More than a week ago I suggested that Governor Crist call us into a Special Session in order to put a near-shore drilling ban on the statewide ballot so voters can decide to permanently keep oil rigs off Florida’s coastline. Governor Crist has indicated he is inclined to do so.

The Republican response has been interesting. First, the Republican leadership ripped the idea as “political.” (Ironic coming from the same people who are using their power to populate the November ballot with a series of proposed amendments that read like the Republican Party’s talking points)

Then they said they were already against oil drilling so there was no need to give it to the voters. Of course if you read their quotes closely, they didn’t actually say they were really against near shore drilling. They said they needed “to know more” or for the next legislative session it was “off the table.” That's Tallahassee-speak for we are not doing it today, but tomorrow things may change.

Florida’s fiscal crisis started the drumbeat of near shore oil drilling. Heralding oil revenues as the next fix de jour to our budget shortfalls, an army of oil lobbyists descended on Tallahassee. In 2009 a bill allowing leases within 10 miles of Florida’s coast passed the State House as it was supported by the incoming Speaker. And the incoming leadership of the House and Senate have been promoting near shore leases enthusiastically until the Deep Water Horizon catastrophe. Even some of the most ardent opponents had become part of the “let’s study it” gang. Absent this spill, it is more than likely that within months leases would have been sold within 4 miles of Florida’s coastline.

But won’t this sober them up? How could they proceed literally in the wake of this oil spill? In a word, hubris.  Trust me, the oil industry and the pro-oil crowd is not chastened by this incident. Shame is not a factor. They are not going to back off something they think could be profitable. It may not be next year, but the moment they think they can bully near shore drilling through the legislature, they will do it.

So that is why we need to move now.   While the iron is hot and current events have created some momentum, let's give Floridians the chance to memorialize this moment in the constitution so we never have to worry about the oil industry plopping massive oil rigs just a few miles off the coast of Tampa or Sarasota or any other part of our pristine shoreline.