I can't seem to wrap my head around the political calculus of this offshore drilling announcement. It's succeeding in deflating the base which was energized (ironic!) following the passage of healthcare reform despite the compromises. It's a preemptive concession to Republicans without any apparent concessions from their end. And, you know, it's filthy and destructive and archaic.
I'm trying to find the upside here, but I'm coming up empty.
Adding... Regarding upsides, Marc Ambinder writes via Twitter:
GOP is deprived of a talking point (just point to the angry environmentalists), and Obama can better frame the upcoming Senate debate.
Huh? Really? So Ambinder is suggesting the president would allow oil rigs to festoon the ocean and, subsequently, allowing an increased risk of spills and environmental damage -- all to deprive the Republicans of a talking point? Look, I'm all for blunting the GOP, but this is a long, looooong way to go.
Also... Just because I disagree with the president's energy policy doesn't mean I'm suddenly a firebagger or the like. I've always had issues with his position on clean coal, for example.