It’s no secret that Congressman Vern Buchanan (FL-13) is an ardent opponent of offshore oil drilling off Florida’s coast.  But now Buchanan is all atwitter about the latest drilling efforts off Florida’s coast- drilling that is about to commence under Cuba’s direction.  As we’ve been noting for quite some time here at the Shark Tank, drilling is going to occur off our shores and in the Gulf of Mexico- the open question is just who is going to be doing that drilling.  Now Buchanan is leading us in the worst possible direction, as he somehow believes it is a worthwhile endeavor to deny U.S. oil and gas drilling leases to companies who obtain drilling leases from Cuba, and he’s introduced legislation to permit the U.S. Interior Department to accomplish this.  Does anyone think the Interior Department is going to balk at the “opportunity” to hamstring companies who are already drilling in U.S. waters?

You have to wonder about the myopia of those who oppose drilling efforts and exploiting the energy resources within our own sphere of influence.  Not only do these efforts further obstruct job creation for oil companies small and large alike, they accompany the fact that the Obama administration is already blocking 103 Gulf drilling permits.  If the Obama administration is going to be needlessly stalling drilling permits for the foreseeable future, why would companies hesitate in obtaining Cuban leases?  Buchanan appears to think that we can dictate what a sovereign country’s domestic drilling policy should be:

“We have no drilling 230 miles off our coast,” Buchanan said, referring to current U.S. law that keeps rigs at least that far off Tampa Bay.  So why in the world would we want Cuba drilling within 50 miles?”

We’ve frittered away most of what little leverage we have over Cuba without getting anything in return, as the Obama administration further loosened travel restrictions to Cuba last month. Why our own representatives persist in their naivete- almost shocked that other sovereign countries will pursue what is in their own national interest- shows that our own leaders still have their heads in the sand.  What’s more, the continuance of our national energy policy means that we will effectively entrust the drilling that occurs near our shores to far-removed countries such China- countries who wouldn’t be as fully invested in safety measures that could prevent accidents that harm our shores.  If today’s politicos had the gumption of the leaders of yesteryear, it would be our companies drilling that oil off of Cuba’s coast.

Congressman Buchanan and those who oppose drilling off Florida’s coasts cannot come to terms with the fact that drilling off Florida’s coasts is going to occur. Our oil exploration and drilling companies have the technology to drill efficiently and safely, but we continue to lack the will in Congress, and the Obama Administration is more concerned with thwarting drilling than permitting it.  Our present national energy policy only serves to encourage oil companies to take their operations and jobs to more receptive parts of the world that do allow drilling.  Perhaps further unrest and instability in the Middle East will remind us very soon that we are only as strong as our ability to control and utilize the very energy resources that are right underneath own own feet and off our shores.