Resolved: Allowing deep water offshore oil drilling is in the best interest of

the United States. My partner and I believe that offshore is beneficial due to the
following three reasons: Reliance on foreign oil is harmful, deep offshore drilling
has the potential to contribute $11 trillion dollars to the GDP(Gross domestic
production), and oil dollars fund the insurgency.

Before we start we would like to offer the following observation and

resolutional analysis. Observation 1) We would like to clarify that the drilling ban
has been lifted and replaced with stricter safer measures. All definitions will be
contextually defined.

C1) Deep offshore drilling has the potential to contribute 11 trillion dollars to
the GDP. From Mason, at The American Energy Alliance, ’09.. The broadest measure of
the incremental effect of increased oil and natural gas extraction is the effect on
total economic output. Estimates are provided for both coastal states and the
U.S., as a whole. In total, the investment and production phases together can be
expected to contribute over 11 trillion dollars in GDP over the project lifespan.
What this is saying is that if deep water offshore drilling is carried out, then it will
contribute 11 trillion dollars to the United States GDP. That money will help
millions of people nationwide, and will even help this nations defecate.

C2) The U.S. and foreign oil

Subpoint A: Our level of oil dependency has reached the 65% mark
According to Wampler, Allen former assistant secretary to the U.S. department of
energy and strategic energy consultant ’10.. Over-reliance on imported oil from
OPEC will lead our country into a future laden with uncertainty and danger. The
United States sent four hundred billion overseas to pay for imported oil in ’08-
and that didn’t include the money spent to secure shipping routes from the
Persian Gulf and other unstable regions. This is saying that the U.S. is dependent
on foreign nations for 65% of its oil. Because we depend on these countries so
much for our oil, it more difficult for the US to intervene when conflicts arise.

Subpoint B: Drilling would relieve our dependence of foreign oil

From Heat USA: Americas largest heating oil buying group ’10, Oil from offshore
drilling could replace to 10% of our oil imports. The US imports almost 10 million
barrels of crude oil per day, or around 3.65 billion barrels per year. Even though
this is only 10%, it is 10% that we are less dependent of other nations, and it is
10% less amount of soft power they have over us.

C3) Oil dollars fund the insurgency

From the New York Times, ’06, In one example, a sitting member of the Iraqi
National Assembly has been indicted and is suspected of funneling some of that
money to the insurgency, said Radhi Hamza al-Radhi, the chairman of Iraq’s
Commission on Public Integrity. Ali Allawi, Iraq’s financial minister, estimated that
insurgents reap 40 to 50% of all oil-smuggling profits in the country. He said that
the insurgency had infiltrated senior management positions at the major northern
refinery in Baiji routinely terrorized truck drivers there. This allows the insurgents
and their confederates to tap the pipeline, empty the trucks and sell the oil or gas
themselves. Mr. Allawi said “The insurgents are involved at all levels”

Judge, in today’s debate, the benefits greatly outweigh the harms. Because
of the money deep off shore drilling produces, and how it relieves our
dependency of foreign oil, is why I urge a pro ballot in today’s debate, thank you.