No drilling in ANWR this year?
From the NYTimes (House shelves ...), good news for those holding existence values for caribou:
House Republican leaders were forced to jettison a plan for oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska on Wednesday night to save a sweeping spending bill, a concession that came one day after the party suffered significant election loses.
In dropping the drilling plan and a second provision, on coastal exploration, the leadership was trying to win over moderates in the party to enhance the chances of winning initial approval on Thursday of more than $50 billion in spending cuts demanded by House conservatives. But the decision is likely to meet objections from the Senate, where senior lawmakers are insisting on the drilling plan, a priority for President Bush.
Being tools of capitalism, we are as disappointed as the time we got our first rejection letter from a refereed journal (i.e., crushed). Our gut instincts say "just drill, baby."
Sarc, sarc, sarc.
Update1 : Sarc = sarcasm.
Update2: At the end of my "ready, set" post. I say:
By the way, my household's annual willingness to pay is above the $29 threshold. In other words, I'd rather we not open ANWR up for drilling.
Don't shoot the messenger.
Does "drill baby" reinforce the idea that economists always choose "now" versus "later?"
If this is a national resource, and potentially the "last" onshore oil reserve ... how do you calculate that you deserve it more than your proverbial grandkids?
Posted by: odograph | November 10, 2005 at 09:45 AM
What about the benefit of increased social capital from knowing there are wild, pristine places and cute baby caribou prancing about? What factor did you use, in your calcalaytin', for the likelihood of spills or disruption of ecosystem services? What is the cost of lost ecosystem services?
What about the gained social capital from the moderate Rs running away from BushCo as a benefit of avoided drilling?
I don't see them there things in your calcalaytin' anywhere. Oh, yeah. We don't count 'em.
Best,
D
Posted by: Dano | November 10, 2005 at 11:39 AM
"What about the benefit of increased social capital from knowing there are wild, pristine places and cute baby caribou prancing about?"
Like I said they only love things, the hate people, particularly their fellow countrymen.
Posted by: Robert Schwartz | November 10, 2005 at 06:15 PM
You're really reaching, boah. Or maybe you're projecting. Either way.
Social capital is not a thing, and increasing social capital isn't an indicator of someone who hates people.
Keep pretzeling. It makes it easier for everyone.
Best,
D
Posted by: Dano | November 10, 2005 at 07:21 PM