Just in case anyone here is wondering why exactly the Democratic Senators from Hawaii voted for the ANWAR drilling, you might be interested in their ulterior motives, as outlined in this piece:

http://hawaiiislandjournal.com/2005/02a05b.html

http://hawaiiislandjournal.com/stories/8a03a.html

and

http://cnhaexposed.org/

Basically, the Hawaiian Senators signed a deal with the devil in hopes to get their native Hawaiians sovereignty, just like the Alaskans.

I'm betting they'll likely get a knife in the back, but we’ll see what happens. And I can’t find it, but I ran across an article explaining that the Florida Senators made a deal of their own – drill in ANWAR if you promise not to drill offshore from Florida.

___________________
Whence September dusk grows crisper still,
with leaves all crimson conquered,
I yearn to shout,
and dance about,
and stick pickles in my honker...

quote:

Originally posted by MisterOpus1 And I can’t find it, but I ran across an article explaining that the Florida Senators made a deal of their own – drill in ANWAR if you promise not to drill offshore from Florida.

In Florida, they should be more focused on building an LNG deliquification pipeline in the gulf, but nobody wants to see that in their back yard. It's not like ANWR is a scenic paradise--there aren't really any people that would see or be affected by any new equipment construction for miles.