>>The math is, that if we start to drill as soon as possible we will have that oil sooner than if we do not start to drill.

To paraphrase turdblossom, You have your math I have THE math.

If Congress passes that bill tomorrow. It won't have any net effect for years. The oil companies are drilling now as fast as their resources allow. Even if they get permission, they won't get to those places for years. But you might be thinking, they could divert rigs from the places they are drilling now. That would mean that the would develop the offshore fields faster. Well yes it would, but then we would have to wait longer to see oil from the existing leases.

THE math is that any talk or action the government might take NOW will have no net effect. The prudent course would be for the government to wait until the oil companies were in a position to take advantage of the new leases and put them up for bid then.   


This whole thing is a smoke screne for the Republicans to put the oil leases in the hands of their friends now. Because the Oil companies are donating to Republicans now.