One Tiny Cheer for Obama on Drilling

Nicolas Loris / May 16, 2011

President Obama has often said that we need more oil and gas drilling in the United States, but rarely have the Administration’s actions matched his rhetoric. In his weekly video address, however, the President called for more lease sales in Alaska’s National Petroleum Reserve, extended leases in the Gulf of Mexico and the Arctic Ocean, and expedited preliminary reviews to move forward with drilling off the Atlantic coasts.

House Natural Resources chairman Doc Hastings (R–WA) hit the nail on the head when he labeled President Obama’s announcement as “tiny baby steps,” and for that the President receives one tiny cheer.

But there are plenty of opportunities for the President to earn more cheers when it comes to energy policy that can help the economy as a whole. With regards to his weekly address, here are four of them: (more…)