@251. tanstaafl:
“Sarah Palin also supports America being energy independent and drilling in a highly highly circumscribed area of ANWR (among other places) to effect that.”
This is just more evidence of Palin’s (and your) inability to understand math. ANWR total reserves’ impact on the global oil market would be negligible at most. The energy density of oil is not the problem, and drilling in ANWR solves nothing.
Energy independence means developing alternatives to oil, or radical efficiency improvements. There is no way to square the circle at our current consumption levels – we simply don’t have enough oil that is recoverable.
I seem to recall that before we invaded Iraq, a barrel of oil was around $35, and gas prices were well under $2/gallon. The impact on pump prices of drilling in ANWR would be zero. Continued investment in oil development is a poor solution, because it only delays action needed to move forward.
Peace.
DS
