No New leases

Dear Mr. President,

Do not open off-shore waters and interior lands to new leases. There is no need or reason for the oil and gas industry to lock up more sites for drilling when they already hold thousands of leases on land and water they haven't even explored let alone produce oil and gas, some of them over a decade old. They, and we, meaning you, need to force them to use what they have, like the rest of us, and not demand more areas they won't explore for another 10 to 20 years.

It's a sham and a ripoff of America and Americans. They're rich with cash and they are raising prices on future oil and gas now (remember it takes 8-12 months to process oil into gasoline and prices now reflect what they and speculators think they want in 6-12 month).

They're rich with cash and they're refusing to explore the leases they have when they know there is oil there. They just want more leases they won't use and want to keep other companies from getting access to it. That's the real sham and the real shame if you let them get away with it.

You should be representing the American people and America against the energy companies, for us, not your political future or because you're afraid of voters in the 2012 election. Just say no to them. Protect our land and water. Make them explore and drill safely. Make them produce oil and gas from the leases they have.

Or are you in their pocket too? Yeah, we know you took a lot of campaign money from the energy companies. We know you balked at the BP disaster cleanup, penalties and compensation (how the last one going?). We saw it in your response and your capitulation to BP. We know you'll cave again and open up more areas the companies won't explore and drill.

We also know you're simply using politics to cut the tax credit and subsidies to the energy companies. We know you won't fight for them if the political fight gets tough. You're not for us on this issue, but simply playing politics. But it's not politics, it's the real world, our country at stake, something you can't just give away.

So, stand up to them and the Republicans with the truth. They know it will win the day. So what are you afraid of? We're not, but you don't seem to be on our side on this issue. How about a deal? How about a trade with the energy companies?

We will agree to new leases if they turn in any lease not explored let alone drilled for production over say 10 years old. The government gets back all those leases to offer again to new bidder and new prices. And if the companies want new leases, they get them in a one for one trade for unusued leases they have less than 10 years old.

In other words, use it or lose it. It's that simple. And it's that fair for America and Americans. It they want new leases, they lose decade old leases and trade with old leases. Both unusued, just in their pocket. They use it, they get the oil and gas. If they don't we get it back.

That's fair and right for us. So, are you on our side or theirs?