Obama permits off-shore oil drilling

That accidents might happen is a given. That is why accidents are called "accidents". But that seems to be not a good reason for supposing that Alaska will be despoiled by oil drilling. You know that there is already some oil drilling in Alaska now, don't you? If we were to take Alaska off the list (as you say) because of the possibility of accidents, then where should we drill? Anywhere?

I don't understand how accidents cannot be supposed as despoiling an environment. Isn't it just about the amount of despoilation? I mean, a gum wrapper despoils to some extent.

Yes we have been getting oil from Alaska for some time now, and the damage appears minimal. How is that justification to suppose more drilling will not cause irreparable damage?

Of course if there is an accident, that would be bad. But if we did nothing because if we did it there might be a bad accident we would do very little. We certainly would not drive our cars, for example. Well, all we can do is depend on past experience. We cannot be certain that more drilling will not cause damage, but then we can be certain of very little in this life. You cannot be certain that when you drive your car you won't end up in a bad accident either. Besides, I think that the drilling companies have learned a great deal about how to ensure that accidents are very unlikely.

The question may then be, Should we willing to take these risks in Alaska before it has become absolutely necessary? Have we reached the point where it is necessary?

The reality is that we don't know how much oil is under the ocean. We have estimates and leading experts give approximations but it's all speculation. This asymmetry in information gives a lot of people incentive to drill.

The *long-term* costs outweigh the short-term benefits. The problem is everyone is thinking short-term. Why do you ask? Because our incentive system is flawed.

The focus needs to be on sustainablility.

Oil rigs leave the potential for distaster; wasting a lot more than a few million in capital investment.

I think they are focusing on sustainability SB. We aren't there yet though, and we need something to tide us over.

In reality it isn't so much a choice between drilling and not drilling, as it is between drilling and the oil companies extracting oil from the tar sands of alberta, which only becomes cost effective when the price of gas rises.

As per Obama permitting off-shore drilling I think he is focused on other issues and "letting this one slide". His major obligations are clearly related to 1)labor/unemployment 2)healthcare.

How could that be true? If he had "let this slide" he just would have done nothing. But he opened up some areas that were not opened up previously. So, he did not just let anything slide.

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Reversing a ban on oil drilling off most U.S. shores, President Barack Obama on Wednesday announced an expansive new policy that could put new oil and natural gas platforms in waters along the southern Atlantic coastline, the eastern Gulf of Mexico and part of Alaska.

A welcome and astonishing decision. It makes me rethink my view about Obama.

i support the drilling of oil. It will create more jobs, and help the economy.
Perhaps you can tell me why this is bad?

Just this week there was an accident on an oil rig in the gulf of mexico, resulting in an oil spill ,the extent of which is not yet known, 11 lives lost. What will the environmental damage be?. If this isn't bad, what is?

There are terrible automobile accidents all the time. Many lives are lost every year. Should we get rid of automobiles?

So we should just accept continued damage to our seashores year after year as the price of never having to walk farther than the driveway.

Maybe we should get rid of automobiles. Given the choice of what we are losing to keep them ,I'd happily ride my bicycle.

You might, but others might not. Especially those who require automobiles in order to make a living. Not everyone uses an automobile (or a truck, or a bus, or an airplane) for recreation. And, of course, that is only the surface. Oil is an essential ingredient in most of the things we use. Telephones, computers. You name it, it requires oil as an ingredient or to make it. By the way, that includes your bicycle.

There is concept called moderation, of which few Americans seem to be aware. We are far along the road to satisfying our wants to the detriment of our needs.
The answer to our problems cannot be found in another oil well.

Well. that may be so. But it is not our need for oil that is fueling the need for more oil. It is the need by China, India, and other second and third world countries that are trying to get themselves up to speed. I would advise you address your complaints to them.