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McCain to Congress: "Come back to work!" - 8/6/2008 12:36:59 AM
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jfwink
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“I call on Senator Obama to call on Congress to come back into town and come back to work,” he said. “Come off their recess. Come off their vacation and address this energy crisis for America and don’t leave until you do. Republican and Democrat joining together. And a very vital part of that is nuclear power. And another vital part of that is offshore drilling.”
http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/08/04/mccain-lets-go-back-to-work/
No doubt this issue is a winner for McCain and for Republicans. Most Americans are for offshore drilling and the idea of Pelosi turning out the lights on House members that stayed behind is bound to bite the Dems in November.
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James
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RE: McCain to Congress: "Come back to work!" - 8/6/2008 9:49:48 AM
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Jhud
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Actually, I don't think either McCain or Bush have the power to re-convene congress (except in 'Extraordinary circumstances') - and the reason it would make sense for Barak to call for it is because presumably he would hold sway over the dictator in heels, Pelosi.
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Jack
It has been said that politics is the second oldest profession. I have learned that it bears a striking resemblance to the first..
- Ronald Reagan
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RE: McCain to Congress: "Come back to work!" - 8/6/2008 10:44:40 AM
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inthysite
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Is this a political stunt? Probably.
Would it matter it they came back? No!
Nancy Pelosi has vowed that there will not be a vote on energy this year, period. She doesn't care what the majority of Americans want, the people who voted her into office, the people who she supposedly represents. No, she would rather squelch the voice of the people so she can have things her way.
MR. STEPHANOPOULOS: Let me get to the substantive point he was raising there. You've been getting a lot of heat for not allowing a vote, an up or -- straight up-or-down vote on expanding drilling off the coasts of the United States. Why won't you permit a straight up- or-down vote?
REP. PELOSI: What we have presented are options that would really make a difference at the pump. Free our oil, Mr. President. We're sitting on 700 million barrels of oil. That would have an immediate effect in 10 days. What our colleagues are talking about is something that won't have an effect for 10 years and it will be two cents at the time. If they want to present something as part of an energy package, we're talking about something. But to single-shoot on something that won't work, and mislead the American people as to thinking it's going to reduce the price at the pump -- I'm just not going to be a party to it.
MR. STEPHANOPOULOS: Except that it's not just Republicans calling for this. Members of your own caucus say we must have a vote. Congressman Jason Altmire -- let me show our viewers right now -- is saying there's going to be a vote. Here he says exactly, "there's going to be a vote. September 30th will not come and go without a vote on opening the outer continental shelf. The message has been delivered. The issue can't be ignored any longer." He says he speaks for a lot of Democrats. He's talked to the leadership, and a vote must happen.
REP. PELOSI: Well, maybe it will as it's part of a larger energy package. But let's step back, call a halt, and put this in perspective. What we have now is a failed energy policy by the Bush- Cheney, two oilmen in the White House -- $4-a-gallon gasoline at the pump. And what they're saying is, let's have more of the same. Let's have more of big oil making record profits, historic profits -- you see the quarterly reports that just came out -- who want to be subsidized -- they don't really want to compete -- and let them use those subsidies to drill in protected areas.
Instead, we're saying, free the oil. Use it, don't lose it. There are 68 million acres in lower 48 and 10 or 20 million more acres in Alaska where they're permitted, where they can drill anytime. This is a diversionary tactic from a failed energy policy.
MR. STEPHANOPOULOS: But if you feel you have the better arguments, why not give a straight up-or-down vote for drilling?
REP. PELOSI: Because the misrepresentation is being made that this is going to reduce the price at the pump. This is a, again, a decoy. It's not a solution.
MR. STEPHANOPOULOS: Well, but if you're right, why not let it be debated out and have the vote?
REP. PELOSI: We have a debate every single day on this subject. What you saw in the Congress this week was the war dance of the hand maidens of the oil companies. That's what you saw on the Republican side of the aisle. Democrats and Republicans are not right down party lines on this issue. There are regional concerns as well as some people concerned about what this means back home for them. But we have a planet to save. We have an economy to grow. And we can do that if we keep our balance in all of this, and not just say, but for drilling in unprotected -- in these protected areas offshore, we would have lower gas prices.
MR. STEPHANOPOULOS: So what exactly are you trying to say? You say you might allow a vote as part of a comprehensive package, but you won't allow a straight up-or-down vote on drilling oil?
REP. PELOSI: Well, I'm not going to -- we have put on the floor free our oil; strong bipartisan support for that. Use it don't lose it; strong bipartisan support for that. End undue speculation; strong bipartisan support for that. We've talked about these things. Invest in renewable energy resources so that we can increase the supply of energy for our country; strong bipartisan support for that. Over and over again --
MR. STEPHANOPOULOS: And yet, you've brought those measures to the floor in a way under the suspension of the rules so that it couldn't be amended with a drilling proposal.
REP. PELOSI: Well, we built consensus and have a strong bipartisan -- this is what's going to make a difference to reduce our dependence on foreign oil, to stop our dependence on fossil fuels in our own country, to increase the supply of energy into -- and immediately, and immediately to reduce the price at the pump to protect the consumer.
So this is a policy matter. This is very serious policy matter.
It's not to use a tactic of -- one tactic in order to undermine a comprehensive energy package, to reduce our dependence on foreign oil, which is a national security issue, to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels in our country. Now, we should be talking about natural gas. That's cheaper, better for the environment.
MR. STEPHANOPOULOS: But why not allow votes on all that? When you came in as speaker, you promised in your commitment book, "A New Direction for America" -- let me show our viewers -- you said that bills should generally come to the floor under a procedure that allows open, full, and fair debate consisting of a full amendment process that grants the minority the right to offer its alternatives. If they want to offer a drilling proposal, why can't they have a vote?
REP. PELOSI: They'll have to use their imagination as to how they can get a vote and they may get a vote. But I'm trying to -- we have serious policy issues in our country. The president of the United States has presented this -- but for this our economy would be booming, but for this, gas would cheaper at the pump. It's simply not true. And even the president himself in his statement yesterday and before then has said, there is no quick fix for this by drilling.
MR. STEPHANOPOULOS: And Senator Obama has agreed with you. He says, listen, this is not the answer. Drilling is not the answer. But he said over the weekend that he might be willing to sign on to drilling as part of a comprehensive proposal.
REP. PELOSI: What Senator Obama said is what we want a president to say. Let's look at all of the options. Let's compare them. And let's see what really does increase our supply, protect our environment, save our economy, protect the consumer, instead of a single-shot thing that does none of the above. While we give subsidies to big oil to drill in environmentally protected areas and instead of letting them --
MR. STEPHANOPOULOS: So just -- I want to move on to other issues. Just to be clear, you're saying you will not allow a single up-or-down vote on drilling, but you will allow a vote on a package that includes drilling?
REP. PELOSI: No. What I'm saying to you is, as far as I am concerned, unless there is something that -- you never say never to anything. People have their parliamentary options available to them. But from my standpoint, my flagship issue as speaker of the House and of this 110th Congress has been to reduce our dependence on foreign oil and to save -- reverse global warming. I'm not giving a gavel away to a tactic that will do neither of those things, that supports the big oil at the cost -- at the expense of the consumer.
MR. STEPHANOPOULOS: So you will not permit a vote. You may get beat, but you're not going to permit a vote on your own.
REP. PELOSI: Well, again, we take this one step at a time, but while we're spending all of this time on a parliamentary tactic when nothing less is at stake than the planet, the air we breathe, our children breathe, we have --
MR. STEPHANOPOULOS: But that's what I don't understand. If you could get votes on everything else you care about, which you say there is strong bipartisan support, why not allow a vote on the drilling as well?
REP. PELOSI: Because the president will not allow any of these other things to come forward. Why are we not saying to the president, why don't you release oil from the SPRO? In 10 days, we can have the cost of -- the price at the pump go down? Why are you opposed to ending undue speculation in the oil markets? Why do you not insist that people who have leases on our land with permits ready to go use those?
The oil companies don't want competition. And what we would do by saying, go ahead, give them their subsidies, allow them to drill in areas that are protected now instead of where they're allowed to drill is to diminish all of the opportunity that we have for an electricity standard for our country where we set out standards that makes the competition for renewable energy resources better; which says to the private sector, invest here, because there is a standard that they have to honor. If you just say, it's drill, drill, drill, drill, drill, what is the -- and we're going to subsidize it, we're going to subsidize big oil -- what is the motivation for the private sector to come in and say, we're going to support these renewable energy resources --
MR. STEPHANOPOULOS: Let me move on to another --
REP. PELOSI: -- wind, solar, biofuels, plug-in cars, natural gas, and other alternatives?
Pelosi's oil slick
_____________________________
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
Be acceptable in Thy sight, O LORD, my rock and my Redeemer - Psalm 19:14
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RE: McCain to Congress: "Come back to work!" - 8/6/2008 10:47:19 AM
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cow451
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This matter illustrates why the President must be able to instill confidence so that he can "bully" Congress into action. Leadership, leadership, leadership.
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RE: McCain to Congress: "Come back to work!" - 8/6/2008 10:49:01 AM
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inthysite
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Ah, but the plot thickens. It appears that Pelosi is okay with drilling when it's for political expediency. Let the people think your for drilling if it will get you re-elected!
California Democrat Nancy Pelosi may be trying to save the planet — but the rank and file in her party increasingly are just trying to save their political hides when it comes to gas prices as Republicans apply more and more rhetorical muscle.
But what looks like intraparty tension on the surface is part of an intentional strategy in which Pelosi takes the heat on energy policy, while behind the scenes she’s encouraging vulnerable Democrats to express their independence if it helps them politically, according to Democratic aides on and off Capitol Hill.
Pelosi’s gambit rests on one big assumption: that Democrats will own Washington after the election and will be able to craft a sweeping energy policy that is heavy on conservation and fuel alternatives while allowing for some new oil drilling. Democrats see no need to make major concessions on energy policy with a party poised to lose seats in both chambers in just three months — even if recess-averse Republicans continue to pound away on the issue.
Pelosi: At-risk Dems back drilling
_____________________________
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
Be acceptable in Thy sight, O LORD, my rock and my Redeemer - Psalm 19:14
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RE: McCain to Congress: "Come back to work!" - 8/6/2008 2:28:35 PM
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jfwink
Posts: 341
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From: Arizona
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The Democrat majority, Democrat led Congress currently has an approval rating of about 19%. McCain is running against the Democrat Congress that is on a 5 week vacation while gas prices are $4 a gallon and Pelosi won't allow a vote on drilling. Seventy percent of Americans support drilling.
Posturing or not posturing, the bottom line is that the issue is a winner for Republicans in Congress and for McCain. No question about it.
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James
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RE: McCain to Congress: "Come back to work!" - 8/6/2008 2:58:45 PM
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blue1914
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Maybe if he'd been there to vote when they were in session, he wouldn't feel the urgency to call them back to session early (I say this about Mr. McCain because he is raising the issue, Mr. Obama has the exact same voting attendance issue so I'm not singling out either candidate, but it's the issue Mr. McCain is raising).
http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/members/m000303/
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RE: McCain to Congress: "Come back to work!" - 8/6/2008 3:23:47 PM
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cog41
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quote:
dictator in heels, Pelosi.
Sweet! Really over 50% or more of reps and senators need to be replaced.
We need to clean the slate.
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Psalm 122:6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: "May they prosper who love you."
Hook'em Horns! Roll Tide!
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RE: McCain to Congress: "Come back to work!" - 8/6/2008 3:47:18 PM
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Jhud
Posts: 7781
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quote:
If all 198 republican representatives had given up their 5 week vacation in an effort to come up with an energy bill, you would have an argument. However, if the President and his clone (a sr. senator) have little influence, how much influence would a jr. senator have on calling congress back to work? Or perhaps you believe only the democrats should come back to work and the republicans should enjoy their vacation?
Just some more political grandstanding on McCain's part.
The 'Jr. Senator' is running for President, and is for all practical purposes his party's leader. And if he called Pelosi to do something for the sake of winning that position, she'd jump faster than a kangaroo on steroids.
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Jack
It has been said that politics is the second oldest profession. I have learned that it bears a striking resemblance to the first..
- Ronald Reagan
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RE: McCain to Congress: "Come back to work!" - 8/6/2008 4:12:02 PM
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inthysite
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quote:
Even President Bush has acknowledged that drilling today will not produce a drop of oil for years to come and won't have ANY effect on current gas prices until long after the next adminstration is over. Are you calling President Bush a liar?
Then why is he calling for off shore drilling now? Why is NObama changing his position on off shore drilling? Why is there overwhelming support in congress for off shore drilling? Why is Nancy Pelosi so afraid of allowing an up or down vote on off shore drilling?
You talk about no account Republicans but I don't hear a word about any public outcry over Nancy Pelosi holding the congress hostage over her agenda. This is a democracy not a dictatorship. She works for the people and should let the people's voice be heard.
Where is the accountability there?
_____________________________
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
Be acceptable in Thy sight, O LORD, my rock and my Redeemer - Psalm 19:14
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RE: McCain to Congress: "Come back to work!" - 8/6/2008 4:14:57 PM
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Jhud
Posts: 7781
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From: Lake Wobegon
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quote:
And how exactly would the democrats bring an energy policy to the floor for a vote with the republicans away on vacation? McCain isn't calling the republicans back to work....supposedly only the democrats.
Do you even read what you post, or just post blindly? The article plainly says:
“Congress should come back into session,” Mr. McCain said after touring the National Label Company, in Lafayette Hill, a suburb of Philadelphia, according to a pool report. “I am willing to come back off the campaign trail.”
Pelosi adjurned the House despite the protests of the Republicans. She has the power to reconvene - the question is, do you want congress to act, or are you always going to support the Democratic position no matter how it affects the country?
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Jack
It has been said that politics is the second oldest profession. I have learned that it bears a striking resemblance to the first..
- Ronald Reagan
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RE: McCain to Congress: "Come back to work!" - 8/9/2008 1:16:23 AM
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TaoPoohBear
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The Democrats already did something about the high cost of gasoline -
How Democrats made your gas cheaper...
quote:
This spring while Oil prices soared, debate festered between various factions as to whether supply/demand vs. speculators were causing the energy markets to rocket up. In case you haven't noticed, Oil markets are crashing and only one real actual thing has happened to affect this situation, and that thing was predicted to cause this exact response.... what is it?
The Democratic Congress CLOSED the Enron Loophole in the Farm Bill on June 22nd
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RE: McCain to Congress: "Come back to work!" - 8/9/2008 3:17:36 AM
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Jhud
Posts: 7781
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From: Lake Wobegon
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quote:
The Democrats already did something about the high cost of gasoline -
How Democrats made your gas cheaper...
Except prices didn't start falling until after Bush made it clear he was going to push for more US oil exploration. Good try though.
_____________________________
Jack
It has been said that politics is the second oldest profession. I have learned that it bears a striking resemblance to the first..
- Ronald Reagan
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RE: McCain to Congress: "Come back to work!" - 8/9/2008 9:50:54 AM
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inthysite
Posts: 770
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quote:
The Democrats already did something about the high cost of gasoline -
How Democrats made your gas cheaper...
I'll seriously read and consider mainstream liberal media articles, but the DailyKos? Please!
_____________________________
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
Be acceptable in Thy sight, O LORD, my rock and my Redeemer - Psalm 19:14
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RE: McCain to Congress: "Come back to work!" - 8/9/2008 11:41:31 AM
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tafkam
Posts: 2067
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That's right, DailyKos is a reliable, unbiased source of political news, and WorltNetDaily is just a bunch of kooks....
Now that we have that settled... 
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"The nine most terrifying words in the English language are, 'I'm from the government and I'm here to help.' - Ronald Reagan
Tafkam
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RE: McCain to Congress: "Come back to work!" - 8/9/2008 11:56:33 AM
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Dubya
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DailyLos convenently left out the fact that the U.S. Dollar has been gaining strength against other major currencies for the past month and they also neglected to mention Iraq's increased production and their plans to resume their exploration program which has sat idle for the past 20 years.
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RE: McCain to Congress: "Come back to work!" - 8/9/2008 5:45:07 PM
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wing2000
Posts: 1029
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quote:
The Democrats already did something about the high cost of gasoline -
How Democrats made your gas cheaper...
Except prices didn't start falling until after Bush made it clear he was going to push for more US oil exploration
Umm...neither the Democrats or Bush had any affect on the price of oil.
I tend to think the weakening US and global economy had something to do with it.
As for McCain...where is his vote for extending the alernative energy tax credit?
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RE: McCain to Congress: "Come back to work!" - 8/9/2008 11:39:56 PM
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Jhud
Posts: 7781
Joined: 4/11/2005
From: Lake Wobegon
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quote:
Umm...neither the Democrats or Bush had any affect on the price of oil.
I tend to think the weakening US and global economy had something to do with it.
I don't think a weakening US is going to help oil prices any.
quote:
As for McCain...where is his vote for extending the alernative energy tax credit?
The same place as Obama's?
_____________________________
Jack
It has been said that politics is the second oldest profession. I have learned that it bears a striking resemblance to the first..
- Ronald Reagan
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RE: McCain to Congress: "Come back to work!" - 8/11/2008 12:56:39 AM
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wing2000
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...a weakening US and global economy leads to less demand....
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RE: McCain to Congress: "Come back to work!" - 8/11/2008 10:08:18 AM
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Jhud
Posts: 7781
Joined: 4/11/2005
From: Lake Wobegon
Status: online
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quote:
...a weakening US and global economy leads to less demand....
Not with China and India doing well (and having more to do with less US manufactuirng); the biggest reason seems to be that speculators are taking our growing initiatives to locate domestic oil sources seriously.
_____________________________
Jack
It has been said that politics is the second oldest profession. I have learned that it bears a striking resemblance to the first..
- Ronald Reagan
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