Public opinion on energy issues is shifting due to the rising cost of fuel.  Even in California, according to a recent SurveyUSA poll, 47 percent of the public supports the construction of modern nuclear powers plant while only 35 percent oppose.  Further, 59 percent of Californians want to drill for the vast amounts of oil off our coast while only 33 percent want to keep those resources off limits. 

With this change in public opinion in mind, I wonder two things: when will California’s leaders, such as Gov. Schwarzenegger and Democrat legislators, publicly change their minds; and, what impact might this significant shift in public opinion have on the Presidential race. 

Lastly, regarding offshore oil, might public opinion be further swayed when the people discover that slant drilling technology has advanced to the point that offshore rigs aren’t really needed to access California’s offshore oil deposits.  Slant drilling from near the shore can reach oil fields miles off the coast - all without an offshore rig.  Further, the safety record of offshore rigs is actually better than that of oil tankers, which are statistically far more prone to accidents.