I'm Just About Done

I need some serious clarification on this:

- Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama said Friday he would be willing to support limited additional offshore oil drilling if that's what it takes to enact a comprehensive policy to foster fuel-efficient autos and develop alternate energy sources.

Shifting from his previous opposition to expanded offshore drilling, the Illinois senator told a Florida newspaper he could get behind a compromise with Republicans and oil companies to prevent gridlock over energy [...]

"My interest is in making sure we've got the kind of comprehensive energy policy that can bring down gas prices," Obama said in an interview with The Palm Beach Post.

"If, in order to get that passed, we have to compromise in terms of a careful, well thought-out drilling strategy that was carefully circumscribed to avoid significant environmental damage — I don't want to be so rigid that we can't get something done."

Yes, wouldn't want to make trouble. I'm sure Republicans will stop there and be completely happy and never call you names again, Senator. And they certainly won't accuse you of being a flip-flopper who'll say anything to win.

OK, a day ago Obama was explaining that proper car care would have about four times the impact as selling off the OCS to drilling (that the oil companies wouldn't do, by the way), and now he's jumped over to being Mr. Compromise Guy? The other thing that's totally absurd here is that gas prices have gone down for five straight weeks (thanks to less consumption) and are slated to continue to go down through the election.

Seriously, if this is what we can expect for the next four years I can do just fine without it. I'm sick of seeing these so-called Democrats so fucking afraid to just talk straight with people. Either that or, being more cynical, they love the oil company cash as much as the other side.

Blissful ignorance is looking pretty good right about now...

UPDATE: There's an actual proposal attached to this:

Later, Obama issued a written statement warmly welcoming a proposal sent to Senate leaders Friday by 10 senators -- five from each party. Their proposal seeks to break the impasse over offshore oil development and is expected to be examined more closely in September after Congress returns from its summer recess.

The so-called Gang of 10 plan would lift drilling bans in the eastern Gulf of Mexico within 50 miles of Florida's beaches and in the South Atlantic off Virginia, the Carolinas and Georgia, but only if a state agrees to the oil and gas development along its coast. The states would share in revenues from oil and gas development.

Drilling bans along the Pacific coast and the Northeast would remain in place under this compromise.

The plan also includes energy initiatives Obama has endorsed. "It would repeal tax breaks for oil companies so that we can invest billions in fuel-efficient cars, help our automakers re-tool, and make a genuine commitment to renewable sources of energy like wind power, solar power, and the next generation of clean, affordable biofuels," Obama noted.

"Like all compromises, it also includes steps that I haven't always supported," Obama conceded. "I remain skeptical that new offshore drilling will bring down gas prices in the short-term or significantly reduce our oil dependence in the long-term, though I do welcome the establishment of a process that will allow us to make future drilling decisions based on science and fact."

I don't know about you, but I'm partying like it's 1996. I can't wait to be told to shut up and that I don't know how politics works, either. And I really can't wait for Republicans to chip, chip, chip away at this proposal too, until there's little left but the drilling, and for the official statement that "this was the best we can do" and "we should be happy with what we got."

...Via email, Kagro X tells me there's actually an expiration date to the Congressional ban on offshore drilling of September 30. That does change the calculus. But am I reading this part right: "Help our automakers retool?"

Are we fixing to bail out GM?