Obama To Open Off-Shore Drilling; Republicans Criticize Decision They Agree With

Today, President Obama announced that his administration plans to open Atlantic and Gulf waters to oil and natural gas exploration and drilling, a move that was immediately condemned by Republican congressional leadership.

Obama announced that his administration would permit companies to drill into waters containing oil and natural gas in the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Coast, a stance that has largely been opposed by his party and is viewed as a concession to moderate Republicans in Congress. House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH), however, expressed opposition to the plan, claiming that it "continues to defy the will of the American people."

This will is described by Republicans as being in support of off-shore oil drilling. Which means that the Republicans are essentially against an idea that they are for.

This doesn't surprise me; Washington is full of backtracking, flip-flopping talk that is based off of political expediency and nothing more. Republicans love the idea of off-shore drilling, and the fact that they are opposed to off-shore drilling is absurd and shows how the leadership of that party is concerned with opposing Obama's administration for the sake of opposing it.

Before this decision, Republicans have consistently lambasted the Democrats for refusing to open up drilling off of our shores. Now that Obama has done precisely that, they claim that it isn't good enough - there has to be drilling everywhere.

This is what we call "moving the goalposts", a time-honored tactics of politicians who are playing politician instead of developing honest, sound policy.

Now, that isn't to say that Obama's decision is a great one. In the end, it is irrelevant if we open up drilling or not - compared to current and impending consumption rates, the new oil will be a drop in the bucket and won't even be online for another 8-10 years. We have to begin a comprehensive and sweeping program focused on a new nuclear power program if we want to truly solve our energy problem. Ironically, this is a Republican position.

Now only if they advocated it instead of pursued childish bickering by disagreeing with a plan they actually agree with, just for the sake of politics.