No to Offshore Drilling!

Barack Obama, by virtue of being a Democrat, is widely seen as having an edge over John McCain on the overall issue of the economy.  The economy, as we all know, is not in great shape right now (but we should stop whining, I suppose), and McCain himself has even stated that it's not his area of expertise.

McCain's (lack of) expertise + McCain is a Republican = Obama wins on the economy

Right?

Well, not so fast.  The Republicans, believe it or not, may indeed have a winner on the issue of offshore drilling.  See, with gas prices rising and the Mideast oil supply diminishing, it seems logical to think that tapping plentiful oil reserves off the American coastlines would solve a bunch of our problems.  The real problem, however, is that drilling offshore won't lower costs, at least not initially.

This is to say nothing, of course, on the effect that offshore drilling would have on our environment.  This is a golden opportunity to wean ourselves off of oil, not look for more of it.

Think about it: Do you really want to see an oil rig while you lounge on a previously pristine strip of Florida coastline?