Dave Rauschkolb was recently featured on the weather channel and interviewed on NBC Nightly News. He was also featured in a CNN article which you can read here.
As many of you know, President Obama recently reversed the offshore drilling ban and announced a policy that could put oil and natural gas platforms in various coastal waters, including the Gulf Coast. How does that effect you? Well, if you love lying on the beaches of Panama City Beach, this new policy could have a major impact on you. Some are cheering this new policy, others are angered. But one local restaurant owner and organizer of the widely publicized anti-drilling rally “Hands Across The Sand” has a unique perspective and shared his thoughts with PCBDaily.
“The threat from Florida’s Legislators is now more than ever a threat considering President Obama’s lifting of the ban on drilling 125 miles out. The Legislator’s are, at this minute, considering lifting Florida’s ban on oil drilling 3 to 10 miles off our shores; this ban is separate from the offshore ban our President lifted. It is more important now than ever to let our Legislators know how strongly we feel against this drilling legislation. If the bill passes we will have countless oil rigs within sight of our beaches and a risk of spills and pollution from every rig, pipeline, tanker and crew boat. For our Legislators it is as simple a choice as this: a vote for oil or a vote for Florida?
Florida is on the brink of decisions that could forever endanger our clean waters our clean beaches and our valuable tourism based economy.” Mr. Rauschkolb said in a press release. “Proposals to lift Florida’s ban on drilling in both the near shore and off shore put Florida’s pristine coastline, waters, military mission and tourism in peril.
Sooner or later, it is clear some members of the state Senate and House of Representatives are determined to allow offshore drilling regardless of the study by The Century Commission debunking the claims of vast oil and gas reserves off Florida. Regardless of the growing list of Military officials saying it will absolutely interfere with operations. Regardless of over 50 counties, cities, chambers of commerce, and other local agencies that have passed resolutions against oil drilling in Florida’s waters. Regardless of the thousands of Floridians on over 80 beaches statewide who joined hands in Hands Across the Sand on February 13, the largest anti-drilling protest in the history of Florida.”
See The Video From Hands Across the Sand:
Mr. Rauschkolb went on to say,
“The oil industry is a dirty business, period. All one needs to do is cruise the coastline from Gulf Shores Alabama to the border of Mexico to see how the oil and gas industry conducts it’s business in our western Gulf of Mexico. And the mess is not only confined to the water. It’s no secret there are parts of Texas and Louisiana that are industrial wastelands. There are nearly 4000 oil rigs off the coasts of Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi and Alabama; of those 4000, 1000 are rusting, useless hulks. Only a fraction of the 100,000 oil and gas leases held are in use, yet the industry want’s more? Listen up Oil and Gas industry: clean up the existing cesspool you created west of Florida’s border and then you might be qualified to tout your “new, cleaner, greener” ways.
Then, there’s the Century Commission Drilling Report from the Collins Center for Public Policy, which concluded that all the oil in Florida’s waters would power America for only one week. Based on these findings this oil drilling initiative should be dropped now, right? Nope, not a chance. Our leaders are choosing to ignore this fact. It is clear some of those Legislators flush with oil Lobby contributions are determined to push this through no matter what facts play out or what Floridians think.
After all these voices against oil drilling, one begins to think our leaders are just not listening. Senator’s and House Members and Governor Crist? Listen well; oil is on the lips of Floridians and they don’t like the taste of it. Listen well; Floridians will never forget who sold out our beautiful treasured coastline and waterways. No, we will never forget. All it will take is one major spill and those who vote for oil will never be able to wash it from their hands.”
A vote for oil will signal the slow, eventual degradation of our shorelines and waterways. A vote for oil will open the floodgates for perhaps thousands of rigs just off our coastline. A vote for oil will certainly erode America’s perception of Florida beaches forever.
No Senators, House Members and Governor Crist, we will never forget your vote for oil and I promise, those who vote for oil instead of Florida vote in peril of their political future in Florida. That’s a promise from this generation of Floridians. It is as simple a question as this: A vote for Oil or a vote for Florida? We are collectively holding our breath. For Florida’s sake, choose Florida.”
Mr. Rauschkolb, a resident of the area for 33 years, does not believe the announcement by President Obama will be the end of the fight. In fact, Mr Rauschkolb is working with a Virginia Beach environmentalists to have a similar Hands Across The Sand rally in June.
PCBDaily 
What a jerk. People of this country are sick and tired of these do good, nose in everyone’s business, smarter than everyone pain in the a%$#. Get a job, get to work and find something to do other than trying to control the world for your own selfish purposes. GET A LIFE!!!!!!!!
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Thank God someone said it. At what point do we start thinking rationaly and stop letting little minded people like this Dave Rauschkolb send the country into financial peril. At some point, people have had enough and the country will turn their collective back on these little minded idiots. Our economy is failing, our country is losing ground and all this guy has to say is “you guys are bad guys cause you arnt green enough for me!” Well how about this Dave, shut the heck up. We are done with you and your kind.
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Let’s see, in the one picture, I see a laptop, the case and many of the components made of oil derivatives, and the coffee/latte cup is an oil derivative, the folder laying there was made by a factory consuming energy probably oil, the sun glasses are plastic an oil derivative. I bet he doesn’t walk everywhere he goes, looks like the SUV type to me. And I’m told he owns a restaurant, no energy consumption there and certainly no selfish interest there. I wonder if he lived in the heartland would he give a rip about the beaches.
As I’ve said before, as long as these people live one lifestyle and preach and want to impose another, then I will take them for the fools they are. Let them show up naked, walking, fresh from a night of sleeping under the stars because that’s their true lifestyle, I’ll know they’re serious. Does he turn away patrons who work in or have ties to the oil patch. Of course not. Dave and his type live on exaggeration, hype, the excitable uninformed media and people with the sheep mentality unable to think or decide for themselves. In the end, the truth trumps exaggeration, the hype burns out, the media moves on the the next “big” thing and the sheep, well, they get sheared of course.
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Folks, no one here is saying that we can become 100% independent from oil overnight, but those of us who are smart ARE saying that drilling offshore is a bad plan not only for eventually getting off oil but even for maintaining our present levels of usage.
According to United States Mineral Management Service (MMS) estimates, there are about 7.7 billion barrels of “technically” recoverable oil offshore in the waters of the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico.
The USA uses around 24 million barrels of oil per day according to the United States Energy Information Association (EIA). 7,700,000,000/24,000,000 = around 321 days worth of oil.
Now, let’s take it one step further – the oil we drill here in the United States is not just used in the United States. Oil is, after all, an internationally traded commodity. We don’t have a state-owned oil company that will ensure all of this stuff is kept here and used here.
Globally, the use of oil amounts to 72 million barrels of oil per day.
7.7billion/72million = about 107 days of oil globally and 36 days worth of gasoline.
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Ron,
I just read the article and your comment. Right on!!!! You nailed it. This clown is going out holding hands on the beach because he wants to control what happens on property he doesnt own or have any rights to. While we second guess everything, the Chinese are building roads, factories and energy sources. We try to make any progress and people like Dave Rauschkold hold hands and protest. Our country has lost its ability to compete because this clown wants to sell a hamburger on the beach. Seriously, does anyone buy this fools garbage??? I call for a complete boycott of this clowns restaurant. Here is his website.http://www.thedestinlog.com/sections/article/gallery/?pic=4&id=9725
Just look at the photos. He cooks pizza on an open flame – thats great for the environment. His deck is built with timber from endangered forests, he built on the dunes of the beach. What a hyocrite. Seriously, builds a restauarant on the beach and he is worried about offshore drilling that is miles from the beach???? does anyone see the irony? What destroys the beach more, some chump that builds a building, burns open flame and parks hundreds of cars on the beach or an offshore rig that is 10 miles from the beach? The oil rig benefits the entire country and he contributes to the obesity of America, To the heck with you and all of your kind. If you gave a darn about the beach, you owuld shut down your pathetic restaurant and convert the land that it occupies back to nature. But thats not how you think. It is OK for you to sell pizza cooked over anopen flame because you can make a buck, anything else that is good for the country and NOOOOOOOOO WAYYYYYYY.
Hypocrite!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Sorry, worng website, here is his actual website.
http://www.budandalleys.com/
Any responsible citizen traveling to Destin should protest and boycott this restaurant. Donjt give this clown any of your hard earned money! If you go on vacation, give him money and eat at his restaurant, you will only support harder times for your businesses back home. Push back and send clowns like this a message. Close your business and convert the beach back to the way it was intended. Without restaurants and honky tonks and only the beatuiful white sand dunes. Just look at the photos and see who is destroying the beach more. His restaurants or offshore drilling. Dont give him your money. Hands across Bud and Alleys. Boycott!!!!!!!!!!!!
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I believe the term for Andy and those like him is known as “the liberal elite”.
They indulge themselves in capitalism, but speak out of both sides of their mouth. While creating wealth for themselves, they seek to control/regulate wealth creation of others — if only because they feel they know what’s best! (see: Albert Gore, Jr.)
Reality check for Andy and all others who are running around like chickens w/their heads cutoff:
– Most of the oil on the Gulf Coast of NW Florida is waaaay out in deep waters. Only companies such as Transocean have the technology and capabilities to extract it from those depths. Best part: it’s all “environmentally friendly” advanced methodology.
– Any harvesting of energy reserves closer to shore would take place beyond where the continental shelf drops-off. Such is the case with the “Destin Dome” — a large pocket of natural gas reserves off the coast of Destin.
– It is highly unlikely drilling would take place anywhere within eyesight along the coast. Looking through a high-powered set of binoculars on the roof of the tallest condos, it would be difficult to locate the tops of ANY platforms along the horizon.
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Ooops!
Sorry Andy.
I scrolled so quickly the other day I incorrectly identified you as the liberal elite guy.
Couldn’t be further from the truth! I obviously meant Dave Rauschkolb instead. Will slow down and proofread more carefully now. My apologies!!
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Sen. Durell Peaden Jr. (R-Crestview) Against drilling – “Once you ruin those pristine beaches, they’re ruined forever.”
Sen. Victor Crist (R-Tampa) Against drilling – grew up in New Orleans and remembers pulling tar balls off his feet
Sen. Dennis Jones (R-Seminole) Against drilling – “an absolutely dirty industry that uses chromium, arsenic and barium” – fears it will wreak havoc on our tourism industry
Biologist Enid Sisskin points out that during drilling operations toxic waste (mud, cuttings, sand, sanitary waste, and excess cement) is dumped into the water.
Check it out. Drilling for oil is taking a dirty step back into the past.
Oil is not the answer.
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This restaurant guy is another typical “do as I say not as I do” liberal. I am so sick of the hypocrites that get the ear of the media to advance their agenda. Enough time wasted on this clown! Any reasonable person knows that for the foreseeable future oil is the answer. Until other forms of energy are developed that are sustainable and reasonable in price oil, natural gas and coal are what we need to rely upon. The irony is that we have plenty of each, we are just not “allowed” to touch it. What about nuclear? Hasn’t it been more than 30 years since we built a nuclear power plan? Look at how technology has advanced in 30 years, surely anything we could build now would be better than what we built in the past! Even the French have gone to nuclear. I have to wonder what is wrong with people who oppose tapping the vast resources that our country has. What is your agenda? Until there are viable alternate sources of affordable energy commercially available to us we need to take advantage of what we already have. I am sick of this country importing oil from the Middle East and in doing so enriching people who hate us and would rather us dead. The fact of the matter is is that if the OPEC countries choose to they can shut off production tomorrow and bring us to our knees. $9 a gallon gas anybody? There is nothing wrong with us to strive for energy independence, yet the liberals for some odd reason seem embarrassed by that thought. There have been great strides taken in the last 30 to 40 years that make drilling much cleaner and “environmentally friendly”. Drill baby drill. I am so damn sick of the tree-huggers who say no, no, no but provide no answer as to how to bridge the gap between dependence on foreign oil and energy independence for our country. I say get out there and extract that oil before you find that the Chinese and Russians are drilling in the Gulf in “international waters”. I can guarantee you that they will not care if they pollute.
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Ahhh, More of the same paid employees of the oil companies ranting on an on about “liberal elites” and the Socialists agenda. This type of small minded, simplistic attack machine tactics are right in line with Professional Wrestling and Fox News; entertaining but no where in line with mainstream America. Nice job folks.
You can’t escape the fact that EVERY chamber of commerce in North West Florida passed resolutions against oil drilling. You can’t escape the fact that The Florida Restaurant And Lodging Association, the second largest trade association in the State came out against oil drilling. You can’t escape the fact that most of the outcry against drilling is coming from small and big business not just the “tree huggers” as you love to portray anyone against oil drilling.
None of you mention that Florida Energy Associates is made up of anonymous oilmen from Texas. Do we really want people who won’t even show their faces dictating Florida’s energy policy? I think not.
It’s the same as the health care debate. Powerful insurance industry forces pay off the politicians to protect their interests. Powerful oil industry forces pay off the politicians to protect their interests. There is only one weeks worth of oil in Florida’s waters according to the Collins Center for Public policy. No need to drill period.
And I just love your personal attack of me or my restaurant. If that’s all you can do than we have already won this battle against oil drilling. Your personal attacks just embolden me and others to keep on fighting the clean fight. At least I speak my words with my full true name unlike all of you hiding behind aliases except Mr. John Smith (that sounds like a real one ha ha.)
I have been employing thousands of people in the 24 and a half years I have been in business. How many of you provide jobs for 150 employees? Attacking me or my Restaurant is like trying to catch a feather in a windstorm. There are far too many Floridians who care deeply about protecting our beaches, waterways and valuable tourism industry. You folks can rant all you want but there are more of us interested in protecting Florida than there will ever be in favor of oil drilling.
None of you mention a word about clean energy. I would be the first to cheer a solar plant in North Walton County. No risk to our beaches or coastal economy and environment, brings clean jobs and keeps the profits in Florida not in Texas.
We will continue to keep the pressure on in an election year to keep oil drilling in the near shore far away from our coastline.
No drill, no spill.
Dave Rauschkolb, my real name
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Mr. Kebab,
I sincerely doubt that the pro-drilling posts were paid by the oil industry. While they made some valid points (enough to get your attention), they were obviously not written by English professors nor attorneys or the like. Just by real people who had an opinion.
I very much doubt that your restaurant employs 150 people at any given time. How many of them are full-time? How many paid a living wage? And… how many of them do you offer health care to (since you brought it up). Not holding my breath on those answers.
Another question: If there is only maybe a months worth of oil in the Florida Gulf… why in the hell would anyone bother to drill for it? That is a self-defeating argument. You can’t be serious when you say that there is very little oil there and then turn around and fight the drilling. If it is that small of an amount, no one will bother going after it. No drilling will even take place:
Kind of like a penny on the sidewalk… very few will even stop and bend over to pick it up. So… if you are correct with your numbers, you have absolutely nothing to worry about!
Finally… if solar power is so effective, please detail how you are using it. I would imagine every square inch of your restaurant roof is covered by solar panels to take advantage of it, right? And that you are utilizing other green energy sources to offset the tremendous amount of resources that a restaurant and bar utilize.
Just asking.
Ted Newkirk (my real name)
PS Folks need oil (whether driving or flying) to get to your establishment. Please don’t claim that your restaurant would thrive with only a 100% full-time local clientele. So… exactly how are your customers going to get there without putting gas in their car (or for your higher-end customers… the ones that can really afford to spend money in your place), jet fuel in the airplanes?
I rest my case. Heavy odds against a response from the bar owner on this one.
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Folks, no one here is saying that we can become 100% independent from oil overnight, but those of us who are smart ARE saying that drilling offshore is a bad plan not only for eventually getting off oil but even for maintaining our present levels of usage.
According to United States Mineral Management Service (MMS) estimates, there are about 7.7 billion barrels of “technically” recoverable oil offshore in the waters of the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico.
The USA uses around 24 million barrels of oil per day according to the United States Energy Information Association (EIA). 7,700,000,000/24,000,000 = around 321 days worth of oil.
Now, let’s take it one step further – the oil we drill here in the United States is not just used in the United States. Oil is, after all, an internationally traded commodity. We don’t have a state-owned oil company that will ensure all of this stuff is kept here and used here.
Globally, the use of oil amounts to 72 million barrels of oil per day.
7.7billion/72million = about 107 days of oil globally and 36 days worth of gasoline.
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I am saddened and somewhat shocked at those of you who are pushing for oil drilling off of our coasts!!! How short-sighted of you to put our economy and beautiful beaches and ecosystems at peril for such short term gains!! Florida has an excellent opportunity to become a leader in green technology. Instead of getting in bed with dirty oil companies whose only motive is to further line their pockets we need to be talking with alternative energy companies to leverage renewable resources that are sustainable for the future! I mean, come on, they don’t call Florida the “Sunshine State” for nothing!!! Perhaps we should think about how we can further solar power???? We may never be able to fully get away from oil as a fuel source, but folks, we won’t ever be able to recover our beaches and tourism if there is one irresponsible oil leak (and they DO occur frequently). If you haven’t watched “Black Wave” about the Exxon Valdez, you should. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFSIwU32dg8. You’ll see how much big oil cares about our shores and the impact on our environment!!
Dave you are doing a great thing for our state and I support you 100%! I am very appreciative that you have taken up this cause for those of us in Florida who really care about our state! I just hope we can get Sen. Gaetz and Rep. Corley to be the leaders we need to vote responsibly on this issue and not dirty their hands and our shores with dirty oil! We want and need leaders who will take us to a better future! The future isn’t oil!
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A more realistic and aware approach to energy development is needed. As a State environmental protection manager for over 30 years, I see a lot of unaware people that have a legitimate concern reacting without being truly educated in the facts about oil & gas development. As a resident of Panama City, Florida, no one is more concerned about our beaches than myself. However, the government IS the real problem. They have ignored the fact that the largest oil, gas & coal reserves are under federal lands that are remote and geo-stable. It is most logical to mine for resources where the largest reserves and return on investment is located. Most people don’t realize that lobbyists and gov’t officials exploit the areas with the least resistance… ie. offshore, since it doesn’t affect 40 states residents. On the other hand, energy development companies have done an incredible job in the last 15 years of improving drill site safety and environmental protective measures. Additionally a byproduct industry of recreation and commercial fish occurs around most of the stationary oil platforms off the Mississippi delta. most people don’t realize that 60-70% of the fresh commercial snapper and grouper fish caught and sold in America come from this region and were attracted to the structures. As a side bar, 40 years ago opponents said that building artificial reefs was detrimental to our oceans and beaches. That has also been proven wrong by conscientious development and focus on what is the right way of achieving the goal instead of protesting without a thorough understanding.
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You sound very knowledgable and realistic. Thanks for adding some true informed info.
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To those that scoff at this heroic man: Cast away your fear of the light and indulge in its radiance. Know that clean energy is the future with or without your approval. Pointing the finger and name calling at those that seek to protect you from your ignorance will only hinder your own life. The times are changing with or without you. Nationally, we have only 2% of the worlds oil yet we consume 25%. Oil will run out given a long enough time period thus we must use oil and coal to create clean energy. These fossil fuels are horrible for our environment. This is clear from the numbers of children that grow up having asthma due to their proximity to a power plant or a metropolis area. Florida’s economy is in peril but it is because our national economy is slow. Producing Oil from the ocean will not help anything or anyone in fact it will likely pummel an already hurting economy into an actualization of the title “The Forgotten Coast”. Especially if you are from a beach community call your congress man or woman and say “I am opposed to drilling off of Florida’s coast”.
We do not have time for this trivial name calling. As Dave said, “Vote For Florida”. Do not vote for more Big Oil.
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Not an oil man, just old enough to not be duped by every purveyor of doom that comes along.
It was less than 40 years ago, the doom and gloom was cooling. There was going to be an Arctic ice cap all the way down to Iowa because there was a hole in the Ozone. Oops, that didn’t happen so now it warming. I’m old enough to know about the Northwest Passage, why Greenland is called Greenland and other trivial things the alarmist seem to forget.
There’s not enough “sun” days in Florida to make solar even close to plausible at this time. Go look at a solar farm, you won’t want it either. And wind farms will give you nightmares.
I wouldn’t brag about having a restaurant. They’re typically the largest users of energy and generators of waste in any community. I certainly wouldn’t brag about being an employer. The food industry does not exactly provide a living wage. That would be why most in the food service areas have to work 2 and sometimes 3 jobs to make ends meet. And we all know they have great benefits. I’ve noticed in my lifetime the ones most opposed to manufacturing and higher paying jobs in any given locale have been small businesses, because they lose their employment base to these higher paying jobs with benefits.
So, I guess it boils down to the fact, I’m skeptical of “not in my backyard” types. I wonder if they really care about the environment as a whole or just their little slice of life.
Bob Douglas makes the most compelling statement of all in his replay. There are many other places to get oil, the Indian Nation is taking advantage of it in a big way. But the same group or groups that are against off shore drilling are the ones that are against on shore drilling also. And there’s the problem, there’s no middle ground with these people, no way to come to a solution. Except that is, give them their way exclusively.
I think it’s all a moot point in the grand scheme of things. Thanks to all the trade agreements and the new global economy, you know the one that’s been fair to everyone except the American worker, this generation has less earning power and less benefits than the generation before. It’s projected that following generations will do even worse. So all these luxury condos, multiple nights out a week at restaurants and other entertainment venues will lessen. Fewer will be able to afford new cars and that industry will continue to shrink. And in the end, less travel, less entertainment, less frills…………that’s it, more of less.
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Only a fool thinks oil can be drilled safely next to our pure white beaches. It would take just one spill to ruin the tourist industry for 100s of miles. Just look at pictures from Katrina and Rita and imagine all that oil on our white coastline. Check out the pics here- http://www.katrinadestruction.com/images/v/damaged+energy+facilities/
If we do develop oil in Florida I think we should start at Rush Limbaugh’s back door. We’ll see how he likes living in the shadow of a refinery. As for the comments about “tree huggers” and hypocrits, just realize that the Presidential Moratorium on off shore drilling began under George H Bush and was continued under Clinton, and then W. This was also supported by Jeb Bush when he was Gov of FL.
Jim
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uhhh i think rush limbaugh is moving out of the US, isn’t he? you know, like he promised he would if this health care passed?
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why is this site titled ‘daily’?
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Once you pick a domain name, it’s a little hard to change midstream some times.
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Remember earlier I made the comment about exaggeration. Drilling platforms have suddenly morphed into refineries. There is a difference.
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What a jerk. He needs to get his facts straight and quit lying. I will boycott his business for sure. Wake up people and think for yourself and quit listening to the radical greens.
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you go ahead and do that. I’ll have to plan to eat there now (when I wasn’t before) just so I can balance your boycott out. And ill bring everyone i know.
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I’m OK with the drilling being over the horizon, but not in view of the beaches and I mean throughout the USA beaches.
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If we did have a major spill that covered even 50 miles of our beaches, how long do you think it would take the visitors who come to this area for the beaches to pack up and leave or cancel their reservations. And then what happens to our economy? I think Dave has a valid concern and he has certainly been in the area long enough to remember the tar and oil on the beaches back in the 70’s. I don’t think the value in drilling off our beaches is worth the risk to not only nature but our economy.
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Agreed, Florida’s economy, not just Dave’s is based on tourism. This state (Florida) by no means benefits from the drilling of oil as much as it benefits from tourism.
I am from the heartland of America, and yes, I do care about the beaches.
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I have often wondered if the bright sun reflecting off the sugar white sand diminishes a normal person’s thought process. There are just too many for there not to be a reason. Maybe the oil spills will be a blessing, the sand is too bright.
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Wow man. Is smog a blessing too?
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Tom,
Are you Mary Bubb’s brother who used to live in from Monroe, LA? I met you and Mary when she was working in Birmingham for State Farm and then I moved to Monroe for a year. We went fishing once in the winter at your grandfather’s camp.
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WOW! As I read down the blog, I’m shocked to see the angry immediate responses to Dave’s movement. Yes, he is promoting clean energy and wanting to the nation to come together to reduce our dependency on oil, but he’s not so unrealistic to think we can be anti-oil right this minute! He didn’t say anything about not drilling in the Alaskan tundra! Why aren’t we drilling up there? The people of Alaska want us there! If the spill had happened up there, it would have been cleaned up by now. The reason that offshore drilling is so bad is now so painfully obvious….it’s hard gain control of a huge spill in the deep water. Who knows how bad this oil spill will actually be when it’s all said and done. If you aren’t convinced by now…..what will it take?
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Well said.
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Its not about tourism, the bottom line is what is the maximum dollar amount you are willing to pay for gas, and at what point does gas get so expensive that tourists wont drive here? If your willing to pay $5 or $6 a gallon then great, but 99% of the rest of the country arent going to be willing too.I dont see what difference where they drill, its apparent leaking oil can make it to the beaches hundreds of miles away. If you people dont want drilling in our backyards, we as a nation are going to have to basically stop driving.So my quesation is, are you willing to give up one of your family vehicles for the country? I kinda doubt it, but just my opinion.
And yes my business here in PCB is being affected by the spill,so I understand the lack of tourism point.
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Beach Guy,
What are you saying? Slow down and look at the big picture, consider some other important consumer choices If your drive 90 mpg (plug-in hybrid) vs a 18 mpg SUV $6/gal gas will impact your differently,ride a bike to work, public transportation ect.. Also, the current price of $2 – $3 per does not include the full social cost of oil production and utilization (social cost include NOAA,Coast Guard, Green house Gas emmission, ect). BP is paying the Coast Guard(CG) expenses related to the cleanup the CG routine oversite of the offshore drilling come from the Homeland Security budget.
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