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Rush, Saxby and Zaxbys Aced [updated]

We can't have our chicken and eat it too

By: Mike gamecock DeVine (Diary)  |  August 9th, 2008 at 10:13 AM  | 

RESIZE: AAA

By Mike DeVine, Legal Editor for The Minority Report and The HinzSight Report

[update]

Gamecock has been persuaded to oppose Chambliss and the gang of Ten proposal by the arguments in the comments, all of which were good and cumulative, but the one that tipped me was Texas Ace, whose comment I put in the update below.

But guys and gals, let’s not be so harsh with Saxby at least on the motives.

Ace’s arguments:

I understand your points but I couldn’t disagree more on several points:

Democrats have just made a colossal blunder by going home in the middle of this mess proving everything Republicans have said about the imperial, “Let them eat cake” attitude of San Fan Nan and the rest of the effete snobs that make up the modern Democratic Party.

The Dems are swimming up stream against public opinion that is running 75% against them. This turn of events has injected a little spine in the “Run for the hills if there’s an R by your name” gloom and doomers in the Republican Party who are finally fighting like mean instead of sniveling in a corner waiting for the shoe to drop!

As Republicans keep beating on them, they are home right now getting kicked in the groin by 75% of their constituents. In short…they’re getting a good taste of reality now and we shouldn’t do anything to get in the way of the beating that is being delivered!

I agree that there are some issues to not play politics on…but this ain’t it. Are people hurting right now?…hell yeah! But the compromise they made doesn’t do enough to alleviate that suffering and now is the worse possible time to cave because once the Dems have had their heads handed to them, they’ll be back wanting to do everything we’re asking for!

By caving now, Saxby Shambles and Little Lord Fauntleroy, (as Doc calls him) have bailed them out of their predicament at the exact moment when the Republican party is on the brink of victory. This wouldn’t be so infuriating were it the first time they have done this but it’s not. They always time their capitulation at times that either cause maximum damage to the Republican Party or as in this case…to bail out the Democrats at a time when Republicans are winning!

[end update]

Lots of families in Marietta, Georgia can no longer afford to take their kids to Zaxbys for some great tasting chicken, and they don’t want to wait until no earlier than 2009, 2011 or 2013 as they wait for “the issue” to produce a “perfect” solution.

Especially when we can have both.

I refer here to the presumed conflict between the reawakening of Republicans in the House of Representatives via their week old sit-in strategy demanding a vote on an oil drilling bill as Speaker Pelosi and the “let them eat cake” aka “let them pump tires” Democrats went on a five-week vacation paid for by We the People, too many of which can’t afford a five-minute vacation at KFC, much less five days at Myrtle Beach, thanks to the price of gas and its impact on the price of food and nearly every other necessity of life.


Rush Limbaugh and conservatives have been rightly buoyed by the actions of the House Republicans and even of President Bush and John McCain, in seizing this issue, in understanding we are at war with leftists that want to transform the greatest hope of man on earth, and to use the oil drilling issue and others to translate the center-right conservative majority of We the People into a majority in Congress and a Republican President receptive to the demands of same in passing a truly comprehensive energy bill that unleashes the power of American free enterprise that has made us the most powerful nation on Earth.

The goals of a bill now to tilt the market toward immediate low oil prices and a conservative majority and better bills next year are not mutually exclusive, so long as Marietta’s and the Peach State’s U.S. Senator Saxby Chambliss (R-GA)and the other four GOP senators in his “gang of five” within the gang of ten, make clear that they desire and will work toward even further expansions of energy exploration and reductions of regulations inhibiting the building of oil refineries and nuclear power plants later.

Rush raised some good points with Saxby on Friday concerning the effect of the gang of ten on the House effort, as well as the effect of the proposed legislation on the automatic expiration of the oil drilling moratorium, unless renewed by the House, this October. (Chambliss made a good point about how same could be put in a difficult to veto budget bill and that getting this gang of ten bill would be an improvement.)

The Chambliss bill could cause the price of oil, gasoline and food to fall.

Must I repeat the above and remind the generally affluent Redstate readers of how much lower income families have been for months and are suffering NOW? They are not living the American dream anymore. They need relief asap, and the Chambliss bill offers relief soon and does not preclude more progress later.

In fact, it can easily be used as a catalyst for further progress. For that to happen though, Rush’s usual optimism will need to get properly focused and the always looking for a dark cloud Redstaters and the like will need to quit their masochistic desire to always eat their own and embrace gloom and doom.

And one more thing: The gang of five repubs were working on their bill well BEFORE the House GOP’s spontaneous sit-in and trying to get some democrats to expand oil drilling and agree to a bill that could send a signal to the markets that supply will be going up, at least as strong as the one President Bush sent by ending the executive moratorium that has helped reduce the price of a barrel of oil by over 25%.

It is not fair to say they pour cold water on anything when their work was revealed before the sit-in. I heard of the gang of ten’s proposal at least 18 hours before the sit in!

We conservatives can win this war with the left, but as we pursue total victory, we have battles that are vital now.

Low income families need relief now, as in September. The Chambliss bill offers that hope and in no way prevents pursuing more. Those that think so have little imagination.

Respectfully submitted by

Mike dittohead of 17 years who wrote the TMR/HinzSight tribute to El Rushbo gamecock DeVine

Mike DeVine’s Charlotte Observer columns
Legal Editor for The Minority and HinzSight Reports
“The way to stop discrimination on the basis of race is to stop discriminating on the basis of race.” – The Chief Justice
Race 4 2008
“One man with courage makes a majority.” – Andrew Jackson

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  • Dave_in_Fla

    Compromise from our side should be funding and incentives for alternatives. Compromise from their side should reduction and elimination of redtape for moving refineries, drilling and nukes.

    The bill as I have seen it, we get a quarter loaf, with enough restrictions to make us wonder if we will ever get any bread. They get a whole loaf, and we promise to tax the baker to pay for it.

    That is what everyone is ticked off about, this isn’t a compromise, it is a capitulation. If the gang of 10 want to work together for immediate actions to bring down the price of gas, I’m all for it. But it needs to be a real plan with real compromise, not this fiction to make everyone feel good about themselves.

    You want the people of Georgia to go buy chicken? Well I want my kids to be able to afford to drive the beach again too. But they aren’t going to get there if the “drilling” portion of this bill is not going to actually result in actual drilling sometime in the future.

    This is just like comprehensive immigration reform. They wanted to address the whole problem, but we don’t trust them to actually do the enforcement part. Take the regulations off the oil industry to do their jobs, and we will produce more oil. But the proposed legislation as written does nothing other than promise drilling off the coast of 4 states, while insuring years of political and legal battles to stop it by the “save the planet” types.

    Sorry, I want faster results too, but for once we need to do this right and demand the right answer for America, even if it takes time to force it politically.

  • mbecker908

    on anything. They are engaging in an active act of surrender.

    “Doing this right” is not following the course that the Surrendercans are laying out. Lindsey Graham should be primaried and sent to an ignominious retirement along with Chuck Hagel.

    To paraphrase my recent diary “Republican Senators have the political instincts of a rock…” These guys and GWB deserve each other. The American people, and especially the Republican Party deserve better. A lot better.

  • StephC

    It’s basically the Democrats have engaged the Republicans in a game of chicken but the Republicans don’t know they’re playing. The moratorium is set to expire in September. One way or another, that’s going to set off a firestorm. If the Democrats block the expiration, they’ll lose. If they let it expire they win. They don’t want it to expire to freedom of commerce because of the power it gives them so they cook up this scheme that, on the surface, sounds pretty but when you look at the fine print it’s just more of the same as we’ve been getting.

    Senators get elected for six year terms. There aren’t that many Democrat Senators up for reelection this election while there are quite a few Republicans up for it. When people are angry with their federal representatives they typically vote in the opposing party, which is part of what gave us 2006. How many of that Gang of 10, and which ones, are up for reelection?

    Representatives are elected for two year terms. Everybody elected in 2006 will be up for reelection this year. Who has the most to lose by not doing right by their constituents?

    Senators can count on short memories and attention spans and “explain” it all away before they are up for reelection or throw out a few crumbs so their constituents will forgive them their greater transgressions. The Democrats will blame it all on the Republicans (and get away with it), they always do, so who loses in the end? The American people that’s who.

  • StephC

    It’s basically the Democrats have engaged the Republicans in a game of chicken but the Republicans don’t know they’re playing. The moratorium is set to expire in September. One way or another, that’s going to set off a firestorm. If the Democrats block the expiration, they’ll lose. If they let it expire they win. They don’t want it to expire to freedom of commerce because of the power it gives them so they cook up this scheme that, on the surface, sounds pretty but when you look at the fine print it’s just more of the same as we’ve been getting.

    Senators get elected for six year terms. There aren’t that many Democrat Senators up for reelection this election while there are quite a few Republicans up for it. When people are angry with their federal representatives they typically vote in the opposing party, which is part of what gave us 2006. How many of that Gang of 10, and which ones, are up for reelection?

    Representatives are elected for two year terms. Everybody elected in 2006 will be up for reelection this year. Who has the most to lose by not doing right by their constituents?

    Senators can count on short memories and attention spans and “explain” it all away before they are up for reelection or throw out a few crumbs so their constituents will forgive them their greater transgressions. The Democrats will blame it all on the Republicans (and get away with it), they always do, so who loses in the end? The American people that’s who.

  • StephC

    I really hate to complain but…

    It took two attempts and many minutes to post the above comment. In that same amount of time I visited 4 other sites, read the comments on them, responded to some before the comment here ever finsihed loading.

  • generalgrant

    these senators are selling out the country so they can get massive subsidies for their local an parochial interests. This type of action is EXACTLY the type of thing that makes people hate Congress – using federal money for local projects. These so-called conservatives and Graham should be absolutely ashamed of themselves and we need to continue to let them know it!

  • rbdwiggins

    The concept of incremental success has merit, and the bill may produce some temporary benefit to the American people.

    However, the bill is totally unacceptable in its current form.

    If the Democrats were actually trustworthy, the bill might rate a second look to find room for constructive, meaningful compromise. But you know that is not, and will not be, the case.

    Reducing our dependency on foreign oil is a national security issue, and domestic drilling is a critical component. On that basis, legal challenges to the permitting and construction processes must be restricted, and frivolous challengers who abuse the legal process must be held accountable.

    This blatant attempt to obfuscate must be rejected, and these senators must be held accountable.

  • pilgrim

    I disagree with you on this one. I do agree that the
    Rs do not need to be disagreeable in their conduct.
    But the Rs need to disagree with anything that does
    not promote drilling now. The Ds are deliberately
    allowing for a lot of lawsuits in hope that drilling
    will not take place. We can not agree to that.

    I am not the coward like Sen. Saxby of a moratorium
    being added to a must pass bill to get it passed and
    signed. When it comes to allowing for the US to grow
    through obtaining energy here and now this principle
    is not something to capitulate on.

  • janis

    what needs to be done to keep the Dems’ obstructionism front and center on this issue. The American people agree with their actions and their outlook on drilling everywhere and NOW. Given that it is such a strongly supported issue for us in this tough election year, why should we be happy about what these senators are doing to undercut the effectiveness of the House actions?

    Quick isn’t always best. I am far from affluent, but I can afford to wait for a better deal. Gas has been steadily dropping in price for a couple of weeks now. Barring something unexpected (I’m looking at you, Russia), I expect it to keep on dropping.

  • gamecock

    would probably cause the markets to respond favorably and of course, the passage of same wouldn’t prevent campaigning to improve it with a new congress and President next year.

    but you make good points

    I think my strategy and outlook offers some immediate relief and the issue in the fall and next year.

    And getting some relief now is critical for low income families. The kill the gang of ten strategy has the same result as the let them pump air and eat porridge strategy we live under now. Its called pushing people into poverty.

  • rjd27

    I miss Zaxby’s. And TBonz Steakhouse’s Tommy Fries. And if you evern stop in Augusta, Ga, find the Pizza Joint.

  • rjd27

    I miss Zaxby’s. And TBonz Steakhouse’s Tommy Fries. And if you evern stop in Augusta, Ga, find the Pizza Joint.

  • gamecock

    nt

  • gamecock

    is probably not going to ensure any easy victory given that a renewal would be in the budget and we can’t stop it with our minority numbers.

    So, to get a bill that would effect the markets, this is the vehicle.

  • stang

    aided and abetted by a media eager to showcase any appearance of conflict between the R’s has stolen the House Republicans’ media thunder.. (Where’s Obama been this week? Crickets.Where are the Dem reps? They’re out of town on vacation or on a book tour.)

    Yes, the Senate plan moves the ball forward now and provides relief in the near term and yes, further progress is not precluded.

    But the timing of the Senators’ announcement steps all over what our representatives have been doing over in the House.(This is where the aided and abetted by the media part comes in.) Instead of focusing attention on the Dem’s failure to act, the media has know turned the narrative into one of monitoring a Republican cat fight over who’s bill is better.

    If you were a pedestrian consumer of CNN,MSNBC,CBS or any other of the lefty spokesholes in the MSM(so-called)by now you would believe by now that our energy problems are being created by the “radical right wing” in the House. (See how reasonable those Senators are. Why can’t those Republican representaives in the House be more reasonable like their Senate brethern?)

    I will not impute the motives of Graham et al, but given that none of them are up for re-election this cycle and Graham’s history in particular, a reasonable person could certainly have questions about his agenda. But the practical consequence of their poor timing and failure to coordinate their actions with the House Reublicans is that they have significantly damaged the momentum that the House R’s had built up.

    Had the Senators waited until the House was back in session, they could have built on that momentum. As a result of their imprudent(IMO) eagerness to thrust themselves into the spotlight on this debate, we may have to be satisfied with a meager half-measure of a compromise.

    A bitter compromise indeed.

  • gamecock

    specific cites and links to the bill and alsom show how same is worse than status quo because I have heard many oil traders say this bill would help now, as you acknowledge, but have seen no evidence it makes any “permanent” damage, as if there could be since we can pass laws afterward, or that it is worse than status quo.

    My main goal is releif now for low income families. My secong goal is to oppose the “sell out” rhetoric. I know Chambliss is trying to do the right thing.

  • Dave_in_Fla

    This one won’t effect markets. This is a step in the wrong direction. They want to make a compromise, fine. Go back and make a good one, this ain’t it.

  • aceintx

    I understand your points but I couldn?t disagree more on several points:

    1. Democrats have just made a colossal blunder by going home in the middle of this mess proving everything Republicans have said about the imperial, ?Let them eat cake? attitude of San Fan Nan and the rest of the effete snobs that make up the modern Democratic Party.
    2. The Dems are swimming up stream against public opinion that is running 75% against them. This turn of events has injected a little spine in the ?Run for the hills if there?s an R by your name? gloom and doomers in the Republican Party who are finally fighting like mean instead of sniveling in a corner waiting for the shoe to drop!
    3. As Republicans keep beating on them, they are home right now getting kicked in the groin by 75% of their constituents. In short?they?re getting a good taste of reality now and we shouldn?t do anything to get in the way of the beating that is being delivered!
    4. I agree that there are some issues to not play politics on?but this ain?t it. Are people hurting right now??hell yeah! But the compromise they made doesn?t do enough to alleviate that suffering and now is the worse possible time to cave because once the Dems have had their heads handed to them, they?ll be back wanting to do everything we?re asking for!
    5. By caving now, Saxby Shambles and Little Lord Fauntleroy, (as Doc calls him) have bailed them out of their predicament at the exact moment when the Republican party is on the brink of victory. This wouldn?t be so infuriating were it the first time they have done this but it?s not. They always time their capitulation at times that either cause maximum damage to the Republican Party or as in this case?to bail out the Democrats at a time when Republicans are winning!

    We agree with one another probably 98% of the time GC?but this is one of those 2%. Your way of base on this one IMHO.

  • aceintx

    I understand your points but I couldn?t disagree more on several points:

    1. Democrats have just made a colossal blunder by going home in the middle of this mess proving everything Republicans have said about the imperial, ?Let them eat cake? attitude of San Fan Nan and the rest of the effete snobs that make up the modern Democratic Party.
    2. The Dems are swimming up stream against public opinion that is running 75% against them. This turn of events has injected a little spine in the ?Run for the hills if there?s an R by your name? gloom and doomers in the Republican Party who are finally fighting like mean instead of sniveling in a corner waiting for the shoe to drop!
    3. As Republicans keep beating on them, they are home right now getting kicked in the groin by 75% of their constituents. In short?they?re getting a good taste of reality now and we shouldn?t do anything to get in the way of the beating that is being delivered!
    4. I agree that there are some issues to not play politics on?but this ain?t it. Are people hurting right now??hell yeah! But the compromise they made doesn?t do enough to alleviate that suffering and now is the worse possible time to cave because once the Dems have had their heads handed to them, they?ll be back wanting to do everything we?re asking for!
    5. By caving now, Saxby Shambles and Little Lord Fauntleroy, (as Doc calls him) have bailed them out of their predicament at the exact moment when the Republican party is on the brink of victory. This wouldn?t be so infuriating were it the first time they have done this but it?s not. They always time their capitulation at times that either cause maximum damage to the Republican Party or as in this case?to bail out the Democrats at a time when Republicans are winning!

    We agree with one another probably 98% of the time GC?but this is one of those 2%. Your way of base on this one IMHO.

  • David_Hinz

    Ace nails it. This bill, rather than moving the ball forward, fumbles it ten yards behind the line of scrimmage.

    At a time when the American people are getting 100% behind the Republicans in the House and DEMANDING drilling, these senators come along with a smoke screen that takes away the focus on Democrats who are impeding drilling, and focuses instead on a schism in the Republican Party — allowing them and the MSM off the hook.

  • pilgrim

    I simply find it hard to believe that you of all people think Chambliss is making a good point about the moratorium being put in a veto proof budget bill and passed. HUH?

    Do you recall 1995 when Pres. Clinton wanted more government spending and refused to sign a bill until Dole & Gingrich caved?

    I don’t agree with Bill Clinton on much of anything, but I will say he knew the cowardly jellyfish that he had for his opposition.

  • nod90

    1/$80 billion in payoffs to tree-huggers is unacceptable. Raising taxes on the oil companies leaves them with less cash to spend on exploration.

    2/It’s unfair to Florida to tell them that they are going to get drilling while other states will be given a choice and states like California and New York won’t even be asked.

    Florida is a swing state so I don’t see this plan going anywhere. Everybody needs to make a contribution to solving our energy issues, not just Florida. In practise the fastest to exploit regions do lie offshore Florida and California, but there could also be big fields offshore Maine or Oregon which could make longer term contribtions to our energy needs.

  • gamecock

    Yes, there all kinds I would like now, but all we can get now is a bill that would lower the price. All other goals that we share can only be gotton later, as in after the election.

    more later

  • gamecock

    more later

  • gamecock

    This may be dispositive with me. You and pilgrim, and Dave, and steph, aw hell, most everybody but a rooster pil’ thinks Jesse jackson got to, may be right.

    I didn’t want much from the bill, but you and the rest (and Rush) make a strong case.

    I just know that Chambliss is a good guy trying his best, but you all may be convincing me.

    more later

  • gamecock

    http://www.instituteforenergyresearch.org/2008/08/06/better-off-doing-nothing/

    changing mind and receiving testosterone boost….

  • aceintx

    that was another issue where Republicans were winning big…public opinion was running against the Dems and they were losing elections because of it…SoCons in particular were fired up and energised about it…McCain and his crew stepped in…threw a couple judges under the bus and granted got a couple of judges passed based on a promise from the Dems to stop filibustering…here we are a few short years later…and Bush’s nominee’s are piling up because Dod won’t let them to the floor for a vote. Grassly is on the floor whining about how the Dems didn’t keep their promise and they’re not playing fair! SoCons and those who really cared about this issue enough to turn out in record numbers in 2004 because of it just shrug their shoulders and have no sympathy for the dupes who fell for the leftist line once again!

    What really hacks me off is that I know without a doubt that if the Dems keep the Senate and the Golden Child get’s elected…there’ll be a flood of leftist judges confirmed because this same bunch will be falling all over themselves to promote “comity and bipartisanship”!

  • aceintx

    Saxby Shambles is full of crap…they won’t pass it again after they get creamed by 75% of the electorate while they’re on vacation.

    On the flip side…assuming they would pass something so unpopular…if this bunch of weenies want to capitulate…they could do it later…not at a time when it gives the Dems maximum benifit!

    San Fran Nan and Harry Ried are laughing their behinds off right now at the gullibility of Shambles and Fauntleroy!

  • aceintx

    Saxby Shambles is full of crap…they won’t pass it again after they get creamed by 75% of the electorate while they’re on vacation.

    On the flip side…assuming they would pass something so unpopular…if this bunch of weenies want to capitulate…they could do it later…not at a time when it gives the Dems maximum benifit!

    San Fran Nan and Harry Ried are laughing their behinds off right now at the gullibility of Shambles and Fauntleroy!

  • gamecock

    The ball will be in Bush’s court on this, not the GOP in congress. You can’t filibuster a budget even!

  • aceintx

    I’ll stop short of calling him a damnable fool…but he’s got a big S for sucker stamped on his forehead…As for Graham…I would expect nothing less from him…give nhim a couple days…I can hear him now…”Jeeust Sheeud Uuup!”

    We can’t be rid of him fast enough for my taste!

  • mbecker908

    he needs to retire to the hospice.

    This is, at best, a very poor effort on the part of Senate Republicans. Just the thing we’ve come to expect from the spineless, gutless wonders who inhabit that rarefied atmosphere.

  • aceintx

    I’ll stop short of calling him a damnable fool…but he’s got a big S for sucker stamped on his forehead…As for Graham…I would expect nothing less from him…give nhim a couple days…I can hear him now…”Jeeust Sheeud Uuup!”

    We can’t be rid of him fast enough for my taste!

  • aceintx

    I’ll stop short of calling him a damnable fool…but he’s got a big S for sucker stamped on his forehead…As for Graham…I would expect nothing less from him…give nhim a couple days…I can hear him now…”Jeeust Sheeud Uuup!”

    We can’t be rid of him fast enough for my taste!

  • aceintx

    :>)

  • pilgrim

    I see no reason why Pres. Bush will sign any bill to continue the moratorium on drilling in the OCS.

    I also see your point about Chambliss & other Rs wanting to appear likeable and polite. I just think he was dumb for falling for the threat of an OCS drilling moratorium getting passed and signed in a budget bill. He and other R senators can appear agreeable and likeable with respect to future alternative fuel sources and continue to disagree with the Ds attempts to halt drilling for oil now.

  • aceintx

    AAAAAHHHHHHH!!!

  • gamecock

    substanceless interview with Rush. Redstate lives up to its best here.

  • Rod_Patrick

    But among other things, you have forgotten that ANWR is the most promising and most advanced oil reserve area in terms of geological studies. Everyone has an interest on it. You wouldn’t have any problem of getting immediate investors and results. The funniest thing, OCS is not even touched on the said Bill.

    And besides, we owe it to the Alaskans who have been our main partners in the “Drill Oil Now, Drill Here” movement of the Republicans and Conservatives, our major battlecry in this election.

    OPEC is afraid of ANWR drilling. That’s an obvious fact. When ANWR drilling has returned in the political blogosphere, it has caused an immediate unrest in Oil futures market… which is a good thing. If our goal is the immediate gas relief (say within 2-3 months up to next 2 years) and the immediate mitigation of the predatory speculations in the oil market, then ANWR is the key solution.

    I repeat. ANWR is the most logical strategy to address the pressing issue that you have mentioned in your diary. Forgetting it for the sole purpose of “haste” is wrong, as it only emphasizes one thing: GOPers are too coward to fight for what is right and economically optimal. Political expendiency has been the main cause of the Republican’s difficulties and losses since 2006.

    The current version of the Bill has nothing to offer but “a good political advertisement” in favor of the Democrats. It’s a no brainer that Obama wants the passage of the Bill in order to showcase his deceitful bipartisanship and pretentious support to Offshore drilling.

    Remember GC, the Bill only covers 4 offshore sites that are (at minimum,) 50 miles away from shoreline. In addition, development in said sites are open for the expected long legal challenges from the environmentalists.

    In the final analysis, the bill is nothing but pretty words and false hopes, just like BO.

  • StephC

    my statements made via email? It took three minutes just to log in and I expect it’s going to take time for this little bit to post, too.

  • Rod_Patrick

    I love all your diaries. But this one is so painful to read.

    But among other things, you have forgotten that ANWR is the most promising and most advanced oil reserve area in terms of geological studies. Everyone has an interest on it. You wouldn’t have any problem of getting immediate investors and results. The funniest thing, OCS is not even touched on the said Bill.

    And besides, we owe it to the Alaskans who have been our main partners in the “Drill Oil Now, Drill Here” movement of the Republicans and Conservatives, our major battlecry in this election.

    OPEC is afraid of ANWR drilling. That’s an obvious fact. When ANWR drilling has returned in the political blogosphere, it has caused an immediate unrest in Oil futures market… which is a good thing. If our goal is the immediate gas relief (say within 2-3 months up to next 2 years) and the immediate mitigation of the predatory speculations in the oil market, then ANWR is the key solution.

    I repeat. ANWR is the most logical strategy to address the pressing issue that you have mentioned in your diary. Forgetting it for the sole purpose of “haste” is wrong, as it only emphasizes one thing: GOPers are too coward to fight for what is right and economically optimal. Political expendiency has been the main cause of the Republican’s difficulties and losses since 2006.

    The current version of the Bill has nothing to offer but “a good political advertisement” in favor of the Democrats. It’s a no brainer that Obama wants the passage of the Bill in order to showcase his deceitful bipartisanship and pretentious support to Offshore drilling.

    Remember GC, the Bill only covers 4 offshore sites that are (at minimum,) 50 miles away from shoreline. In addition, development in said sites are open for the expected long legal challenges from the environmentalists.

    In the final analysis, the bill is nothing but pretty words and false hopes, just like BO.

  • aceintx

    LOL

  • dglenn

    when even Californians support drilling, you know that you’ve got a winning issue.

  • aceintx

    The Maverick won’t touvh it because it would be like drilling the Grand Canyon or the everglades!

  • gamecock

    writ 2009! wake up call

    Your comments would be a welcome additition on substance, but GC is back on the job!

  • gamecock

    good job bro

  • gamecock

    choppers?

  • aceintx

    Maybe ruffling your feathers and raking your comb was what it took?

    :>)

  • aceintx

    NT

  • Flagstaff

    I’m happy to add the ‘rec’ that gets this into the top ten. (I think.) Sometimes diaries get recommended because of their comments. (^;^)

    I’ve said most of what I want to say in the other two threads.

    This plan was also a disaster because it was another “dead of night” secret deal. I have no problem with secrets, but let’s keep them within the party. Secrets shared with opponents have a tinge of Benedict Arnold to them. The “experienced” and “politically-savvy” Senators should have known this, and they really deserve to be spanked for it, as in having ranking committee positions removed from their grips.

    I’m looking for the first ‘Pub Senator who comes out against them. He will be my choice for new Senate leadership.

  • janis

    been for a long time. One of the reasons you are so loved by so many is that you are not afraid to put it all on the line. You never leave a person doubting where you stand on an issue, wrong or right. And I very much admire your ability to respond to differences of opinion, judge their merits, and change your mind when warranted–and to do it publicly and without animosity.

    That makes your honesty and integrity unquestionable in my mind. You’re a good man, GC.

  • gamecock

    not because secrecy during negotiations is sometimes necessary, and esp for Presidents, but because it left the rest of repubs in the dark as they were not athorized negotiators.

  • gamecock

    nt

  • gamecock

    nt