Senator Jim DeMint has the details:(emphases mine)
We’ve just been alerted that despite House Democrats relenting on extending bans on offshore drilling and oil shale in the continuing resolution (CR) appropriations bill, Democrat Senate Leader Harry Reid has decided to sneak an extension of the oil shale ban through as Congress fights over the financial bailout. Oil shale in America’s West is estimated to hold be between 800 billion and 2 trillion barrels of oil — that is more than three times the proven oil reserves in Saudi Arabia alone.
The text of the Reid language is here.
As an aside, I just got off the phone with Reid’s office and asked the staffer why Reid is hellbent on sending us to the economic stone age, with his constant stonewalling of our ability to harvest our own resources.
The staffer replied that Reid’s energy policy is long term in scope.
I replied, "What about the short term? What good is the long term if in the short term we collapse economically, and have nothing to leave our kids? Why is Senator Reid constantly stonewalling our ability to harvest our own resources?"
The condescending, smarmy schmo replied, "Well, sir, that’s if you believe that more oil will help us in the short term."
Someday, someone will invent a machine whereby it is possible to slap someone upside the head via the telephone.
Until then, banging my head against the wall will have to suffice.
I swear, and I’ll say this professionally: Anyone who votes democrat in the upcoming elections ought to have their head examined.
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