Talking about Energy: Drill Here, Drill Now

Talking points for a plan to lower gas prices today

1. If we want gas prices to be lower, we have to increase supply. People are already responding to high prices by reducing their fuel consumption—and it hurts. We also have to increase our domestic supply. Therefore, we need to drill off the N.C. coast and do it now. It comes down to the law of supply and demand. As long as we continue to depend on unstable countries for the majority of our vehicle-fuel needs, we will continue to see high prices—particularly as developing-world economies come online and consume more of the available oil.

2. Drilling now can lower prices at the pump now, despite the fact that the new supplies won’t come online for a while. Why? Oil would be less scarce in the future. The so-called “speculatorsâ€