A Message Even the Senate Can’t Ignore
By Newt Gingrich Posted in Energy — Comments (27) / Email this page » / Leave a comment »
And Drill Here, Drill Now, Pay Less
The United States Senate keeps finding new and exciting ways to prove it lives in a world completely disconnected from the lives of normal Americans.
Next week, the Senate is set to begin debate on the Boxer-Warner-Lieberman “Send Jobs to China and India” global warming bill. With gas now topping $4 a gallon, it boggles the mind why politicians – of any party – would even consider legislation that will raise the cost of gas for our cars, diesel for our trucks, food for our families, airline travel for our work and leisure, and electricity for our homes.
The last time the Senate tried to pass legislation so completely at odds with the mood of the country was last summer’s amnesty bill. Perhaps there is something about summer in Washington, DC that makes politicians forget where they came from and the needs of the American people.
The American people want LOWER energy prices, not the higher gas, diesel, air, electricity and food prices that Boxer-Warner-Lieberman guarantees.
Fortunately, we all remember how the amnesty bill worked out and I’m confident if the American people get sufficiently mobilized, we can defeat the Boxer-Warner-Lieberman “Send Jobs to China and India” bill as well. And maybe we can even redirect the energy of the Congress towards lowering gas prices, not raising them.
There are two things we can do now. . . .
The first is to call your Senators and tell them to vote “no” on Boxer-Warner-Lieberman – ‘no’ on raising the cost of going to work, heating your home, and feeding your family.
Once you’ve called, email your friends and family to do the same. Last summer the Senate switchboard crashed due to all the incoming phone calls from Americans opposed to the amnesty bill. Let’s see if we can do it again.
The second is to go to www.americansolutions.com/drillnow and sign the “Drill Here, Drill Now, Pay Less” petition. The petition is simple:
We, therefore, the undersigned citizens of the United States, petition the U.S. Congress to act immediately to lower gasoline prices by authorizing the exploration of proven energy reserves to reduce our dependence on foreign energy sources from unstable countries.
Two days ago, American Solutions set a goal of 100,000 names by next week. Amazingly, American Solutions reached that goal last night. Let’s see if we can help American Solutions make it 200,000.
Go to www.americansolutions.com/drillnow to sign the petition and then send it to your friends as well.
Next week, just as the Senate is starting to debate Warner-Lieberman, American Solutions will deliver to Congress the names of everyone who signed the petition. This will send a powerful message about just how confused the priorities of the Senate are, and push them toward lowering gas prices by drilling here and drilling now so we can all pay less at the pump.
I see many of these bills that lack common sense and think "I could come up with something better than that!"
Rather than just resolving to be an "Armchair Quarterback" of Congress, are there any resources for an average-joe shmuck like myself to write a bill for Congress and have it introduced?
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Dependence is Slavery.
Agreed and thanks. This is the type of green conservatism I can support. As someone raised in a commercial fishing family, I find the environmentalism of Beltway Georgetown Republicans offensive.
Thank you Mr. Speaker, I will.
However, I must add that there is a reason why the Democrats are emboldened to even present such a travesty; it is because our side fails to stand for our values and principals. Global warming is a fraud forwarded by Mr. Gore for financial gain. So while I certainly respect your input, I look squarely at you as part of the "not advancing our agenda" problem.
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It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.
--Aristotle
beast it would not become so complacent to do nothing. Mr. Speaker when you lie down with dogs you get up with fleas.
I just hope this is not to little to late.
Freedom of Religion NOT Freedom from Religion
Mr. Speaker,
That commercial did more harm to the conservative cause than a thousand messages to Congress. I'm sorry that you have chosen popularity over values.
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"Enlightened statesmen will not always be at the helm." -- James Madison
I doubt it. Lieberman is one of his closest allies.
If you want to see what is wrong with the GOP, look no further than this type of "legislation".
Pherhaps he thought we forget that one.
"I wish to have no connection with any ship that does not sail fast; for I intend to go in harm's way."
John Paul Jones (letter to M. Le Ray de Chaumont,16 Nov.1778)
Does anyone really expect Republicans to be forgetful ?
"Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it."
-Thomas Paine: The American Crisis, No. 4, 1777
So I doubt that making those calls will have much impact, but I'll try it anyway.
Socialism doesn't work. It looks nice on paper, but it's been tried and it's failed miserably every time (usually accompanied by widespread death and suffering).
Proud member of the V.R.W.C.
Making phone calls that no one will listen to, or signing a petition that no one will read is all well and good, but what we need is a Republican party capable of leading. So long as our Senators (such as Mel Martinez from my state of FL) refuse to abandon the not-in-my-backyard pandering (which leadership condones and supports through silly vote trading) drilling will never happen.
Your are right the NIMBY crowd as been in control of energy and environmental policy in this country for the last 40 years.
off of Florida?
The third world and communists are more efficient than the current Congress in supplying their own energy?
I saw you introduce this last night on "H&C" and I hope the various GOP campaigns get your message that they should spend 80% of their time on positives.
Please sir, no more health care initiatives with Mrs. Clinton or global warming commercials with the Botox queen.
Welcome back.
Mr. Speaker, weren't you in those commercials w/ Speaker Pelosi supporting climate change-reduction initiatives? Your opposition to this bill leaves me confused as to your real goals. Could you help clear up that up? I know you're not a guy that says one thing and does another, so I'd like to know how I can reconcile these seemingly divergent messages of yours. Thanks!
Mr. Speaker, you describe this as the “Send Jobs to China and India” global warming bill, but you don't offer any details as to how this would do that. You’re asking people to go sign an online petition and call congressional representatives, without laying out the details of why this is bad. Am I to follow your lead based on the title you choose to call the bill? Do you not trust me with the details, or even an explanation?
"Problems cannot be solved by the level of awareness that created them." - Einstein
China & India are exempted from regulation, & this is onerous regulation. Onerous regulation is probably the main reason companies leave the US & go elsewhere.
Mr. Gingrich,
I think you erred in referring to this as a Boxer-Warner-Lieberman bill. Barbara Boxer is not a sponsor nor a co-sponsor. Point of fact, S. 2191 is sponsored by Lieberman (I-CT) and has 11 co-sponsors (7 Dems, 4 from the proud GOP!).
Sen. Benjamin Cardin [D-MD]
Sen. Robert Casey [D-PA]
Sen. Norm Coleman [R-MN]
Sen. Susan Collins [R-ME]
Sen. Elizabeth Dole [R-NC]
Sen. Thomas Harkin [D-IA]
Sen. Amy Klobuchar [D-MN]
Sen. Bill Nelson [D-FL]
Sen. Charles Schumer [D-NY]
Sen. John Warner [R-VA]
Sen. Ron Wyden [D-OR]
http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?tab=main&bill=s110-2191
Newt, I hope you can come back and clarify. I think RedState has the right type of people to translate ideas into action and real change. We need your help and you to reconcile these positions.
I am growing very tired of our Washington Elected Elite(tm) watching out for themselves and doing the country harm. Is there a sign on the belt way that says check your brain and common sense in here?
Ask not what I can do for my country, ask what my country can do for me. Washington Elected Elite (TM)
Why the hell are you not running for POTUS? If you had ran, Obama would have thrown in the towel yesterday!
McCain has stated that he might support the bill if there was more support added to it for expanding domestic nuclear power.
Don't you think you should check with the McCain campaign and arrive at a common position on the bill?
Last year, rank-and-file conservatives revolted against the immigration bill, which McCain supported. But he wasn't yet the GOP candidate for President. Now he is.
If you revolt again against a bill which he supports, now that he is supposed to be your party's standard-bearer, you will split the GOP on the global warming issue just before the convention. I don't think that's a good idea.
Now that he's been nominated by the GOP, you can't go off and defy him right in the middle of the campaign.
Great article, I've placed in on my Blog Scan where people can vote on it and more people will see it.
My senators. This bill is bad for US!
Senator's, Webb because the other one is a signatory to the bill.
Freedom of Religion NOT Freedom from Religion