Posted on 08/10/2008 6:22:50 PM PDT by SmithL
House Republicans, who've been hounding Speaker Nancy Pelosi for weeks over her refusal to allow a vote on new domestic oil drilling, are plotting a high-stakes confrontation this fall that could spark a shutdown of the federal government.
Republicans see an opportunity when Congress returns Sept. 8 and will have to pass a temporary measure to keep the government funded beyond Sept. 30. Democrats are likely to include in the measure an extension of the congressional moratorium on offshore drilling, which would otherwise expire at the end of September.
GOP lawmakers warn they may try to block the measure - or pressure President Bush to veto it - if Democrats won't relent and allow the drilling ban to lapse. If neither side gives in, it would force at least a temporary shutdown of the government.
Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, who led Republicans during the last government shutdown in 1995 that ended up bruising his party's image, said he thinks Republicans should force the showdown. He believes that the public, frustrated with high gas prices, would side with Republicans in demanding more oil exploration.
"Are (Democrats) really prepared to close the government in order to stop drilling?" Gingrich said during an appearance at the House last week, where Republicans are still protesting Pelosi's decision to adjourn for the August break without a vote on a GOP energy plan. "I think the American people would find that a suicidal strategy."
Democrats are skeptical that GOP leaders really want to risk a shutdown which, if it's anything like the weeks-long closure in 1995, could lead to the furloughs of hundreds of thousands of federal workers, close national parks and passport offices, disrupt benefit checks to veterans and delay homeowners' efforts to get government-backed home loans.
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
Who cares what “we the people” want.
Keep supporting our congress heros that are still in Washington!!
We need a vote
Nazi Pelosi AmericanVoices@mail.house.gov
We need emergency session
President Bush comments@whitehouse.gov
202-456-1111
John Boehner invited McCain to join them
McCain needs to get his a$$ to Washington where he belongs
It will bring the much needed media attention
http://www.johnmccain.com/Contact/
ping
Does anyone know who is in Washington?
I would like to thank and support them
and harass the ones that are not
They are rotating in and out. Won’t know till Monday who’s there.
The gretaest vistory would not be to get drilling to proceed. The greatest victory would be to show ordinary Americans what enviro-dingbats the Dems are, imposing their dingbat ideology on ordinary AMericans, so the will get voted out of Control of Congress in November. THEN WE DRILL!
Thanks for the ping!
I think our guys are serious.
Our senators, on the other hand- are complete and total sellouts. Shame on them.
I hope the Senators are seriously rethinking having “put their foot in it”.
- - - - - Shutdown Here, Shutdown Now - - - - - - -
Baloney. It was a wonderful piece of political theater.
They only funded those portions of the government that were "really necessary" and everything continued right on just fine. For anyone paying attention, they were admitting that most of the government isn't necessary, you could defund most of it and make these people get jobs in the private sector and most people's lives wouldn't change a bit.
A "government shutdown" in the name of energy independence would be a godsend for this election. It would focus everyone's attention on who wants to fund OPEC and who wants to de-fund OPEC.
It looks like “government shutdown” are the magic words that finally got some attention for the represntative in the House.
This is exactly the show down that should happen. People make sure the stupid ass gang of 10 gets the message.
Don't lay off the “workers”, fire them.
After a few months all the unnecessary programs and people would become evident.
Gingrich for Veep!
As I recall the sun still came up, I still got a paycheck, and life went on.
Leave it to the Democrats to think that if the government shuts down life as we know it will end.
The Republicans took it on the chin because they were stupid and let Clinton out fox them in the PR dept. Of course he had the MSM shilling for him in a big way.
This in no way mirrors 1995. This shutdown could be a PR bonanza if the Pubbies have the nads to do it AND the sense to hype it properly. The latter is certainly not a given.
Shut the Fed down and send everyone to a fat bootcamp...
Shut the whole damn thing down. It’s not us any good anyway. In fact, if they stayed shut down we could have our own oil.
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