Offshore Drilling on the Hot Seat

News analysis, by Allison Vale

In the minds of millions of Americans, offshore drilling has been an issue of patriotism, a politically charged declaration of our independence from foreign oil and not an issue of environmental protection. Survey after survey has shown that a big majority of Americans agree that relying on foreign oil is bad and energy independence is good. But differences arise when people are confronted with the challenge of just how we’re going to achieve energy independence and what is the best source of energy to replace foreign oil.

Enter a catastrophe of epic proportions, also known as the oil that continues to seep into the Gulf of Mexico. It may just prove to be the one of the worst spills in United States history. As a result, new surveys are showing Americans re-evaluating their affection for offshore oil drilling, and politicians have begun distancing themselves from the idea.