The proper role and scope of government

[piercehawkeye45]

Originally Posted by classicman

So Obama is or isn't pushing forward with more drilling?

Obama is going to push for more drilling. Alternative energy use is going to quickly grow in the next few decades but that growth will still be less than the global demand for fuel. Fossil fuels will remain our primary source of energy for at least the next 25 years.

How, specifically has this administration made it now safe to drill in the same location where we just had a major drilling disaster?

From what I know about sites like these, precautions can be taken but so much uncertainty exists it is impossible to make a site completely disaster free.

Originally Posted by Ibram

Gas companies are still making record profits. Record as in they are the most profitable companies that have ever existed in the history of the world. i don't think they need their subsidies

This is a complicated issue. If all gas and oil companies are capitalist then I would completely agree with you but unfortunately these subsidized companies need to compete with nationalized companies from China, Russia, Iran, Venezuela, etc. That is why only major or merged oil companies exist any more; the investment philosophy is completely different. That is not to say the process isn't corrupt. It is. But capitalist companies might require subsidies in order to make the risky investments that are needed right now.