank minds working for the ME and not Our Country. Yes, we all should remember 9/11 and Pearl Harbor and have our Government take care of business when it occurs - Our President & the Military did act and we should all Thank them every day for keeping Our Country Safe...

Anonymous said...

Not too sure if this is the place to make a statement on the Tobacco Situation - but here goes... Here in PA there now is a NO SMOKE LAW. Now, the Amish around this neck of the woods used that crop as their major source of income and the Tobacco Company use Tobacco in the form of cigaretts for export. Are both of Amish and Tobacco Co. getting compensated some how as they did back in the '40s??

Anonymous said...

Why is the one poster blaming the backup at the courts on the Democrat. Castor was the one interrogating the department saying the taxpayers want to know where their money is going. (not the exact quote, but you should get the picture). Castor got his $70,000 pension payment for a couple of days work and now he's wasting more taxpayer's money continuing to whine about the unfairness of it all. Business as usual, good enough for government work. Castor needs to stop the talking and get to work! He can also return the $70,000 as he has wasted tax dollars whining. He complains about a possible illegal janitor cleaning his office, when he needs to focus on the big picture of the courts having to prosecute the illegals and get them deported! Maybe your reporter can give him statistics of all the hit and run accidents caused by these illegals. That $70,000 would help pay all the deductibles that the affected vehicle owners (and one home owner - truck crash on Marshall) have had to pay. 09162008-10:12 a.m. 0003