The e-mail from Democracy for America read: “Another day, another oil rig explodes” — as if it happens every day. The group joined environmentalists and some lawmakers this past week in trying to politicize a Thursday fire aboard an oil platform in the Gulf. Their aim is to maintain President Obama’s drilling ban. While the oil leak that began with an explosion last April in the Gulf was devastating to the environment and economy, the U.S. government shouldn’t overreact whenever there’s a hiccup out on the high seas. The Mariner fire was put out, the crew was rescued and aircraft scanning the waters found no evidence of a spill.
We think Obama overreacted when he halted deep-water exploration after BP’s well exploded in April, and hope there are cooler heads today in D.C. than New Jersey Sen. Frank Lautenberg, who said the fire “is further proof that offshore drilling is an inherently dangerous practice.”
Hundreds of drilling rigs have operated safely in ocean waters for decades. In fact, a federal judge ruled this summer that the moratorium was “punitive” rather than based on science. If sensible regulations are needed to prevent future disasters, let’s talk about them. But trying to shut down that entire industry is a destructive waste of time.
It’s OK, the primary is over. Sen. Michael Bennet, you can take a principled stand on the so-called “card check” bill if you want. The Coalition for Colorado Jobs tried to get Sen. Bennet on the record regarding the Employee Free Choice Act last week because the group fears Democrats and labor may try to revive it during a lame-duck session of Congress. But Bennet was typically coy: “It’s time to stop dividing people over legislation that everyone knows will not pass the Senate and may not even come up for a vote,” he said. “Instead, Washington should bring business and labor together to focus on how we get our economy moving. . . . I believe in the right to organize, and protecting this right must be done in a way that is not harmful to creating jobs and turning our economy around.”
So, you’re for it? No, wait, against it? Democrats are walking a fine line as they try to woo labor without alienating business leaders, but they’re dangerously close to ticking off both with disingenuous answers like that.
All the news that’s weird. We’ve often debated whether the strangest news stories surface in Florida or Colorado. Check out , which aggregates news of the weird, and you’ll see what we mean. Well, we finally have a winner. Congrats, Florida. News that Balloon Boy and his family have moved to Florida now tips the scale in favor of the Sunshine State.
Short Takes is compiled by Denver Post editorial writers and expresses the view of the newspaper’s editorial board.
