House energy vote: Calling the Dems’ bluff again
From House GOP Leader John Boehner’s office:
While House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and her Democratic colleagues have already outlined their latest “no energy” plan, House Republicans today will force Democrats to go on the record: Will Democrats allow a vote on an “all of the above” bill to help bring down prices at the pump or not? During this afternoon’s consideration of legislation related to a “wild and scenic river” study, the Republicans will move to force a debate and vote on the American Energy Act (H.R. 6566), the House GOP’s plan to reduce fuel costs by increasing production of American energy, using new drilling revenues to fund an innovative renewable energy trust fund, encouraging more efficiency and conservation, and promoting the use of more alternative fuels.
House Republicans are forced to make this move because Speaker Pelosi continues to block a vote on their comprehensive plan to lower gas prices through an “all of the above” strategy. Instead, in a cynical attempt to run out the clock until the next congressional recess without taking a real vote to bring down the price at the pump, the Speaker and her Democratic colleagues have trotted out their own “no energy” legislation that does practically “none of the above.” For example, the bill locks up 80 percent of oil and gas in the Outer Continental Shelf and rejects the GOP plan to use hundreds of billions of dollars in new oil and gas revenue from being invested in development of renewable fuels.
As a matter of fact, the Democrats’ bill is so bad, Rep. Jason Altmire – a freshman Democrat from Pennsylvania – admitted to Politico that most Democrats don’t even support it, though he predicts most will hold their noses and support it once the Speaker lays down the law:
“‘We’ve succeeded in putting a bill together with something for everyone to dislike,’ Altmire joked as he emerged from the meeting.”
“Still, Altmire said he would support the bill because he feels strongly that Congress must approve some legislation this year.”
“‘Like everybody, I’m not happy with everything that’s in or not in,’ he said. ‘But I think, all told, it’s going to have enough votes to pass.’”
The fact is, a bipartisan majority in Congress and a solid majority of the American people back the House GOP’s “all of the above” strategy to help lower gas prices and bring down home heating costs during the winter. But Speaker Pelosi and her colleagues in the Democratic leadership are standing in the way of a simple, up-or-down vote on the plan – defying the will of the American people all the while.
Will rank-and-file Democrats buck the Speaker, listen to their constituents, and allow a debate and vote by supporting the Republican motion later today? Or will they fall in line behind her, as families, seniors, and small businesses back home struggle to make ends meet amid today’s high fuel costs?
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I’d write a nasty screed to my congressman, but I just don’t have the energy.
Does Nancy still want to drill our brains?
My prediction, no vote.
Don’t just do nothing! Stand there!
I’m hoping they don’t. It’ll give the GOP another issue to bash them on and hopefully retake one of the houses.
Great when you have Obama mocking “Drill baby drill
Allow the Vote Nancy and I’ll pay for your botox from here on out. Deal?
I almost don’t want them to vote so that the American people will go to the polls in November and reverse the majorities given to the Dems in 2006. With Nan & Harry back on the bench, we can hopefully get something done!
And yet the do-nothing Dems are expected to pick up seats this coming election.
Go figure.
Has anyone drilled Nancy’s brain?
Drilling at the bottom would be the best place to start.
OPEC has announced a cutback in production.
That for me is enough of a reason for us to drill. It’s obvious that our fuel prices are subject to thw whims of petrotyrants. It’s about time we freed ourselves from their grasp. Hammer that GD Bitc$ Pelosi with that fact.
And it makes me sick that politicians will vote for a bill they all hate just so they can claim to have done something.
The best thing the GOP can do it this point is nothing. Just let the moratorium expire and then dare the DamnDems to try and reinstate it. Time is on our side.
Why, yes. Yes she does.
Barney Frank will bang the gavel, spittle something unintelligible, then they’ll turn off the lights again. I have heard, although I cannot prove, that Heath Shuler (freshman “blue dog” democrat from NC) is getting an ear full from the good people of western NC. I hope this is true and is happening all over.
CA & NV need to recall tweedle dee & tweedle dum. They are 2 of the 18 states that can recall their electives!
Give Congress a jolt
Actually, I heard yesterday that the races are tightening. There is now a chance that the GOP could get back the senate. If this drilling issue continues, it’ll be a real interesting November.
There…that almost satisfies me.
A vote for Obama is a rubber stamp vote for Pelosi and Reid.
I continue to be perplexed as to how voters could possibly identify Obama and his do-nothing party as the party of energy independence. Amazing what people can convince of themselves when they just don’t want to hear the truth.
Well, if we can get the House back, that would be great, but the Senate ain’t lookin’ too good right about now.
How about tying book sales to each vote? Maybe that would get her off her Fat AXE!!
Well, she and her cohorts in Congress could use some of our gray matter - of which they are most definitely lacking. Although in her case a complete brain transfer would be necessary : )
It takes no more energy than your posting here on MM.
Send the Speaker an email. It’s easy. And FREE!
I just sent her the quote from Rep. Jason Altmire (D- PA).
C.R.A.P.W.E.A.S.E.L.S.
Nan is just waiting till the elections are over with to do anything. If she and harry does give a vote the d’s will have the bill so full of crud the r’s will not go along with it and the r’s will get blamed for no action. Nan is in the pocket of t-boone. Actually, I think the American public is beginning to wake up to what is going on in dc. I can only hope. BTW..I just heard on Rush Nan is going to get a bill before congress to bail out the auto makers?? Anyone heard of this? That is all the taxpayers need!!!!!
L
“I voted for the democrat’s bill, lobbyist.” “Thanks, congressman, here’s your money.”
I heard about it last night over at consumerist.com.
Here’s the link.
#23 letget
You’re correct they want to post pone this so Obamageddon doesn’t have to vote. He’s screwed any way you look at it.
a) If he doesn’t vote it shows he doesn’t care
b) If he votes No he loses 70% of the people who want drilling
c) If he votes Yes he loses id left nut base
Someone needs to buy Michelle Obama a clue. Perhaps if her party would drill here and drill now some of the sob stories she claims to have heard would disappear? That woman is the epitome of bringing down a room.
#15 The 3 big auto’s are looking for a 50 Billion dollar loan (so they call it)to bail them out….
So when the dems say that the repubs only care about big business then WTF is this?
When is someone in Congress going to investigate the blatant conflict of interest Nancy Pelosi has with her huge investment in T.Boone Pickens’ CLNE company?
She’s promoting his plan known as Prop 10 in California and if it succeeds, she stands to make a huge profit. Meanwhile, she’s touting his wind farm plan that includes huge investments of ur tax dollars to underwrite… tax dollar Nancy Pelosi is in a position to secire for him…and she stand to profit by this deal.
Where is the investigation? Are there ANY republicans paying attention to this?
Conflict of interest doesn’t begin to describe it. Insider trading might be a better phrase as she in in control of specific information and actions that will control the price of the stock she owns.
WTH is going on here?
I say: Keep them tapdancing for 20 more days. At the end of the month the drilling restrictions end and all bets are off. If we can keep San Fran Nan bottled up with procedural nonsense until Oct 1, we can drop a big Sunoco rig 20 feet off of of Barbara Streisand’s private beach on October 2.
How great would that be!!!
The simple fact of the matter is that the best thing that could happen is that no vote is allowed! Because if that happens we win all the marbles! BOTH plans should be boycotted because they are both laden with pork and subsidies. by doing nothing, the ban will expire all on it’s own on Oct. 1. and we can drill anywhere we like and we won’t have to tax the hell out of the oil companies or spend billions on T. Boone Picken’s giant pinwheels.
Do Nothing! Let America’s resources be tapped without spending all the savings on BS.
Well, Sane minded West Virginians can help out the US Senate, by Voting Jay Wolfe come November! Let’s said Ole’ Rockefeller back home where he belongs.
I heat with propane gas and I pay per month on a budget plan. This year starting last June 2008, my monthy bill went up $70 dollars more per month and subject to go up further as the year goes into the winter. My family has two cars and the gasoline has doubled in price in the past year. Does anyone doubt me when I say that I am more than past angry at all of the U.S. Congressmen/women, Senators and President on their stance of the oil and illegal situation.
It’s about dems caring for the auto workers union members that are affected I’m guessing, not just big business. Think the dems would be quick to rescue businesses using non-union employees?
Just more playacting before the election. This Congress prefers the appearance of legislating to actual legislation.
#36 Thxs I forgot about the union aspect!
let us not 4get the lil crew of senators with a R after their name who
were willing to go along with the dims.
Michelle posted about them, sorry don’t have link handy.
We need to put pressure on them too.
Michelle, I hope you track this bill heavily like you did with the shamnesty bills and similar ones a few months ago, except this is one where we’d love to see you post “passed” in red text on the top of the page.
For Ol’ Stretch and the rest of the Democraps, it’s just mind over matter:
They don’t mind the pressure from their contituents ’cause we don’t matter.
Hey, Nancy! See that dimple on yer chin?
THAT is yer navel. One more facelift & yer gonna have be sportin’a goatee!
ALC,
get a woodstove if you live in a state that hasn’t banned them. If you don’t you are always welcome to come live with us bitter gun owners and Bible thumpers that still live in America
The Mexicans stole my firewood!
Look how these two damn issues combined in my world.
Right said Fred. I was being facetious, but, you were correct to take me to task. I should post to my congress more than I do here, as should everybody.
Please Sen. McCain, release the outline of a coherent energy policy, including tax incentives for inventing affordable and marketable products, tied to a reasonable timeline that has to be met!
With all of the crap the left is slinging, right now would be a good time to bury them on the issues. Energy would be a good place to start. It means a little more to all of us these days.
Less than three weeks to Energy Freedom Day.
This issue, and the grassroots response, likely played a part in McCain chosing Palin as his VP.
Don’t give in to anything less than “All of the above”.
Take no prisoners.
Even if the Democrats manage to pass some legislation before October, it ought to get vetoed by Bush since he claims to be on board with us. I’m not convinced that this will happen, though. This is the federal government we’re talking about, after all.
Who says the democrats are expected to pick up seats this election? I suspect it is the democrats saying that, and hoping the people will be fooled into thinking that. It is a psychologial ploy. I can’t believe for one minute that this do-nothing congress full of democrats will stay in power.
But then the Dems would just blame Bush and the Republicans for killing a drilling bill that had ‘bipartisan’ support. No, the Republicans need to hammer home the “Do Everything” mantra every chance they get and point out the lameness of the Dems’ bill.
Twenty days until Energy Freedom Day.
We MUST resist all efforts by Pelosi and other defeatist Democrats to pass any bill which further restricts all Americans’ right to oil, natural gas, and any other alternative energy source in this great nation of ours.
I still say that even if the Democrats were to allow a bill to pass that says drill, drill, drill everywhere, it won’t make any difference because no drilling is going to happen anyway. In fact, I don’t understand why they don’t do that now. What great cover they could get while still getting their way.
Their partners, the environmental wackos, would immediately leap into action, picketing every proposed wellhead, every new pipeline, every potential refining plant. New species of microbes would suddenly be discovered by teams of leftwing “academics” at every possible drilling site that would be threatened by just thinking about drilling. The armies of Sierra Club lawyers would venue shop challenges to every environmental impact statement in front of every sympathetic Clinton-appointed judge in the nation, which are legion. It would take ten or more years before the first drill bit hit the ground.
Ditto for any proposed nuclear facility. As demonstrated by France, nuclear energy is safe and reliable. But it now takes 30 YEARS from application for permit to completion for a new plant in this country, because of all the regulations, restrictions and legal hurdles to clear. These plants ccould probably be built in a couple years otherwise.
If the Democratic congress were to pass a bill totally encouraging both of the above, they could then say “Look, we did what the public wants”, and take all the credit. When no actual drilling or construction takes place for many years because of their own obstructionism, they could blame the evil energy companies and Republicans for that too.
Where’s all the blue dog dummies, they turn yellow on us?
I’d love for them to let the ban run out, but we need to be on the lookout for it to be attached to any legislation they want to pass. The Dems will try to slide it by quietly.
In my dream, I see a perfect world where there is pleanty of oil.
The world is at peace.
Conservative ideals rule the day…
And then, Charlton Heston leaps out and yells: “OIL IS LIBERALS!”
And he kills the whole beautiful, wonderful plan.
That ain’t gonna be cheap…
I thought Jesse Jacknife took care of his nut base?
I’d say let them go belly up since it’s the surrendercrat supporting unions that drove them into the ground in the first place.
I hate to say it, but with all these bailouts and more to come, I don’t think our economy could possibly pull out of it.
It’s like a company that is bankrupt and the accountants just haven’t figured it out yet, or just not informed the management yet.
There are bleak days ahead and people need to stock up on food and water and prepare. They cannot fend off the inevitable forever.
I have no sympathy whatsoever for Union workers out of jobs. They did it to themselves. They unioned themselves right out of work like many of us predicted they would long ago.
Greedy people in all walks of life.
What part of Comprehensive Energy Plan do these dimwits not understand? Serving the people isn’t really in the Dems’ best interest. Their only priority is accumulating as much political power as possible.
It’s nice to know that the Dems have their priorities straight, you know?
Why is this guy joking about this situation? What kind of representative is he to his district? Is this what our government has come to? Where representatives joke about voting for terrible bills that they don’t even like or support?
How does this kind of attitude help the country? Can anyone explain this to me? Is it something in the water in Washington? What is going on here?
The conservative house members must stand strong and vote against any drilling deals, compromises, etc. and TAKE IT TO THE DEMS / LIBS ON NATIONAL TV AND INTERNET EVERY DAY. Slash and burn tactics–shut down the government if the no drilling continuation is attached to any legislation. NO SURRENDER! Publicize the names of any representative who votes to extend the ban. Vote them out of office in November if the cut deals or give in to the greenies.
John Bibb
ooooooooooooooooooooo… Boehner… I’m sure the Democrats are shaking in their shoes… Nancy probably wet her pants when she heard what Boehner wants to do… oooooooooooooooooooooo… Boehner… Boehner is a freaking joke. He talks tough every now and then, but he’s proven that he’s completely ineffective as a congressman and unwilling to participate in an earnest fight for the American cause.
mchristian said:
Just more playacting before the election. This Congress prefers the appearance of legislating to actual legislation.
I also prefer the appearance of legislating to actual legislation. Most any legislation causes more problems than it fixes and costs way more than any benefit it produces. Like the ethanol debacle.
geokstr said:
I still say that even if the Democrats were to allow a bill to pass that says drill, drill, drill everywhere, it won’t make any difference because no drilling is going to happen anyway. In fact, I don’t understand why they don’t do that now. What great cover they could get while still getting their way.
Their partners, the environmental wackos, would immediately leap into action, picketing every proposed wellhead, every new pipeline, every potential refining plant. New species of microbes would suddenly be discovered by teams of leftwing “academics” at every possible drilling site that would be threatened by just thinking about drilling. The armies of Sierra Club lawyers would venue shop challenges to every environmental impact statement in front of every sympathetic Clinton-appointed judge in the nation, which are legion. It would take ten or more years before the first drill bit hit the ground.
Ditto for any proposed nuclear facility. As demonstrated by France, nuclear energy is safe and reliable. But it now takes 30 YEARS from application for permit to completion for a new plant in this country, because of all the regulations, restrictions and legal hurdles to clear. These plants ccould probably be built in a couple years otherwise.
If the Democratic congress were to pass a bill totally encouraging both of the above, they could then say “Look, we did what the public wants”, and take all the credit. When no actual drilling or construction takes place for many years because of their own obstructionism, they could blame the evil energy companies and Republicans for that too.
Your assessment is all too accurate.