Last Friday, the United States House of Representatives adjourned without voting on an offshore drilling bill supported by the Republicans. Instead of adjourning and going home for the five week recess that was scheduled, hilarity ensued.
The Republicans stayed, talking on the floor to "debate" the energy bill. In response, the Democrats turned off the microphones and the lights. A Republican Congressman figured out how to brute force the A/V closet and got the microphones back on. They tried to marshal the press out of the press room with the Capitol Police until a Republican decided to host an impromptu press conference.
To "pad" the numbers of people on the floor, they allowed staffers and visitors down and were shouting back up to the gallery and back. In short, it was a little bit like 7th grade homeroom when the teacher leaves the room.
Well, the Republicans decided that it was so much fun, they are doing it again today. To be fair, energy policy is something that merits serious consideration, but childish antics more suited for playgrounds than Congress is not the way to go about it.
But it appears that a faction, a small one at that, of Republicans have been spurred on by unserious pundits and activists. I say a small faction because this morning, RedState sent out a desperate e-mail for anyone in the DC area to head down to the House floor. That's right, they want the fever swamp bloggers down there to hoot and holler like it’s a high school house party when mom and dad are away. Of course, RedState is not new to childish and superficial politics.
Energy policy is a serious issue and families are being pinched by higher (albeit now falling) gas prices. I've been driving all around the state of Illinois in my pickup for a campaign I'm running, and I can tell you first hand its rough. We do need a diversified energy portfolio for this nation. Offshore and ANWR drilling certainly is part of that, as are other programs, such as expanded nuclear and wind power.
Article comments
1 - Arch Conservative
This GOP stunt is nothing but political grandstanding. When they had the White and control of congress a few years back why didn't they see fit to take any action to address our dependency on foreign oil or make long term plans to contain costs.
The Democrats are know better. They oppose anything that isn't solar or wind. Nazi Pelosi actually said that it's her duty to save the planet during and interview with George Stephanopoulos this past weekend. Her idea of saving the planet is the American public living in huts while she and her dumbass cronies on capital hill take vacations at their third homes in the middle of august. I'd like to smack the fucking botox right out of her plastic face.
It's all the same. Neither side wants the other side to be seen by the public as having had any part, regardless how small, in actually doing something positive to make progress in our energy dilemma. One side makes you see RED while the other side makes you feel BLUE.
2 - Baronius
"Drill Now" is a great idea. But what about "drill three years ago", so that we don't end up with this current tight fuel market? See the link for the Senate votes on ANWR drilling in 2005. (I couldn't find the House side.) No Senator who opposed drilling in ANWR in 2005 should be considered presidential material.
3 - bliffle
No congressman who supports OCS drilling should be considered for office. It's BAD BUSINESS for the USA to sign new contracts with oil companies with the current unfavorable terms due to the "oversight" which has been pointed out by the GAO.
There is NO HURRY to drill OCS because it will take 7-15 years for that oil to reach market.
2/3 of the OCS oil will go to foreign countries, anyhow. Why bother? We lose.
55% of the profits from drilling OCS will go to foreign oil companies. What's the big hurry? What do we owe them?
Don't rush in a panic to make a longterm decision that will be unfavorable to us. Even if drilling OCS were a good thing it would be years before we see any benefit.
4 - Dave Nalle
So renegotiate the contracts. It's not rocket science. This is the time to do it and to pass new energy legislation and open up drilling.
I'm thinking it's time for state legislatures to start impeaching congressmen.
Dave
5 - bliffle
Bambi sez: "Offshore and ANWR drilling certainly is part of that, as are other programs, such as expanded nuclear and wind power."
None of those are "..certainly (is) part of that..." at all, since the efficacy of OCS and ANWR drilling has not been shown.
As a matter of fact, there are other possible components of an energy program that you don't mention at all, like solar, geothermal and conservation.
There's no harm in holding off on OCS/ANWR because their payoffs are so far in the future. Haste does not benefit the USA, just the oil companies who get leases at todays discount prices and can hold them in reserve as long as they please.
Do we have to get after our state legislators to impeach the congressmen who have surrendered such valuable lease terms to the oil companies? And who have stymied support of wind, solar and geothermal at every opportunity?