# Federal judge overturns Whitehouse ban on offshore drilling

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/federal-judge-overturns-whitehouse-ban-on-offshore-drilling/544156>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [June 22, 2010, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/federal-judge-overturns-whitehouse-ban-on-offshore-drilling/544156 "2010-06-22T20:18:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 7

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**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\
**Post date:** [June 27, 2010, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/federal-judge-overturns-whitehouse-ban-on-offshore-drilling/544156/121 "2010-06-27T02:49:52Z")

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> [@Martin\_Hyde](#):
>
> I’ll also say it is a bit disingenuous that most people are focused on the ‘oil companies’ involved in operating the deep water rigs. The truth of the matter is the people who were hurt the most by that moratorium are regular, blue collar Americans. People that work a hard job for pretty good pay, and who probably can’t find employment that provides an income anywhere close to that elsewhere. Not to mention all the blue collar Americans who are working on the boats that are owned by the various companies that provide services to deepwater oil rigs.

I’m tired of this being trotted out.

Certainly I feel for those who have become unemployed by all this.

However, if the industry they work for is causing massive damage I do not think saying Joe Blow will be unemployed if we stop this is any reason whatsoever to ignore the problem.

As a hypothetical imagine company-X is making widgets and the process sees them dumping massive amounts of highly toxic chemicals into the Mississippi river. The government steps in and says these plants need to be shut down for six months till someone figures out a solution.

Company-X has billions in profits so while this pinches them they are fine. In **Martin Hyde’s** world we should continue polluting because someone in that plant might lose their job. To hell with any other considerations. Joe Blow needs work! :rolleyes:

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