Oil Drilling in Protected Areas

One of Bush’s biggest talents is turning every embarrassing failure, every tragedy, into an argument in favor of his agenda. 9/11 (and every other terrorist attack) “proves” that we need to invade other countries and dismantle the Constitution here at home (i.e. the Patriot Act).

Now, even the Katrina aftermath (in spite of Bush’s spastic “handling” of the crisis) is playing into his hands. Bush (with a little help from his bitches in Congress) is pushing for a Congressional vote on opening up protected coastal areas for oil drilling.

How much chutzpah can one disgraced president have? Every fuckup is an opportunity to plug his agenda. How does he do it? We’ve all seen positive thinking articles about turning setbacks into opportunities. No problem exists for which the solution isn’t already within you. Etc.

Karl Rove must have found a way to pervert this into “how to spin your colossal failures into opportunities.” “Your lies have killed thousands. This is your golden opportunity to ___________.” “While you dithered, an entire region was destroyed. Don’t miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to _________________”

So now Norman Vincent Peale’s twisted sister wants to spin the Katrina tragedy into another excuse for trashing the environment.

Drilling off Florida’s coast could set up a fight between Boy George and Jeb. Whatever Jeb’s personal convictions are, oil drilling in Florida’s protected areas could be his political death knell. Come on Jeb, kick his ass.

The House Resources Committee has already approved legislation to lift a ban on drilling in the Gulf of Mexico, “other coastal waters” and the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

Energy conservation and improved gas mileage were among the issues not being discussed in Congress.