BCT Editorial – 4/4/10

This page was last updated on April 4, 2010.

Drilled; Editorial; Beaver County Times; April 4, 2010.

In case you missed it, the intent of the editorial is to convince readers President Obama “stuck it [to] environmentalists when he announced a new policy that could allow drilling …” It doesn’t take a lot to blow a hole in this spin, however.

First, the editorial said Mr. Obama “announced a new policy that COULD [my emphasis] allow drilling.” Mr. Obama’s announcement only addressed “New Areas Open for Exploration, Study, and Potential Development.” The policy does not open for drilling any areas already explored and with proven reserves. It may be years before we know if commercially feasible oil and gas reserves exist on the announcement properties and there’s no guarantee production will be allowed if there are. The announcement was intended to make it look like Mr. Obama was doing something about increasing domestic supplies when he really isn’t. Of course, outlets like the Times are more than willing to cooperate. It also allows the Times to give faux criticism of Mr. Obama so at some future point the editorial board can use the editorial as “proof” the Times isn’t an Obama lapdog.

Second, the editorial failed to note Mr. Obama’s EPA and NHTSA announced they would move up CAFE standards scheduled for 2020 to 2016 and added CO₂ emission limits that begin to take effect in model year 2012. The CO₂ limits are intended to address the unproven - and currently discredited - theory of manmade global warming.

Yeah, Mr. Obama really “stuck it [to] environmentalists” - not.

The editorial said, “By fueling America’s addiction to fossil-based fuels, Obama also made it harder for Americans to think seriously about renewable and green energy.” This topic, like the Times smoke-in-the-wind “position” on debt and deficit spending, will give you whiplash if you’re paying attention. You may recall in “Digging deep” the Times supported drilling for natural gas in the “Marcellus shale formations.”