Senate Majority Whip Richard Durbin told The Wall Street Journal that he’s "open to drilling and responsible production" and that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid may be too. Durbin said he would only support drilling if the oil and gas companies begin production on land they’ve already leased from the government within a specific time frame.


President George W. Bush and presidential candidate Sen. John McCain continue to call for drilling in areas that are currently off limits. And now, as gas prices rise so too doe public support for energy exploration, according to multiple public opinion polls. Could it be that shifting public opinion is starting to change the minds of Democrats in Congress too? Flip-flops for everyone!


Ultimately, offshore drilling will do nothing to reduce gas prices in the near future. The Bush administration’s own Energy Information Administration released a study saying that offshore drilling will make no difference in gas prices before 2030. And even then, there won’t be a significant reduction. Right now, people are looking for a quick fix. But offshore drilling is exactly the opposite of a fix — quick or otherwise.