The presumptive Republican presidential nominee Senator John McCain wants to end the federal ban on offshore drilling. The Senator wishes to have his cake and eat it too, but anyone with common sense understands that you can’t eat your cake and have it too. McCain has touted himself as a supporter of environmental issues but he also wants to appeal to the American base that is angry at fuel prices but are not necessarily being proactive on environmental or energy issues either. These Americans see it as their right to cheap fuel prices and do not understand that the current policy attitude or model towards energy and environmental problems cannot sustain American consumption, development, or its economy. Environmental obtuseness is not healthy for democracy.

The ugly reality is that we have caused our suffering and drilling for oil in the Arctic, Everglades or offshore are not the correct solutions to remedy our situation. The oil should remain and America must focus on developing the renewable energy infrastructure in addition to updating the electric power transmission grid and public transportation infrastructures. Funding research and having open minds will further meet our needs as well.

In reality Republican Senator John McCain’s policies mirror those from the Presidency of George W. Bush. The Washington Post has an excellent article that highlights where the presumptive presidential nominees stand on environmental issues. The article also illustrates how Republican Senator John McCain flip-flops on environmental issues or shows a lack on consistency. From the Washington Post:

McCain backs federal subsidies for building more nuclear power plants, which he considers the best way to reduce U.S. carbon dioxide emissions. He plans to begin outlining his energy proposals in the first of three major speeches today in Houston. Aides said the centerpiece of the speech will be the proposal to lift the ban on drilling, but McCain will also have harsh words for market speculators who are driving up the cost of oil….

Obama backs using money raised through an auction of greenhouse-gas emissions credits to bolster research and development projects, while imposing requirements on how much renewable energy public utilities would have to buy….

McCain’s call for an end to the coastal oil drilling ban is at odds with his oft-stated view that drilling should remain off-limits in sensitive areas such as the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Asked by reporters about those places, McCain said yesterday that he still thinks the refuge is a “pristine” area and opposes drilling there.

The senator’s push to end the ban is sure to annoy two key Republican allies — California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Florida Gov. Charlie Crist — both of whom oppose drilling off their states’ coastlines.