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[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by Hershey

There's the money that's used for military to protect the oil in foreign countries . Thus taxpayers money .

If Obama would allow drilling on federal land to return to previous levels, the U.S. would become energy independent even sooner, and this point would become moot.

[Hershey]

Originally Posted by nookandcrannycar

If Obama would allow drilling on federal land to return to previous levels, the U.S. would become energy independent even sooner, and this point would become moot.

Not for that . Makes landscapes fugly and more polluting than the battery issues stated here on hybrids and electric cars .

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by Hershey

Not for that . Makes landscapes fugly and more polluting than the battery issues stated here on hybrids and electric cars .

Whether what it does to the landscape is worth the trade off is a personal feeling each person has. I'd be surprised if anyone tried to study it.

The studies are all over the map, so to speak, re conclusions re the effects of fracking. Whatever the truth is, fracking isn't going away.

Given your location, I can understand why you would have stronger feelings than some as you have the opportunity to physically see it. The US will become energy independent anyway, it would just happen sooner if Obama would allow those leases to be renewed. I can't say for certain that I wouldn't feel the way you do if I lived in the same area, but I don't think I would. Once the US becomes energy independent, there will be no political or other justification...in any way, shape, or form that would rightfully allow for those military dollars to be spent, as you mention, protecting oil interests. Whether that stops once we truly reach energy independence will be interesting to see. Even if you are right re the pollution and thus Obama not making the point moot by opening up federal lands for drilling...and he stays wedded to his current view, the point point will become moot anyway once the US is truly energy independent just from production on non (federal) government owned land.

Once we are truly energy independent (with or without Obama's help) the point that oil interests get, arguably justifiably, protection for overseas oil interests, so how is that different from government hybrid/electric incentives (let's say I agree that it currently isn't any different) would be removed as a valid point in the argument because there would be no more potential reasonable and ethical justification for that protection to continue.