Why not put Drilling for oil on the ballots?

Question

Instead of having the inviornmental agency making the rules for where we get the oil from why don't we use the voting system and see what the Americans realy want to do.all these other countries that drill for oil haven't realy had any inviornmental hazzards from it. thier only getting richer from it.

Answer 1

Because we don't actually live in a Democracy, we live in a republic. As stated before, if we voted on each and every issue, we would be voting daily. And most Americans don't know (or care about) all the facts and factors involved in these decisions.

Also, I would think that drilling or not drilling is a state's rights issue as well.

Answer 2

It is a good idea, unfortunately our system does not allow for that type of vote on a national level. There are many issues that could benefit from a vote by the people. Unfortunately, to vote on solitary issues would have us going to the polls all the time, and is just not practical. This is why we supposedly have elected leaders, to represent our goals on the national stage. In this day and age the people's will gets lost under an avalanche of lobbyist dollars thrown in the faces of Congress people.

Phil S. Spoken like true environmentalist. Um us ignorant Americans have to be saved from ourselves. The honest truth is that there are safe drilling and transport options available, but we don't explore these because we can't drill anyway, so what is the point. I don't know how many times a day I hear that we are too dependent on foreign oil, and about how oil prices are too high, but suggest the most obvious solution for short term relief and the answer is no we can't do that. Usually I hear this from so called enviromentalists right before they get in their SUVs and drive away. Unchecked and uncontrolled oil prices will rise to a hundred dollars a barrel soon. When that happens average cost per gallon of gas will be 5 dollars. We better come to consensus among ourselves soon, or the enviroment is going to be the least of our worries. Lastly, the will of the American people is being denied daily by congress, the constitution does not say you have to be educated to vote. It is a right, not a gift. I also have no doubt that if we did have a public referendum on the drilling issues all the intelligent enviromentalists would get their chance to have their voice heard right along with us more ignorant folks.

Kelley: You nailed it. State's rights is the key. Then you could indeed have popular votes on the issue.

Answer 3

Because even though letting the people decide sounds great in theory, the people are idiots.

Making the correct decision requires an understanding of the scientific facts regarding the environmental impact, required drilling techniques in that geographic region, knowledge about the options for transporting the oil and the further impact of the different options, such as building a pipeline, and so on. American voters dont tend to actually study issues, but make their decisions based on 30 second TV commercials put together by marketing teams skilled in persuasion and manipulation of opinion.