Posted on 08/05/2008 5:05:25 AM PDT by SE Mom
It’s enough to make you weep. Conservative House Republicans -- led by Indiana’s Mike Pence and Georgia’s Tom Price -- took Friday’s spontaneous outburst against Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s summer adjournment without a vote on offshore drilling and turned it into an organized revolt that was melting the Capitol’s telephone and fax lines. And then the White House announced that the President wouldn’t call the House back for a special session to deal with the gasoline price crisis.
But the House Republicans aren’t dismayed. This isn’t about the President, one told me last evening. It’s about putting pressure on the Speaker. They plan to have a full team on the House floor at least all this week.
Yesterday, I sat on the House floor – among members, staff, tourists and other journalists – while Reps. Pence, Price, Duncan Hunter (R-Ca) and Jeb Hensarling (R-Tx) made impassioned but well-reasoned speeches about why Congress should return from its just begun 5-week taxpayer-funded vacation to vote on an energy bill aimed at relieving the problem that’s affecting every American voter.
The Republicans’ action began as a stunt on Friday and by Monday had evolved into a well-organized effort that might just succeed: if enough pressure were brought on Pelosi to force a vote on a comprehensive energy package, she might have to budge either by bringing Congress back in August (admittedly a very long-shot) or by holding a vote when the House reconvenes in September.
Republicans, as Hensarling said, define “comprehensive” as not “drill or, but drill and”, meaning that they would couple conservation measures with opening offshore drilling and on-land oil reserves such as the Colorado oil shale.
By Monday, Pence and Price had gotten about twenty fellow Republicans to come back for the new debate, and more were still being rounded up. As many as one hundred may be back by week’s end. If they are successful in building momentum this week, the debates will go on -- possibly -- all to the way into September.
Pence told the audience, “Because the American people aren’t getting a vacation from $4/gallon gasoline, Congress shouldn’t be taking a 5-week paid vacation.” He added, “Congress should be working in a bipartisan manner to give the American people more access to American oil.”
Hensarling (chairman of the Republican Study Committee, the official conservative Republican group) told me in a brief interview in the Republican cloakroom that it was rather doubtful that Pelosi would call Congress back. Pelosi, he said, was “wedded to a San Francisco extremist ideology that prevents her from understanding the pain being felt by real people.”
Both Pence and Hensarling understand the most important underlying issue. America’s is an oil-based economy. No matter how much people dream of converting to wind power or solar power or whatever, to bring relief to American consumers in the next several years, the answer has to be an increased supply of oil.
I asked Hensarling why, when America is so energy-rich, was our government insisting we remain energy-poor?
He said, “When Brazil discovered huge new offshore oil reserves, it caused a national celebration. It was a matter of pride. When we discover oil here – in Nancy Pelosi’s congress – it’s treated as a matter of shame.”
Later, on the House floor, Hensarling asked, “shouldn’t Congress cancel their vacation plans when families are canceling theirs because of high gas prices?” He invited Americans to call Pelosi’s office to express their support for the Republican revolt, giving the main Capitol number, 202-224-3121. (Pelosi’s office numbers are 202-225-0100 and 225-4965).
Pence, in his speech, pointed to a chart that showed about a half-dozen issues which Pelosi found time for debate in the House, such as “National Passport Month.”
The President’s announcement that he would not call Congress back for a special session may not kill the House revolt. And, in fact, it shouldn’t. For the same reason that the President’s immigration bill died in the Senate last year, this group of Republicans – finally finding their voice after being suppressed by Pelosi for more than a year – have a winning issue. And Americans are supporting them the same way we supported the opponents of the immigration bill last year.
Cong. Pence told me the phones were almost melting. Rush Limbaugh, Laura Ingraham and many of the other most prominent talk radio hosts were weighing in, accelerating the huge volume of calls and e-mails coming in.
Presumptive Republican presidential nominee Sen. John McCain (R-Az) yesterday challenged congress to return to vote on legislation that would include the barriers to offshore drilling. He promised to return from the campaign trail to vote.
Make those calls, folks. Send those e-mails. This could be a winner.
EXCELLENT piece ping:)
If you like $4/gal, Thank Nikita Nancy.
Pray for W and Our Troops
Babbin says:
“Cong. Pence told me the phones were almost melting.”
WOOOO HOOOO!!!
There are times I am not happy with GWB.
This is one of them.
These Reps are giving up vacation, campaigning and family time for this. GWB sits on his hands saying, “It won’t do any good.”
Why can’t he realize that it would? The “American Idol” voter would see that the Rs give a poop about them. Who cares whether Nancy would have a fit. Doesn’t he see that “We the People” want this done?
How long would this video would have been a MSM lead story if Republicans turned off the lights in the House?
Republican Congressman staging this protest on the floor of the House, are driving the price of Oil down, I can guarantee you.
The big issue was the high cost of OIL.. Republicans are proving they want to do something about it and Democrats do not, even Obama has flip flopped to wanting Off Shore drilling.
Those who hoard the oil, and speculate in it, causing the price to go up, hoping that it will bring discontent in the American voter and push them to vote for Obama, plan has backfired on them.
I still believe that the Congressional Pubs want this to continue to be a grassroots revolt. I would look for the President to start talking about a special session in a week or two, after the publicity really builds. This is a no lose issue for us.
Hey lady! #dontgo is up and running this morning. However, I am three hours away from camping with no internet. Could someone else volunteer to monitor it for the live thread?
If my eight year old can do it, anyone can.
http://search.twitter.com/search?q=%23dontgo
All we did yesterday was minimize our browsers to have three showing. #dontgo will tell you when there is an update. We then cut and pasted the news into the FR thread opened at the top. It was pretty easy.
And here is a Facebook about getting food in to the Reps
http://www.new.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=22552873785&topic=10313
Signing up for both Twitter (that gets you #dontgo) and Facebook are free and easy for anyone.
All the best!!
Agree- I thought the statement from the president was a low blow. He’s been calling for this to be voted on- he yelled at Congress for leaving before voting- and then makes the statement calling them back wouldn’t do any good. HUH? Even IF he didn’t plan to call em back- surely there was a way to simply offer his support for what the House guys are doing.
Sometimes I just shake my head..
I think the President is doing the right thing. If he wades in too early, it’s not nearly as effective. Better to let the voters/political pressure force his hand.
What else did you expect from that Rino pussy.
I pray you’re right!
That’s a possibility also. It just seemed unecessary to say it the way he did.
BTW- MOVEON.ORG is going to the Capitol this afternoon at 4 pm for a little demonstration of their own- they’re displeased that the GOP has framed the debate!
Me too.
You’re right. It could be. I hope it is.
It’s just that we sit on the sidelines while the bad guys play dirty tricks and it gets us no where.
Our Reps are doing something.
Oil/Energy Policy is one of the few key issues McCain has over Obama (according to various polling pundits). If McCain plays this smart, he can tie energy to the economy and keep hammering Obama.
Hammering away and exposing the empty suit that is BHO, is the only way McCain is going to pull this off.
I'm certain this action deeply disturbs the deeply disturbed Hitler-in-a-skirt.
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