Arctic Offshore Drilling
Energy policies are always a hot topic when it comes to presidential campaigns. If this is an important topic to you and your stance will affect who you vote for in 2016, you can learn more about these top candidates' policies and form your own opinion on the issue on this page. How will these people handle offshore drilling and
other highly debated environmental issues?
Donald Trump
Donald Trump does not reference energy policies or climate change much in his campaign. He does not acknowledge it on his campaign website, but he has been quoted on the subject through a few different interviews in the past. In 2015, Trump was quoted saying that climate change was a hoax. In 2011, Trump expressed that the US was not being aggressive enough in their use of drilling and natural gas (19 "Donald Trump on Energy and Oil"). With this information, I would assume that Trump strongly supports Arctic offshore drilling.
2016 Presidential Candidates' Energy Policies
Hillary Clinton
Hillary is completely against any Arctic explorations or operations. She believes that these adventures are not worth the risk. On her campaign site, she stresses the need for clean energy and sets two ambitious goals to help wean America off of crude oil and natural gasses (17 "Making America the clean energy superpower"). On August 18, HIllary tweeted, "The Arctic is a unique treasure. Given what we know, it's not worth the risk of drilling" (16 Reed)
Republicans
Democrats
Bernie Sanders
Bernie Sanders does not support Arctic drilling. On September 25, 2015, Bernie Sanders was one of many senators to write a letter to President Obama pleading him to "say no" to Arctic offshore drilling. He noted that it was inconsistent with Obama's Climate Action Plan. The senators also noted that it is important to stress the need for reduced greenhouse gas emissions and create clean energy. The letter also states that it poses a significant risk to wildlife and surrounding communities. Finally, he argues that Shell does not have the capacity to respond to any kind of oil spill (14 Whitehouse)
Ben Carson
Ben Carson has an interesting stance on Arctic offshore drilling. In May 2015, he stated that the climate debate is distracting and irrelevant to discussion. Therefore, he hasn't talked much about energy policies and climate change during his campaign. However, in 2012 he made a lot of comments about the Arctic explorations. He believes that we should intellegently tap into our own resources offshore and in Alaska. He also said that an increased energy independence would help deprive terrorists of funding (18 "Ben Carson on Energy and Oil").
Jeb Bush
Bush supports any means necessary to provide Americans with cheaper sources of energy. He supports lifting heavy regulations and opening federal lands to drilling (8 "Energy Policy for Growth"). He also responded to Clinton's tweet about Arctic drilling and wrote, "Being more anti-energy than Obama is extreme. We should embrace energy revolution to lower prices & create US jobs" (16 "Reed")
Martin O'Malley
O'Malley firmly believes that clean energy and climate change are one of the country's top priorities. He gives four reasons for this position. First off, humans have a moral obligation to act to end climate change. Secondly, he believes that a clean energy initiative would be the biggest business and job creation opportunity in at least one hundred years. Finally, he believes that ending fossil fuel use would extend lives of hundreds of thousands of Americans and create a safer, more stable world (20 "2016 Presidential Dandidates"). With this stance, Martin O'Malley is strongly against any kind of drilling exploration in the Arctic. He wants to put an end to it immediately.
Page Citations
Image - Donald Trump: Skidmore, Gage. “Make America Great Again.” Image. Trump Make America Great Again. Donald J. Trump for President. n.d. Web. 13 Nov.2015.
Image - Ben Carson: “Ben Carson for President.” Image. Ben Carson For President. Carson America, Inc. n.d. Web. 13 Nov. 2015.
Image - Jeb Bush: Koehler, Thomas. “Jeb Bush.” Image. People. Time Inc. 15 Jun. 2015. Web. 13 Nov. 2015.
Image - Hillary Clinton: “Hillary Clinton.” Image. InsideGov. Graphiq, Inc. n.d. Web. 13 Nov. 2015.
Image - Bernie Sanders: “Bernie Sanders Portrait.” Image. Bernie 2016. Bernie 2016. n.d. Web. 13 Nov. 2015.
Image - Martin O'Malley: MarylandGovPics. “Staff Holiday Party.” Image. Flickr. Flickr. 18 Dec. 2014. Web. 13 Nov. 2015.
8 - Textual Information: “Energy Policy for Growth.” Jeb! 2016. Jeb 2016, Inc, n.d. Web. 24 Oct. 2015.
14 - Textual Information: Whitehouse, Sen. Sheldon, et. al. “Senators to Obama: Just Say No to Arctic Drilling.” Sheldon Whitehouse. Sheldon Whitehouse, 25 Sep.2015. Web. 24 Oct.
2015.
16 - Textual Information: Reed, Jeff. “Hillary Clinton & Jeb Bush Have A Twitter Battle On Arctic Drilling.” OilPro. OilPro. Aug. Web. 18 Nov. 2015.
17 - Textual Information: “Making America the clean energy superpower of the 21st century.” Hillary Clinton Climate. Hillary for America. n.d. Web. 17 Nov. 2015.
18 - Textual Information: “Ben Carson on Energy & Oil.” OnTheIssues. OnTheIssues.org. n.d Web. 17 Nov. 2013.
19 - Textual Information: “Donald Trump on Energy & Oil.” OnTheIssues. OnTheIssues.org. n.d Web. 17 Nov. 2013.
20 - Textual Information: "2016 presidential candidates on natural resources." Ballotpedia. Ballotpedia. n.d. Web. 17 Nov. 2015.
"Make America Great Again"
by Gage Skidmore
"Hillary Clinton"
by InsideGov
"Ben Carson for President" by Ben Carson for President
"Bernie Sanders Protrait" by Bernie 2016
"Jeb Bush"
by Thomas Koehler
"Staff Holiday Party"
by MarylandGovPicst