I was not at all surprised to see Senator McCain flip-flop with yesterday's announcement that he now opposes the federal moratorium on offshore oil drilling. I expect more politicians to follow this path as public pressure to do something about the energy crisis builds. A majority of Americans will apparently tolerate being in Iraq forever or skyrocketing health care costs (as long as their employer continues to pay for insurance), but they will not tolerate a $1+ increase in the cost of a gallon of gasoline.

So I think it's inevitable that America will eventually be drilling for oil off the coasts, in ANWAR, and anywhere else oil is found.

What will be interesting to see is who or what the next energy scapegoat will be. Currently, rightists are blaming environmentalists for high prices. Let's say policy is changed and it's full speed drilling ahead. If this move does not make a significant dent in prices (and I doubt it will), who will rightists then blame? The list of targets is growing shorter.