The topic of drilling for oil in the Arctic refuge has been at Capitol Hill for quite awhile. The NRDC has been fighting tooth and nail and for good reason: experts state the oil reserves in the refuge are insignificant for the stated purpose.

Anyway, the Senate narrowly defeated the bill and the refuge is spared yet again. However, these politicians should be ashamed of themselves for other reasons.

What you ask? Pork barrel politics. You’ll never believe the booh-hooing going on because by defeating this bill our troops in Iraq don’t get more funds.

Take a look at the article from MSNBC. This paragraph:

“Our military is being held hostage by this issue, Arctic drilling,” fumed Sen. Harry Reid, the Democratic leader. The Nevada Democrat said the Senate could move quickly to pass the defense bill once the refuge issue was resolved.

Further:

Democrats, conversely, accused Stevens of holding hostage a military spending bill that includes money to support troops in Iraq and $29 billion for victims of Hurricane Katrina.

This must be a misprint. Why are Democrats supporting more money for Iraq and at the expense of our environment? I need to sit down and sort this out for minute.

Lumping together the Arctic refuge with money for Iraq and Katrina victims is irresponsible and immature.

Lawmakers should know better.

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