ANWR Drilling And Budget Cuts

The Senate is poised to go for oil drilling in ANWR as part of a new budget package Judd Gregg, Budget Committee Chair calls "the first deficit reduction pacage in almost a decade, and probably the most important legislation to be considered this year." (source)

It proposes cuts of $6 billion this year ... a drop in the bucket compared the the transportation spending bill's excesses ... and $39 billion over five years. If successful, that would be a 2% reduction in the budget, which shows just how powerless Congress is when it comes to fiscal management -- the bill contains $30 billion in new spending.

We're still not seeing the conservative fiscal leadership we expect out of a Republican Congress, but if we get ANWR, at least we'll get something. Environmental groups are threatening, already telling Senators that they'll consider a yes vote on the budget as a no vote in the environmental vote scorecards.

Let them pound the sand they hold so dear, I say. Today in Europe, there is not one remaining Green Party elected official, an indication of the waning strength of the environmental movement. The Dems talk endlessly about the need for energy independence so we can avoid future wars with Iraq.

To that I say, fine, let's drill in ANWR than ... and, did you know the war in Iraq is not about oil?