Should we start drilling offshore and in the arctic preserve?

Other: It is imperative that humanity ABANDONS hydrocarbons as an energy source and internal combustion engine technology for all but a few niche applications (e.g. rockets) and commit to utilizing exclusively renewable energy and electrically driven vehicles. Our civilization MUST NOT think of oil as an energy source, lest it destroy the biosphere and ultimately itself. An enormous paradigm shift in human thinking is necessary for this to happen, but it needs to happen, it MUST happen.

How about: "Yes, because it will be too little, too late, and is just a populist diversion" If we opened up the shores and ANWR for drilling it would shut the Republicans up and allow real people to do real work on sustainable energy.

I think we should consider drilling there, but not any time soon. Doing it now is just a political stunt. But in twenty years, once we get all the soccer moms driving their spawn to work in electric minivans, and convert most of our other energy needs to renewables, I'd still like to be able to burn petroleum in my (by then) antique motorcycles. I'm dreaming that due to the lack of demand, gas will drop to $5 or $8 USD a gallon - absurdly high for business or normal people's transportation needs, but still available for hobbyists.

I think Jim Kingsdale's assessment (now backed by Lou Grinzo), is correct: given the fall-off after 2012 in megaprojects, production significant depletion will set in and anything we can do in that timeframe to offset that depletion is needed to buy time for what is sure to be a rapid and difficult transition.

Don't drill now, because it will be absorbed into the world market. We can/must change our energy source, and it's possible thanks to technology. But we also have to find better ways to travel via plane and to ship goods (even if you don't like consumerism, things are shipped). But we have to be ready for the end of oil. We don't KNOW what we may need it for, so I'd rather keep our reserves for the rainy day we REALLY need them, even if that's in 100 years. If everyone else is out of oil, and we aren't, that gives us a strategic world advantage. That might make us the target of war, to get at our goods. But it could also allow our corporations that manufacture new green products to sell those all over the world. I'm thinking everything can be "Made in USA" again. And like someone else said, if anyone tries to go to war with us, we need it to protect ourselves. I don't know what fuel military machines and weapons use, but I bet it's hydrocarbon based. In short: now is not the rainy day, it's only cloudy.

you liberals need to realize the fact that oil prices are way to high and off shore drilling would help lower them and with the money saved we could further research alternative fuel sources giving us temporary relief at the pump and buy time and help in the long run to eliminate the necessity for oil