A Quantum Leap In Politicizing Offshore Drilling

With Ken Salazar's "To Drill or Not To Drill... That is the Question" tour coming to California, the Mercury News has an oped by Jack Stewart, President of the California Manufacturers and Technology Assocition that makes the case for offshore drilling.

Stewart takes a page from President's Obama's playbook and throws out a couple of completely unverifiable numbers that sound great: 23,000 jobs would be created by offshore drilling and $420 billion would be generated. 

But the real pull quote is:

"Many industry jobs would be high-paying and technically intensive, and the money generated through royalty payments, taxes and revenues could help fund schools, roads, hospitals and the essential safety nets so many Californians rely upon. Payments received through expanded exploration would also help to fight the state's budget deficit, which is expected to swell to $15 billion over the next 18 months. Increased oil and natural gas exploration is the right remedy at the right time, for the right reasons."

Hard to believe that an issue like offshore drilling has turned into a propaganda war....

Opinion: Offshore energy development offers California an opportunity [San Jose Mercury News]