Surprise: Schwarzenegger flips, pulls support for California offshore drilling
posted at 5:40 pm on May 3, 2010 by Allahpundit
Oh well. It’s not like California needs the revenue.
The announcement assures that no new drilling will take place off the state’s coastline in the foreseeable future because Schwarzenegger would have to include the drilling proposal in his May revision of the state budget.
Speaking at a news conference near Sacramento, the governor said television images of the oil spill in the Gulf have changed his mind about the safety of ocean-based oil platforms.
“You turn on the television and see this enormous disaster, you say to yourself, ‘Why would we want to take on that kind of risk?’” Schwarzenegger said…
“If I have a choice to make up $100 million and what I see in Gulf of Mexico, I’d rather find a way to make up that $100 million.”
Translation: “Think of the otters.” You know what’s most amazing about this? He didn’t even bother with an analytical fig leaf. It’d be one thing if he’d said, “In light of the BP disaster, we’ve undertaken a new study of the probability of similar accidents happening offshore here and the potential economic damage incurred, and it turns out it’s simply not cost-effective.” Granted, that would have looked weak-willed and opportunistic too, but at least there’d be hard numbers to toss back at his critics. Instead, we’ve got policy decisions being formed based on his visceral reaction to watching the oil wash ashore in Louisiana. For two years he’s pushed this project, and it took two days of live shots to change his mind. Either he didn’t do his homework about spill risk in the first place or he’s every inch the irresolute “girly man” he likes to accuse Democrats of being. And of course, by doing this, he’s handing the left “bipartisan” political cover to shut down drilling — even though, being term-limited, there’s no electoral reason for him to do so. What a shame that he can’t run for president like he desperately wants to do, huh?
I haven’t been this annoyed since last week’s Charlie Crist press conference. Speaking of which…
Blowback
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LOL! All we need is a candidate named John Conner to run against him for the next election.
Egfrow on May 3, 2010 at 8:50 PM
Here’s to making decisions purely based on emotion. The Liberal way. We are all screwed.
cobrakai99 on May 3, 2010 at 8:57 PM
This call to end drilling is ridiculous on so many fronts. However, I don’t recall calls for no more skyscrapers or airplanes after 9-11. But whatever fits the agenda.
Virginia Shanahan on May 3, 2010 at 9:03 PM
One word: Nope, changed my mind, two: Candy ass.
Chewy the Lab on May 3, 2010 at 9:08 PM
Oh, forgot to add: Can we buy him a clown car to peddle around the state? He needs one.
Chewy the Lab on May 3, 2010 at 9:11 PM
Proving once again why he will be remembered as one of the worst Cali govenors in modern memory.
patrick neid on May 3, 2010 at 9:11 PM
Arnie is history. And he knows it.
GarandFan on May 3, 2010 at 9:14 PM
he really needs to get back on the steroids..he’s a girly man without them…
right4life on May 3, 2010 at 9:34 PM
Who cares about his nuts, it’s his brain that’s the issue here.
xblade on May 3, 2010 at 10:19 PM
No doubt about it, he is a girly-man. Just because he can pump iron and build big muscles doesn’t necessarrlily make him a man with a strong spine and some intestinal fortitude.
Mirimichi on May 4, 2010 at 1:20 AM
Ahnold looks a lot like Mitt Romney in that pic…hmmm….
Dr. ZhivBlago on May 4, 2010 at 2:20 AM
Just have to say it; For the folk that say W was behind 9/11, I believe O is behind the oil spill.
elifino on May 4, 2010 at 4:44 AM
Knee jerk. What has the CA ever tried to do about the seep from Santa Barbara? It puts out as much or more oil into the ocean than the BP leak every day and has for years.
Kissmygrits on May 4, 2010 at 9:24 AM
And what is the over under on the chance of Ahhhnold flipping?
Put it another way, tell me again he’s a republican because…?
Sir Napsalot on May 4, 2010 at 10:02 AM
I cannot wait until he is no longer my Governor and retires COMPLETELY from politics. His days of being a big whig in the Big Tent Party are over. The Tent isn’t big enough for his Obama-sized head.
Sultry Beauty on May 4, 2010 at 12:11 PM
As an aside, I wonder how long it will be before Obama tries to nationalize the oil industry.
Virginia Shanahan on May 4, 2010 at 2:15 PM
Chuck DeVore enlightened me to some major differences between oil drilling in the Gulf and what we do in California:
1. Gulf drilling is incredibly deep, so the rigs float and can sink in an emergency.
-CA drilling is very shallow, so the rigs are directly connected to the ocean floor and can not sink.
2. Since Gulf drilling is so deep humans can’t go down and fix leaks that occur close to the entrance to the well.
-Since CA drilling is so shallow humans can go fix leaks at the source.
3. Gulf drilling is all far out and can not be done from shore.
-CA drilling can be done directionally from on-shore sites, vastly improving safety.
4.We have natural oil seeps in CA that already pollute the beaches and oceans to the tune of between 8 and 80 Exxon Oil spills every year. UCSB Geologists believe if we relieve some of the pressure by harvesting the oil less will seep out and pollute.
Ahnold is a TUMAAAHH on this state.
NTWR on May 4, 2010 at 2:48 PM
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