I am not primarily about making political comments; I am about trying to help our kids with Purpose in Life principles.  Those principles state that we are each to do the best we can with our ‘Talents’ and our ’Opportunities’ so I conclude that this is part of my purpose.  I am trying to honor my Loved Ones by doing my best to make our world a better place for all. 

I am also using this article as an example of what any of us can do.  We all can and should make our thoughts and feelings known.  We should express our opinions and we should try to help make the world a better place for all.  Your ideas and feelings are part of your ‘Talents’.  And, you make a difference when your ideas are heard by others.

The Democratic position on drilling is confusing to me and I think to a lot of the American people.  Here are the arguments that I see being put forth:

 “Big Oil and their White House allies want you to believe that opening up America’s coasts to offshore drilling will lower your gas prices.  Yet our Department of Energy says that offshore drilling would have “no significant impact” on gasoline prices, and we wouldn’t see those savings until 2025.” -

But, even if it is ‘no significant impact’, which I and a lot of people don’t believe is an accurate statement, every little bit helps.  The other side of that comment is that:  yes it will have some impact.  In addition, there is no evidence at all to support the statement that the oil and gas wouldn’t be available until 2025.

So why not do all we can?  Why not have these sources readily available?  We can use them while we develop alternative sources for ourselves and the rest of the world.

Don’t you agree that whatever the American companies spend drilling here stays in America and provides jobs and the companies and suppliers and employees pay taxes to our government?

Don’t you agree that every dollar we spend for oil and gas here reduces the amount we send to the other countries of the world?

Don’t you agree that if Clinton hadn’t vetoed the Anwar drilling bill more than 8 years ago we would have a significant new American source of oil right now?  Wouldn’t that be reducing the amount of our wealth that we are sending to the Arab states and the dependence we have on them and therefore result in a lower price of oil for us and the whole world? 

Wouldn’t we have sent a lot less money to them over the last few years? 

Wouldn’t the price of oil and gas have been much less several years ago as the certainty of a significant new source coming on line was looming?

And, what is this about calling the idea of drilling offshore or anywhere in America a ‘land grab’ for big oil?

If they pay our government, i.e., US, a big leasing fee to drill, agree to our limitations and restrictions,  pay us taxes on everything that they get out of the wells and the leases expire and can be taken away at the end of the leasing period how can that be a ‘land grab’? 

It seems to me that anyone who thinks about it would agree that it is a very misleading statement and must have some ulterior motives behind it.

If the oil companies will pay for any damages they cause; and they have not had any problems for the last 30 years in the Gulf of Mexico, and they have even better equipment and methods today, it seems that again these statements are at the very least misleading.

Jerry W. Willis

www.jerrywwillis.com