Posted on 08/05/2008 5:05:25 AM PDT by SE Mom
Its enough to make you weep. Conservative House Republicans -- led by Indianas Mike Pence and Georgias Tom Price -- took Fridays spontaneous outburst against Speaker Nancy Pelosis summer adjournment without a vote on offshore drilling and turned it into an organized revolt that was melting the Capitols telephone and fax lines. And then the White House announced that the President wouldnt call the House back for a special session to deal with the gasoline price crisis.
But the House Republicans arent dismayed. This isnt about the President, one told me last evening. Its 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 thats 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 weeks 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 arent getting a vacation from $4/gallon gasoline, Congress shouldnt 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. Americas 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 Pelosis congress its treated as a matter of shame.
Later, on the House floor, Hensarling asked, shouldnt Congress cancel their vacation plans when families are canceling theirs because of high gas prices? He invited Americans to call Pelosis office to express their support for the Republican revolt, giving the main Capitol number, 202-224-3121. (Pelosis 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 Presidents announcement that he would not call Congress back for a special session may not kill the House revolt. And, in fact, it shouldnt. For the same reason that the Presidents 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.
Sometimes, working the issue is more advantageous than achieving an immediate solution.
Wait till the old Haight-Ashbury hippy gets to the life support stage. Her plug may be pulled.
Also I have floating at the back of mind another theory. Not sure if that is valid or not.
Being English I am not familiar with rules for calling Congress back but I would assume it would be similar to calling our Parliament back which would only be done in dire circumstances, such as a major natural disaster, terrorism/war. To call them back for something that although important to the average American is not a life or death situation may well be thought not be something that a President would want to do.
I could see if he did the the President could be accused of using his powers for political and party reasons and not acting in the best interest of the country. Also once it has been done by one President then subsequent Presidents could would not think twice before doing something similar and in fact abusing their powers in a way that would be actually damaging for the country. Before a President does something he has to think about what could happen in the future and not legitimize something that could set a precedent for others to abuse in the future.
You’ve got that right!
Going over the the live thread—hope I can catch up!
Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi(DNR)? >Bo)
IMO, Congress gets a 52 week a year tax-payer funded vacation.
This Congress will set new records for doing nothing substantial to assist the American people.
Hope all the greenies and lefties are really happy with the way Pelosi has been behaving.
If Nancy were smart (she's not), she'd call 'em all back, allow the vote, and take her lumps gracefully when she loses.
Being graceful about it would help alleviate the Stalinist thug image she has put forth while getting it over with in August would make it a distant and fuzzy memory for many voters.
Also, it would give the MSM and Dems all of September till November to spin and make it look like the Republicans were the obstructionists while the righteous Dems prevailed and brought cheaper gas to the American voter...
*The congressional ban on offshore drilling EXPIRES at the end of September, so she HAS to allow a vote if she wants any chance of reinstating it. She may figure that just letting it expire would be less humiliating than losing a vote with HER people voting against her and showing her weakness.
I just heard Pelosi had given Dems the go ahead and campaign on the issue and say they were open to drilling and that she wouldn't let it come to the floor when they got back. In other words,LIE. "Claim to be in favor of drilling so you can get re-elected but you don't have to worry about having to follow through because I'll take the heat."
It would have been nice if we had the 51 votes during that timeframe to pass energy-related bills.
Our people could have raised Cain, even without the majority vote.
The American people have no one to blame but themselves.
Should’a, coulda, woulda, made changes/decisions before ...
But this is the time and these are the people that we are working with now ,
So encourage, and build up as best we can, to make changes/decisions that tend toward turning in a better way.
We got here by step by step increments and we must make step by step changes as we can.
Never give up! NEVER.
RARELY IS THERE ABRUPT CHANGE ... short of a revolution.
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