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Pelosi: GOP’s Oil Drilling Plan Is A ‘Hoax’
CNS News ^ | Tuesday, August 05, 2008 | Michael Gryboski & Kaitlynn Riely

Posted on 08/06/2008 3:29:22 AM PDT by BellStar

House Republicans are demanding a vote on expanded oil drilling. A Republican plan to open more public land to oil exploration and drilling is “unworthy of serious debate,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said on Monday.

Under pressure from Republicans to call Congress back into session, Pelosi on Monday issued a statement saying that Democrats have already offered a “real solution” to the nation’s high energy prices.

Democrats want to force President Bush to “free our oil” from the nation’s emergency stockpile. Diverting oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve “would bring immediate relief within 10 days,” Pelosi insisted.

She said a Republican plan to “give away public lands to Big Oil” will not immediately reduce prices at the pump -- and it would save Americans “only 2 cents ten years from now.”

“This Republican hoax is unworthy of the serious debate we must have to reduce the price at the pump and promote energy independence,” Pelosi said.

Pelosi accused Republicans of promoting the interests of “Big Oil” and the Bush administration, something that has resulted in $4-a-gallon gasoline, she said.

Republicans favor an “all-of-the-above” approach to the energy crunch. They want expanded domestic oil drilling, expanded nuclear power, conservation, and the development of alternative sources of energy.

Pelosi, however, refuses to even allow a vote on expanded domestic oil drilling. She and other Democrats say oil companies should drill on the 68 million acres they already control -- an argument dismissed by the oil companies, who say they already stand to forfeit any leases they fail to develop within a set period of time.

House Democrats also are pressing for new investments in renewable energy, increasing vehicle fuel efficiency standards, making mass transit more affordable, cracking down on price gouging, and releasing oil from the government's stockpile.

As for complaints about the do-nothing Congress, Pelosi on Monday said Democrats are “aggressively addressing the range of economic issues confronting American families.”

In the past few weeks, she noted, Democrats have “protected homeowners from foreclosure, invested in college affordability, ensured (that) women receive equal pay for equal work, protected our children from toxic toys and products, and made another historic investment in veterans care.

“Democrats are producing and passing real economic solutions for the American people," Pelosi said.

Oh no they’re not, Republicans say.

Republicans insist the most pressing issue for Americans is the high cost of gasoline, so rather than leave Washington for five weeks, House Republicans are demanding that Pelosi call Congress back into session to vote on domestic oil drilling legislation.

On Friday, as soon as the House was adjourned, Republican lawmakers took over the chamber, protesting the Democrats’ decision to go on a five-week recesss without doing anything about high energy prices.

The protest continued on Monday. House Republicans took turns speaking on the House floor to members of the public – many wearing tank tops, t-shirts and shorts. Tourists were invited to sit in seats normally reserved for Congressmen.

Rep. Mike Pence (R-Ind.) told CNSNews.com that he has not heard from Pelosi since Republicans began the stand-in on the House floor. He said he was not sure how many more days Republicans would continue speaking.

“We just kind of made this up at about 11:20 on Friday,” he said.

Pence and others resumed speaking on Monday and ended for the day shortly before 4:30 p.m.

Rep. Tim Walberg (R-Mich.), said on the floor that “to see citizens on the floor of the House – the people’s House – warms my heart.” He asked members of the public to be an “echo chamber” for the Republicans’ cause, drawing applause from the audience.

“I hope this sends a strong message that the American public is starting to feel like they’re being energized, that they’re being given a sounding board, that they’re becoming an echo chamber for their own point of view and that there are some people that are speaking to their issues and voicing their concerns,” he told CNSNews.com later.

The positive response from the public was “the most encouraging aspect” of the Republican stand-in, Pence told CNSNews.com.

“My hope is that as we stay consistent and focused and provide a respectful debate on the floor of the Congress that more Americans will see that there are members of Congress that want to be working and are ready to role our sleeves up and achieve a bipartisan compromise that includes conservation, new technologies, fuel efficiency and more drilling,” he said.

“This is not partisan-driven,” Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Texas) said about the Republican decision to remain on Capitol Hill. “It’s about America.”


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: congress; drilling; pelosi; session
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To: DB

Pelosi has to be the dumbest yet most dangerous Speaker of the House in american history. The “ 2 cents in 10 years “ argument shows how clueless she really is. She must be stopped before this country’s economy is completely destroyed.

The 2 cents argument must be defeated resoundly.


21 posted on 08/06/2008 4:33:59 AM PDT by lincolnton
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To: BellStar
The word is out big time the Rats caused oil prices to soar appeasing the greens!

The word is out around here. But, the American electorate is easily fooled and does not believe that the dem policies of the last two years is the reason behind the high prices.

22 posted on 08/06/2008 4:34:51 AM PDT by raybbr (You think it's bad now - wait till the anchor babies start to vote!)
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To: BellStar

Her face is a hoax.


23 posted on 08/06/2008 4:35:36 AM PDT by kanawa (Don't go where you're looking, look where you're going.)
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To: lincolnton

I have faith (call me foolish I guess) that the American public overall will see her for what she is and decided to make some changes. We’ll see...


24 posted on 08/06/2008 4:44:49 AM PDT by DB
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To: raybbr

That’s assuming we can outbid the rest of the world for the oil.


25 posted on 08/06/2008 4:45:35 AM PDT by Wolfie
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To: BellStar
You keep using that word, Hoax! I do not think it means what you think it means."

Garde la Foi, mes amis! Nous nous sommes les sauveurs de la République! Maintenant et Toujours!
(Keep the Faith, my friends! We are the saviors of the Republic! Now and Forever!)

LonePalm, le Républicain du verre cassé (The Broken Glass Republican)

26 posted on 08/06/2008 4:47:43 AM PDT by LonePalm (Commander and Chef)
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To: BellStar

LET the dems found out how fool they are!
GO PELOSI GO ! Show the people who you are!


27 posted on 08/06/2008 5:02:22 AM PDT by Ulysse (i)
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To: BellStar
She said a Republican plan to “give away public lands to Big Oil” will not immediately reduce prices at the pump -- and it would save Americans “only 2 cents ten years from now.”

Hillary Clinton needs to school Pelosi on the basics of futures and commodity trading. Even a business school flunkie knows that the price of a commodity is based in part upon future expectations of supply and demand.

About a month ago, President Bush lifted the executive ban on off-shore drilling (something he should have done eight years ago, but that's for another thread.) Although the lifting of the executive moratorium was a symbolic gesture, it did light a fire under the Republicans in the "Do-Nothing Congress" to finally push our Nation's energy policy to the forefront of debate (something that the Republicans in Congress also should have done eight years ago, but again, that's for another thread). John McCain has also jumped on the bandwagon and has been hammering BHO on the energy issue.

And look what has happened in the last month or so since Bush lifted the executive ban on offshore drilling and the Republican Congress began pushing the energy debate: Without actually doing anything to increase the domestic energy supply, the price of a oil has dropped from over $145 a barrel to under $120 a barrel and the average price for a gallon of gas at the pump has dropped by about $.20.

Part of the price drop is probably attributable to reduced demand, but domestic demand has been going down for months as the price has been going up. The primary reason for the drop is an expectation among futures speculators and oil producing nations that the United States of America is actually series about exploiting its own natural resources and ingenuity, and that we could be energy independent in less than twenty years. Indeed, there is nothing that puts more fear in the minds of Saudi Arabia, Iran, Venezuela, and our other oil-producing enemies than a United States of America that is energy independent. For that reason, I expect the price of oil to continue to fall (note, I didn't say "crash") to below the point where the price of gas is not longer the main topic of debate and the cost of exploiting alternative energy sources no longer makes short-term economic sense.

28 posted on 08/06/2008 5:07:06 AM PDT by Labyrinthos
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To: DB
How stupid do you have to be to be a Democrat???

It doesn't say much about half the US population, does it? I blame public indoctrination/education for dumbing down our populous and setting us up for some future dictator.

sad times ahead, I am afraid. However, I will keep doing what is right and I will teach my children to do what is right, and I and you will reach out to others through medium like FR to do what is right.

29 posted on 08/06/2008 5:12:09 AM PDT by FreeAtlanta (Search for Folding Project - Join FR Team 36120)
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To: BellStar
The dims want to keep gas prices high.

The dims want to force us to use public transportation.

The dims want to penalize the people who have moved out of their sink hole cities.

The dims want the economy to tank, it makes them more vital to the bloodsuckers, and increases the number of bloodsuckers.

High gas prices are a dim political strategy.

30 posted on 08/06/2008 5:19:29 AM PDT by Pietro
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To: mylife

Republican Party of Texas Thanks Our GOP Congressional Members for Fighting the Good Fight to Lower Gas Prices

Sends Do-Nothing Congressional House Democrats “Gift Baskets” With Items They May Need After Leaving Voters High and Dry
List of “gift basket” contents:
A tire pressure gauge: Also known as the “Obama” Energy Plan.

Pinwheels: Democrats can finally harness the power of their hot air and put it to good use.

Bucket and shovel: While the Democrats are vacationing on the beach for five weeks, they can begin exploring for oil.

Magic wand: How else is a Democrat-majority Congress going to pass sensible energy legislation?

Five dollar gas card: By the time the Democrats come home from vacation, they may need this to pay for one gallon of gas.

Sun glasses: Just in case the Democrats run on solar power, they will be able to work from the pool.


31 posted on 08/06/2008 5:44:08 AM PDT by BellStar (Human Beings are proof...God has a sense of humor!)
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To: BellStar

Today Nancy’s going to save the planet. Last week she was Joan of Arc.


32 posted on 08/06/2008 5:46:35 AM PDT by Savage Beast ("Some people are born knowing, and some people will die searching." -Antonio Banderas)
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To: BellStar
She said a Republican plan to “give away public lands to Big Oil” will not immediately reduce prices at the pump -- and it would save Americans “only 2 cents ten years from now.”

How anyone, let alone someone in such a powerful and influential position, could say such a blatant lie and expect us to believe it should be grounds for impeachment on the basis of her being too stupid for the job.

If global demand for oil continues to increase and we do nothing to increase our own supply, imagine how high the pump price will be 10 years from now. To paraphrase Confucius, the best time to drill is ten years ago; the second best time is now.

33 posted on 08/06/2008 5:49:22 AM PDT by GBA
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To: bikerman

Pelosi is a “post turtle”:
“When you’re driving down a country road, and you come across a fence post with a turtle balanced on top, that’s a post turtle. You know he didn’t get there by himself, he doesn’t belong there, he can’t get anything done while he’s up there, and you just want to help the poor thing down.”


34 posted on 08/06/2008 5:52:08 AM PDT by MrB (You can't reason people out of a position that they didn't use reason to get into in the first place)
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To: DB

A liberal is a rare mixture of high concentrations of

arrogance and ignorance.

(You have to be too damned ignorant to understand that you DON’T “know better” than everyone else.)


35 posted on 08/06/2008 5:53:30 AM PDT by MrB (You can't reason people out of a position that they didn't use reason to get into in the first place)
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To: Pietro

Talk show host this morning, on airline prices:

“It’s getting to be that only the ultra-rich will be able to fly, and only the rich will be able to travel by car.”

Uh... that’s the whole point. The left are elitists, and they don’t want anyone else to have access to the same “luxuries” that they do.


36 posted on 08/06/2008 5:55:22 AM PDT by MrB (You can't reason people out of a position that they didn't use reason to get into in the first place)
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I just sent the Madam Speaker the following letter along with my Congressman Dennis Moore.

We need leadership in America that listens what we need as a country.

Please! as distasteful as it might be, send the Madem Speaker and your elected official an email and tell them how you feel. Flood Washington's email servers and tell them to come back on Monday Morning to deal with Energy and the High Paying Good Jobs Drilling creates for our fellow Americans.





Dear Speaker Pelosi,



Attached is a letter sent to my Congressman Dennis Moore. Congress needs to come back to Washington Next Monday and start dealing with the Energy crisis in a Bipartisan manner instead of the grandstanding that has taken place when you turned the lights and camara's off last week. This is America and we all are acting like its a third world country.



We need to grow Jobs and that can only be done by changing our Can't Do additude to a Can Do additude. We need domestic drilling in the US and Coastal Waters and in ANWR. Drilling creates Jobs for Americans. High Paying Jobs! Building Nuclear Power Plants creat Jobs! High Paying Jobs.



What do you and the rest of the congress not understand about supporting the creation of Jobs and security for America?



Please deal with the issues that effect Jobs, Security and the future growth of our Nation.



Best Regards, XXXXXXXXXXXXXX



Congressman Dennis Moore
1727 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515



Dear Congressman Moore,

Thank you for your August 6th, 2008 update from Washington, regarding the need to deal with the energy issue. I find the message very shallow when Congress could have take the necessary steps to continue the dialog and debate on Drilling Here and Drilling now for American security at home.

The defining moment occurred last week when Speaker Pelosi, showed America what bipartisan cooperation really meant to her and the democracy we have in America by turning off the CSPAN Camera’s, sound and lights on the minority side of the house. Yes that is a real partisan and a mature show of power by the Speaker of the House! I was greatly disappointed that you have not taken the time to address this grandstanding issue and the energy issues with Kansan's.

There is a real solution to the energy crisis in America today and that is for Congress to take some action in allowing for new domestic drilling, here at home and off the coastal waters of the United States. Even, the Alaskan's want to drill in ANWR! So why not drill there. Think about the new high paying jobs the drilling creates for Americans!

We have gone from a nation of Can Do to a nation of Can’t Do with Gridlock in Washington. Evidently if you’re not a part of the solution to the energy issue then your part of the problem! Perhaps six terms in Congress is enough in Washington?

Creating a windfall profit's tax against the oil companies and giving that money back to the voters is a bad idea. Everything were hearing from the Democratic Party is tax and more tax! And then were going to give you this $1,000.00 rebate from the windfall tax. Well as a shareholder of Exxon-Mobil since 1985, I find that message troubling as Barack Obama's plan to play Robin Hood with the American taxpayer is dead wrong. Windfall Profit taxes will hurt the Oil companies and hurt their stockholders who are voters in the 2008 election. Frankly more taxes do not create more new Jobs. All more taxes do is to drive jobs away from the USA.

You letter stated that you wanted bipartisan cooperation between the parties, If that's really true you need to tell speaker Pelosi loud and clear that congress needs to return to Washington next Monday. Americans want to see a Congress that is working in Washington, instead taking a FIVE WEEK VACATION.

Best Regards,


37 posted on 08/06/2008 10:19:48 AM PDT by ncfool (Tell Congress no vacation until we allow Drilling in America!)
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