No.

In short, you may think one way, but let him explore the issue. There’s no such thing (thankfully) as the Thought Police.

Now I’m not sure if your numbers are production numbers or total numbers. What I do know is that with ANWR and other areas we can supply ALL US oil needs for a period of time. Now that shouldn’t be the only reason to open up the region. Yet it’s very compelling as this would minimize our need for foreign oil that often is used to generate money for our enemies.

Lastly on alternative fuels and alternative energy we definately need to research and develop more. The problem with current systems is that very few present an answer to our needs. All they do is change the area we are dependant on. E85 for example just makes our foods more expensive and other issues as it’s doesn’t burn as well as diesal and unleaded gas. There are other bio fuels that are good and provide good alternatives for some small markets as their benefits are also limited. For hybrid vehicles for example it just changes the types of waste and complicates the vehicle more. This only changes were the costs are. Diesal gas engines provide more fuel savings then hybrids as an example of other areas were technology has provided an answer. Hydrogen fuel cells that are being developed may find an answer but they can be unstable and need further development. Yet you can find these in smaller applications outside vehicles. For solid electrical cars the problem is batteries, We simply don’t have the needed battery technology for them to be efficient enough.

In the end I definately do not know enough to know the correct answer for this. I think that limited drilling may help it may be a temperary answer but one none the less. I also think that it must be done carefully. I know this because of what I know of my own home in southern Louisiana. That area has been damaged greatly beacuse of offshore drilling yet in some areas were people have stopped and worked together including the oil companies there have been improvements. The problem is that it’s not enough there and more needs to be done. I think that much can be learned and corrected in Louisiana. Lastly I if done I hope the situation can be avoided in Alaska.

1: Build refineries and update old ones. This is expensive and will cost us now but in the long run will be more then worth it.

2: Nationalize fuel mixtures so that all of the US uses the same fuel. Today if you didn’t know municipalities and states tell the oil companies which fuel mixture can be sold in the area. This has caused more then 30 different fuel mixtures to be used here in the US. Each Mixture requiring different processes in refineries. If you wish an example of this just look at the time right after Katrina Bush repealed the mixture laws for a time and this reduced the cost of gas almost overnight by as much as 50cents a gallon.

3: Research, Research, Research.. Simple really no comments needed.

There is more but these I think can be done Today and will show an immediate differance.

So according to the USGS estimate there is enough oil to run the country on for 2 years in the ANWR coastal region alone, but the next question is if we could get it all out fast enough to close the gap between our current oil consumption and our current oil production. I somehow doubt it.

Also thank you for clearing that up.