Sure, Barr also believes that the economy needs a little nudge to push it out of its current crisis but afterwards, it should be left alone. Oil prices may be higher elsewhere, but oil companies would have to pay to transport it. Oil tankers are slow (therefore no “immediate return on their investment” as there is a time lag before they get their profits). Not to mention they would have to store and provide protection.

If all fails, (which is very unlikely) as I mentioned in my comment earlier, legislation could be passed to make it very difficult for oil companies to sell their oil outside. This is definitely more feasible than other far-fetched (or very Congress dependent) schemes the other candidates have come up with.

Don’t you think that this crisis justifies a push from government to get things moving? We learned that companies want to see an immediate return on their investment and alternative energy development will take years before a profit is returned. The free market is wonderful but we have to be practical. If we let the market run its course, the environment will be depleted and our future, the future of the generations after us, YOUR CHILDREN, will be jeopardized. This is what I meant by social responsibility.

Well the question is, is it the government’s right to take away the fundamental right to property in the time of crisis? Well of course not, if you give up your rights now, when oil is scarce, then you have no rights. The crisis of oil can be solved in other ways. Drilling is not our last resort, we have to deplete all our other options. And it would be proficient if we looked toward alternate energies instead of wasting our time trying to figure out if it is environmentally save to drill in ANWR.

And whose right is it to own the property? Not drilling in ANWR does not mean that we are “losing” the land, in fact we are making a sound decision to preserve the little land we have not destroyed. Why do we have to “use” and exploit everything in order for it to seem like we care that the land exists? Maybe we can show that we care just by leaving it alone. And like I said we are not “losing” but rather “gaining” because we are able to preserve greenery and animals.

And an answer to your question Lisa, is is not okay for us to turn socialist in order to fulfill the need and want to today and not think of the future. We have doors open to us (alternate energy) yet we seem to still want to jump out the window (drilling).

-Samema Sarowar

I was also asked how Barr would make sure the oil that was produced by drilling would stay in the United States.

Again, it is best if government stays out of this business and let it regulate itself. The very high demand for oil in the United States will ensure that oil companies deliver their oil here and not export it elsewhere. There is no reason why oil companies would pay money to transport the oil some where else when they can gain a higher profit by selling it in the United States.

To people who are still not convinced, Bob Barr knows that the economy functions best when it is left alone save a little bit of regulation. If the situation arises (unlikely) that oil companies export the oil drilled in the United States, legislation would be passed to make it very hard for them to do so.

As Lisa says, the candidates can promise a lot of regulations and changes but it is up to Congress to pass them. Bob Barr’s platform is then, the most credible approach to the crisis as it does not promise a lot of regulations that are dependent on Congress.

Although your comment lies under McCain/Palin, Barr is major proponent of drilling. So I feel obligated to respond. The word “pristine” bothers me. I assume you are referring to ANWR. It is strange that most people do not have any qualms to drilling in the OCS as long it is made sure no disasters occur.When it comes to ANWR, however, people say it is “pristine” and it has the word “natural” in it. I claim that the oceans are more pristine or more “natural” that ANWR.

Mr. Barr says that drilling for oil can be done with as little damage to the environment as possible. There is no doubt that we need a lot of oil and although, the results will only show in a few years, the demand will still be as high as it is now. There is no reason that we should not drill for it.