Deseret News | Reader comments: Redford's oil-lease stance bashed

Reader comments
Redford's oil-lease stance bashed

uncannygunman | 9:19 p.m. Jan. 14, 2009

Next they'll want to help the poor by getting rid of the large estate tax!

anonymous | 10:58 p.m. Jan. 14, 2009

I don't see how shale drilling in Utah is going to help the poor in Maryland anyhow -- you can't think that exxon is using all of those profits in charity work can you? I mean, how do you think profit margins got so large to begin with? That's right, keeping their workers' wages down, politicians in their pockets to ease the cheap sale of leasing rights, and ignoring the development of alternative energies. Give me a break. If you've got the money to fly all over the country to protest things well outside your neighborhood, maybe you all ought to be giving your patrons a break by taking less in your own collection plates.

ChainSawHarry | 11:16 p.m. Jan. 14, 2009

Looks like Redford, and his "elitist cronies," have finally been caught biting the hand that feeds the poor.

Redford's efforts to snatch from the "have nots" to placate the "have's" guilt is finally registering with the folks. No one listened, or saw what Redford and his environmental cronies have been doing for decades during prosperous times, that being to restrict and limit exploration and production of energy resources. Now that times are difficult, resources are severely less available (thanks to the environmentalists),in order to keep energy prices moderated will require greater exploration and production of these energy resources.

I wonder if the short in stature Redford will continue to diminish his "footprint" on the backs of those of us with fixed income, struggling families, struggling businesses, and the poor. Time will tell.

Comments continue below

Redford - Keep fighting big oil! | 11:57 p.m. Jan. 14, 2009

Did you notice who is funding the protestors??? Big Oil. Did you notice where the protestors are coming from??? Not Utah. I would tell them to save the money they are spending on plane tickets and accomodations to get here and give that to the poor in their areas.

Seriously, the real impacts that the potential oil would have would not be felt for 30 or 40 years down the road. The U.S. is going to keep exauhsting the resources of other countries before we really tap into our own.

I would much rather visit our National Parks and not see oil trucks and oil operations.

Keep it up Redford!!! We need to help the country realize that alternative energy is the direction we need to be heading. The government could create hundreds of thousands of jobs across the country by creating "green jobs".

I am not a tree hugger, just someone who is sick and tired of seeing our city covered in thick smog. I promise you that the health concerns caused by poor air quality will far outweigh any benefits of the drilling near our national parks.

Anonymous | 7:05 a.m. Jan. 15, 2009

Follow the money.

Oil companies are not exploiting the leases they now have, why grab more?

Geezer | 7:48 a.m. Jan. 15, 2009

This "CORE" is a right-wing front group that defends the oil industry. The real representatives of the African American community are the members of the Congressional Black Caucus. They have been outspoken and consistent in their support for conservation on our public lands.

Dave | 8:09 a.m. Jan. 15, 2009

These leases hold natural gas. little or no oil. If it is not developed we will be forced to burn more coal. Once again the enviros are fouling the air.

Vigilant | 8:51 a.m. Jan. 15, 2009

Good to see the rich, elitist, out of state Hollywood types getting a little push back on their wacky environmental schemes.

Drill here, drill now.

Getting rid of the annual zoo parade of celebrities in Park City would do far more environmental good than blocking any form of domestic energy production.

Businesswoman | 3:43 p.m. Jan. 15, 2009

Perhaps "vigilant" would like to tell the proprietors of all the shops, restaurants and hotels that they should be happy to get rid of the "zoo parade" in Park City. Would you perhaps like to provide jobs for those displaced by the loss of that revenue?

Hey, I'm not a fan of Hollywood types. I think they are overpaid. But, they too are citizens of this country and deserve to have their say just like we all do.

Our National Parks are the ONLY place we can go that doesn't suffer from the blight of billboards, oil trucks and commerce. Let's leave them the way they were intended to be. How about altnerate energy job production instead of tired old oil based jobs? There is more to life than smog.

super serial | 3:58 p.m. Jan. 15, 2009

why is it everytime someone wants to drill for oil or create some means of obtaining energy the land they want to do it on is suddenly "our most special places" are you kidding me? i can understand not wanting these things near the focal point of our parks but the shale area of utah is a total WASTELAND. kinda like that other "Special place" ANWAR. what a joke! i guess West valley is the "special place" of salt lake valley, ya right.
i have a question? is it evnironmentaly friendly to have a house three times bigger than you need??
i dont think so. what kind of places do you think these hollywood jerks live in? all the while they like tell us how to live and to be "GREEN" and thats a load of bollocks!! the fact is it does hurt the poor. and anyone who thinks gas is going to stay as cheap as it is needs to have there heads checked.

super serial | 4:01 p.m. Jan. 15, 2009

redford is lame

amused | 4:06 p.m. Jan. 15, 2009

As a red blooded jeeping and hunting American I usually side as far away from Redford and his wealthy, hypocritical SUWA buddies but I have to agree with them on this one. We have a whole state to drill for oil without rigs in and around Arches and Canyonlands. I also have to wonder how pulling a few leases in sensitive areas will impact the poor. That is a real stretch and these "clergy" should be ashamed of their conduct. The money generated by keeping these areas pristine for international tourism is worth more than the possible oil laying underneath. Let's pick on Redford when he really deserves it.

Dave | 4:19 p.m. Jan. 15, 2009

Really, i can't imagine how some of you drill-baby-drill types aren't seeing the irony here, or perhaps you're just choosing to ignore it.

When some back-east congressman wants to protect more Utah wilderness, the pave-it-over folks emit a loud, collective, "HOW DARE THEY! They don't live here!"

But when some back-east ministers come to complain about the enviromental views of a Utah resident, it's quite alright with the local Ruzicka and Buttars clones.

Obviously where you're from doesn't really matter as much as what you think. Which, quite honestly, is one truth I'd agree with the neocons on, if they had the guts to admit it, and to remember it the next time the point doesn't work in their favor.

eye to eye | 4:23 p.m. Jan. 15, 2009

I agree with Mr. Redford. We are supposed to take care of our environment as well as our neighbors. Every good minister will know that. Their (ministers') arguments just don't make sense.

Businesswoman | 4:32 p.m. Jan. 15, 2009

Um, super serial. Most of us don't have houses three times bigger than we need. Many of us also don't have families three times bigger than we need using up precious resources by the truckload either.

And do you know for a fact that in their bigger than life houses they are not energy efficient, recycling, using alternate sources of energy? You don't. Regardless, they have a right to voice their opinion. If you were offered the opportunity to have that life, celebrity, money I'm sure you'd walk away with your obviously very high sense of ethics and refuse it. Not.

Since when is it a crime to have success and wealth in this country? Do I think a lot of it is excessive. Yep. Do I think people are borderline criminal who achieve that level? Nope.

I do think it's sad that some think EVERYPLACE is open to our unyielding thirst for energy consumption so that we have to even consider trashing the entry into or, worse, inside our National Parks to suck up every bit of fossil fuels. Do you have gas guzzling ATV's, snowmobiles? How about try walking, grammar, spelling and capitals.

Ex-(you know) | 5:46 p.m. Jan. 15, 2009

It's just like the Rapture-pining religious zealots to scream "DRILL!!" The worse things get (forest fires, flooding, low crop-yields) the more their biblical prophecies are fulfilled! Why work to conserve the planet if Jesus is going to burn the place down anyway?

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