Obama's Interior Secretary: "Drilling won't help us"

All oil and gas drilling in the U.S. is regulated by the Department of the Interior, under Secretary Ken Salazar. No one may touch drill to earth without getting their permission.

Yesterday after he'd testified before the House Natural Resources Committee about his department’s FY2012 budget. a reporter for one of the few conservative news organizations asked Salazar, “Given the rising cost of gasoline, why is this administration opposed to drilling in the arctic refuge?”

Salazar's response was captured on tape--and you really have to see it to understand what a mash of random bureau-babble the guy spouted in "response." It was like a random-phrase generator dialed to "energy." Here's what he said:

We don’t believe that you need to drill everywhere. And we don’t believe that the ‘drill, baby, drill’ program is the way that’s going to get us to the energy independence that we need for America or that will power our economy.

And that’s why the President has been so clear from day one--and we in the Department of Interior have been so clear--that what we need to do is need to have a robust energy program that includes a number of different sources of energy.

And while yes, we are pushing forward with oil and gas development both offshore and onshore which was the subject of much of the hearing today, we’re also moving forward with renewable energy.”

To paraphrase: 'We don't believe drilling is going to get us to the energy independence we need...or that will power our economy.'

Ah. So according to Salazar--and keep in mind that this guy controls the issuance of all drilling permits!--the key to achieving energy independence is NOT to drill for oil.

Does this make a lick of sense?

Certainly Salazar, Obama and their fellow Democrats are entitled to their opinion, but drilling would certainly enable the U.S. to produce more oil. And the more oil we produce here, the less we have to import. Plus, drilling in the U.S. provides well-paying jobs--plus huge royalties to the government if oil is produced from a federal lease. Generally a win-win deal.

But not to Obama and the Democrats. They'd rather not drill.

And I love Salazar's line about "we are pushing forward with oil and gas development both offshore and onshore." Apparently Salazar considers it "pushing forward" to refuse to act on 103 applications to drill in the Gulf, and to ban drilling from almost the entire east and west coasts, and to ban drilling in the extremely "prospective" Arctic National Wildlife Reserve.

Does that seem like 'pushing forward' to you?

Remember, the Obama administration's top agency head believes that if you need more energy, DON'T drill for oil.

At least not in the U.S.

(h/t CNSNews, via Weasel Zippers)