Gustav will definitely thrash Gulf Coast oil platforms and disrupt oil supply.

[Barack_America]

Causing gas prices to rise heading into this Labor Day weekend and the GOP convention next week.

Let's not forget that this is a SECOND time that a catastrophe has spoiled an opportunity for John McCain to highlight offshore drilling as his energy crisis cure-all.

John McCain, I think it's now obvious that God DOES NOT endorse your energy plan.

:rofl:


FYI, the first time was when a hurricane and/or an unrelated oil spill spoiled his plans to visit an offshore rig.

[CoffeeCat]

1. Plus, if a devastating hurricane...

...hits--it will only remind people of Katrina and how inept Bush and the
Republicans were at helping the good people of this country.

I hope there is no hurricane, because we all know that BushCo will do
nothing to prepare for this disaster, and that FEMA is just some playground
for Bush backslappers.

Anyone who might be hit--if this storm does turn into a hurricane--needs to know that they're most
likely on their own.

[Barack_America]

2. The storm is likely already a hurricane...winds increased from 45mph to 70mph overnight.

75mph is a hurricane.

I absolutely agreed with your post, but I'm praying it doesn't come to that. I hope that Gustav slaps around a few oil platforms, points out the danger of relying solely on offshore drilling and then vanishes before hitting shore.

I know that's not going to happen, but I can't bring myself to hope for the inevitable, no matter how politically advantageous it might be. (and I'm not saying you are either, I'm sure you're not)

[CoffeeCat]

4. Yes, I totally agree with you...

The last thing any of us would wish for--is a devastating hurricane.

I hope this thing weakens, and that no one is hurt.

However, we all know what would happen if there was a devastating hurricane. Once again,
Bush would drop the ball and all of the Republican elitism, incompetence and evil would
be shown to our nation in technicolor.

If it happened again, maybe it would drive home the truth. Out of horrid chaos and destruction,
maybe this would be a tipping point. I guess if a strong hurricane blew through, we might
hope that some good would come out of it--and maybe America waking up would be that good thing--as
well as neighbors, friends and others helping out the victims.

With that said (as you said), no one would ever wish this to happen or hope that it would
happen.

I live in Iowa, and I was thinking 'what can I do to help?'. Maybe I could load up my car
with food and bottled water and drive down there--because I know Bush won't be helping! Then,
I remembered how the military surrounded and blocked off the city, and wouldn't let anyone in.
Then, I felt dissuaded about doing anything like that. Isn't that sad?

[Barack_America]

3. Kicking to add this graphic of oil rig locations in the Gulf of Mexico...

And wunderground notes the effect Gustav is already having on the oil & gas industry:

Gustav's potential impact on the oil and gas industry
The price of U.S. crude oil has jumped about 2%, and the price of U.S. natural gas has increased 11% in the past two days, in anticipation that Gustav might rip through the oil and gas production areas of the Gulf of Mexico. About 25% of U.S. crude oil and 15% of its natural gas are produced in the Gulf of Mexico. As seen in Figure 2, the oil production areas are concentrated along the Louisiana and Texas coast. If Gustav makes a landfall on the right side of its cone of uncertainty, in Alabama or the Florida Panhandle, the oil and gas infrastructure might not be significantly affected. However, most of the cone of uncertainty lies in the major oil and gas producing areas, and I give an increased 70% chance that Gustav will significantly hurt oil and gas production in the Gulf.

http://www.wunderground.com/blog/JeffMasters/comment.html?entrynum=1046&tstamp=200808