Sessions attacks Obama's defeatist attitude toward energy

Washington Times:

...In his letter, Mr. Sessions echoed the views of other Republican critics in arguing that lifting Obama administration barriers to drilling would go a long way in helping drive down the price at the pump. 

“Powerfull action to harness America’s untapped oil and gas resources would place downward pressure on prices and speculation in the short run, and, by surging global supply, would serve to keep prices low in the future,” Mr. Sessions continued. “Crucially, it would also provide millions of Americans with good-paying, private-sector jobs; produce substantial royalties for local, state and federal governments; reduce our enormous trade imbalance; and put an end to our huge wealth transfer from American to competitors overseas.” 

Mr. Sessions offered a list of proposals, including restoring the bipartisan 2010-2015 offshore lease plan to ensure that the 31 pending lease sales are completed expeditiously, abandon Mr. Obama’s proposal to increase taxes and fees for oil and gas companies, and approve the massive Canada-to-Texas Keystone XL pipeline and expedite its completion. 

“Your administration only directed one lease sale in 2011 and has announced just one lease sale for 2012, far short of the number of sales that would have occurred over this period under the original 2010-2015 plan that your administration discarded,” he wrote. 

Mr. Sessions also urged Mr. Obama to “take all necessary steps” to accelerate the leasing and permitting process for domestic shale oil production and maximize oil production from federal lands, which are now producing just 714 million barrels a year — a 16 percent decline from what was projected five years ago. 

In addition, the Alabama Republican called on the president to direct the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Energy and other federal bodies to grant all necessary waivers and approvals to oil and gas refineries to facilitate maximum production at minimum cost. 

“Refinery expenses comprise 11 percent of the price for gasoline that Americans pay at the pump, but your administration has imposed numerous regulations that have driven refining costs up, not down,” he contended....

When Obama says he favors and "all of the above" approach, he does not include opening new drilling areas offshore on the continental shelf or in ANWR or in the Western US.  He would rather waste money on so called "clean tech" businesses that do not contribute what one good well would in terms of energy.

When he says we can't drill our way to lower prices he ignores the fact that we have already drilled our way to lower natural gas prices and there is no reason why we can't do that with oil if he and the Democrats would just get out of the way.