President Obama announced on May 14
that oil drilling will begin in areas that had previously been
untouched, raising concerns over safety and environmental damage. New
parts of Alaska are now targeted for oil exploration, and drilling in
the Atlantic is under consideration.
The controversy over oil drilling is
especially intense as a result of the devastating BP oil spill last
year as well as the rapidly increasing price of gas. While some make
hollow promises about tighter safety precautions or regulations,
energy corporations and capitalist politicians argue that the only
solution to the rising cost of fuel is more drilling.
However, this narrow perspective
ignores the responsibility of the capitalist system for the hardships
associated with more expensive gas, which disproportionately affects
working-class people. Giant oil corporations are gouging consumers
and at the same time taking in huge profits. Under capitalism, prices
of essential goods and services will be raised whenever possible in
order to maximize profit.
