Originally Posted by bkcunningham1

Cologal: from the WSJ, "The seven noted that they broadly agreed with the report and had even signed off on a proposal to suspend new deep water permits for six months. They also agreed to a "temporary pause" in drilling to perform additional testing on the Gulf's 33 deep water wells that have already received permits to drill.

"But as for a 'blanket moratorium,' the seven said it 'is not the answer. It will not measurably reduce risk further and it will have a lasting impact on the nation's economy which may be greater than that of the oil spill.' If anything, the ban could prove "counterproductive to long term safety."

"One of the seven, University of California at Berkeley engineering professor Bob Bea, further explained in an email cited in the New Orleans Times-Picayune: 'Moratorium was not a part' of the 'report we consulted-advised-reviewed. Word from [the Department of Interior] was it was a [White House] request.' In other words, the drilling ban is a West Wing political invention designed to make the boss look tough on oil companies. Our guess is that the credit goes to energy czar Carol Browner, who has been loudly touting the ban to show the Administration is doing something."

But do you think Browner does anything, especially of this magnitude, without Barry's approval?