10 Years Ago Today Democrats Blocked Drilling in ANWR Because It Wouldn't Help Gas Prices for 10 Years

How's that working out for you, Democrats?  From the Senate GOP:

• Ten years ago, with gas prices at $1.45 per gallon, Senate Democrats blocked legislation to allow more domestic energy production in Alaska. 

• Senate Democrats argued against increasing energy production from the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) because it would take up to 10 years for the oil to reach the market:

• Senator Bingaman: "There would be no production out of that area for at least 7 years ..." (April 18, 2002)
• Senator Kerry: "No oil will flow from ANWR … until from 7 to 10 years from now." (April 17, 2002)
• Senator Stabenow: "Even if we started drilling tomorrow, the first barrel of crude oil would not make it to the market for at least 10 years." (April 17, 2002)
• Senator Murray: "Oil exploration in ANWR will not actually start producing oil for as many as 10 years." (April 17, 2002)
• Senator Cantwell: "Oil extracted from the wildlife refuge would not reach refineries for seven to ten years." (April 17, 2002)

• If Democrats hadn't blocked production in ANWR ten years ago, up to an additional 1.5 million barrels per day of domestic oil would be available to help lower the cost of gasoline today.

• Ten years later, ANWR remains off-limits, the U.S. still imports half of its oil, gasoline has skyrocketed to nearly $4 per gallon, and Democrats are still blocking energy production.

Still stupid after all these years.