McCain promotes drilling for oil off U.S. coast

[peejay 327]

And what's wrong with drilling offshore?

Well, ruining our precious environment and shorelines for one.

I posted this before, but there's this great radio show, This American Life, and they had an episode on this island called Nauru. Basically it was an island paradise, with fish and fruit and fresh water. Then they started selling their phosphate. And they sold ALL of it. Then they had nothing left and had ruined their island. They now have to import EVERYTHING, including water, and they make their income by providing tax havens and money laundering services.

We can more easily achieve similar gains in available oil by using the technologies we already have and investing in new ones.

Well...we have been ruining our precious environments and shorelines for years by over-immigrating our country. We've added 100+ million people to our population since 1970 primarily from over generous immigration policies. We are set to add another 100+ million to our population in the next 32 years if trends continue unabated. And you are worried about drilling for oil in offshore waters? You need a reality check.

Take time to read this and educate yourself: http://www.susps.org/overview/numbers.html

And all those extra soles will be burning energy too.

COMPLETELY different debate! And bringing our spouses and their family members, and their family members, and on and on, is part of the problem you're describing. Many of those 100 million you describe are here legally.

Just because it is "legal" doesn't mean it should continue. It was discontinued before in our history and it can be discontinued again. It is not a given or an absolute that many make it out to be.

It may be a different debate, but it is all connected. People use energy in the USA...that is the bottom line. More people...more impact. Ditto for the environmental impact. People get uptight when the finger is pointed at them. Well...maybe it needs to be. You are either part of the problem or part of the solution.

The spouse issue is really insignificant. The numbers are insignificant in the big picture. The chain migration issue is the 500 pound gorilla in the room. Kill chain migration and the perpetual motion machine finally stops it's insane trend. If you can't leave your whole village behind...maybe you should just stay at home with them?

My grandparents did. They never saw or spoke to their parents or siblings again. Letters only. When the USA door slammed...the beat just continued on. In other words...the whole world's survival didn't depend on the USA. It doesn't depend on the USA today either.

[kerewin21 2]

The spouse issue is really insignificant. The numbers are insignificant in the big picture. The chain migration issue is the 500 pound gorilla in the room. Kill chain migration and the perpetual motion machine finally stops it's insane trend. If you can't leave your whole village behind...maybe you should just stay at home with them?

Right, it's not the spouse issue, but when the spouse then brings parents, children, brothers, sisters, and then they in turn bring children, parents, brothers, sisters, and spouses, it's a problem. I agree entirely... it's the "chain migration" that's an issue and is bringing in people who are unskilled in favor of those who can contribute to our economy in more significant ways (though we do have a need for unskilled labor as well).