When the Democrats canceled yesterday’s scheduled debate on solutions to the energy crisis, voted for early adjournment, and fled the Beltway for their posh five-week paid vacation destinations, they had no idea the House floor, in their absence, would be turned into the location of a rousing symbolic action by their GOP counterparts.
When wind of the growing protest reached the Speaker’s office, Nancy Pelosi acted on her first instinct as a liberal Democrat: she cut off the lights and microphones, so that nobody could see or hear what was going on in the House. Her second act also followed in the finest tradition of the party that has made its living the last several years claiming that “dissent” is the “highest form of patriotism,” aPeoplnd claiming to be the party of “openness” and “free speech”: she ordered Capitol Police to throw visitors and media alike out of the gallery and lock the doors, so that no word of the GOP’s action would ever reach the American people (this was prevented by Reps. Blunt, Shadegg, and others taking turns accompanying the viewers and media in the gallery, so that it couldn’t be closed).
Unfortunately for Pelosi and her fellow Democrats — and fortunately all Americans who favor openness, honesty, and the free flow of information — the GOP’s will to fight and ability to use modern communication technology meant that her attempts to stifle House Republicans’ actions failed miserably.
Legislators used their and their staffs’ understanding of technology to communicate what was going on in the House either directly to the American people, or to those who could spread the word to wide audiences.
Reps. John Boehner, John Culberson, and Pete Hoekstra used Twitter to keep people informed about their actions. Rep. Mike Conaway recounted the effort on his blog. Staffers and other insiders contacted nationally-read blogs, like this one.
Further, nongovernmental attendees, like our own Robert Bluey, chronicled the events on their own Web sites and Twitter feeds, even snapping photographs of the action (a verboten act, but one which helped folks reading about the action to see what was happening).
In another violation of House rules, at least one person took video of part of the proceedings and uploaded that video to YouTube. It’s embedded below the fold, because you deserve to see what the House GOP is trying to do for you. Unfortunately, the Democrats prevented actual legislative action, preferring instead to head on vacation early, where they can ditch their cares, sip mai-tais, and have their Drivers worry about the price of gas.
The fact that all of this information was able to get out, via not only the media but YouTube, blogs, Twitter, etc., must be giving Speaker Pelosi, Majority Leader Hoyer, and Franking Commission Chairman Capuano aneurysms right now. Their attempt to limit online communcation a few weeks ago via the Franking Commission was a sign of the direction they plan to take, and Representatives’ broadcasting of yesterday’s events via the worldwide web will likely spur them to future action, despite the fact that they had planned to shelve their efforts to push Internet rules at least until after the election.
A likely result of yesterday’s events will be collaborative brainstorming among the House Democrat leadership not about how to address the energy crisis, which was the entire point of, and impetus for, the House GOP sit-in, but about how to more effectively block information from Capitol Hill from reaching the American people via the Internet.
It’s a shame that the instinctive reaction on the part of liberal Democrats like Nancy Pelosi to events like yesterday’s, which demonstrated how important it is that Congress be allowed to vote on real solutions to the current energy crisis, is to try even harder to silence the opposition and to prevent the people from hearing about what happens in the People’s House.
Unfortunately, it is no more — nor less — than we have come to expect from a party, and a leadership, that practices exactly that which it accuses its opponents of practicing, and that stands for little, if any, of the principles on which it successfully ran for the leadership of Congress only two years ago.
Moe Lane
Dan McLaughlin
Dan Spencer
Jeff Emanuel
Neil Stevens
Caleb Howe
Missed Opportunities
SteveLA (Diary) Saturday, August 2nd at 1:42PM EDT (link)Erick
While I agree this was great guerrilla actions by R’s in congress, take a look at the missed opportunities.
President Bush did and said nothing about this development. He failed to use the “Bully Pulpit” to highlight this action.
Senator McCain as far as I know has not said one thing, has not spun this into a slam of the Democrats and Nobama.
While these actions by a small band of Rebel Republicans were indeed great, the sad fact is that outside of this small band of R’s who get it, R leadership is as usual MIA when it comes to critical tests of leadership.
The failure of Republican leadership to pick up the torch is exhibit A in why the Republican brand is in decline and it starts with the President and leader of this party.
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Competency over ideological purity and litmus tests
President Bush and the so called leadership of
mbecker908 (Diary) Saturday, August 2nd at 1:49PM EDT (link)both houses successfully managed to trash an opportunity to nationalize the congressional elections.
Kudos to the GOP House Members who stood up and were counted. Damn the President and the “leadership” for doing a business as usual day in DC, ie nothing.
Looking for
SteveLA (Diary) Saturday, August 2nd at 1:52PM EDT (link)mbecker
I think the Republican leadership was looking for a bed to craw under when this band or Rebel Republicans were raising heck. Might upset the Democrats, or the MSM or someone, who knows. Upset these powerful folks and the R leadership might have to make a decision, to stand for something, to show some leadership, can’t have that.
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Competency over ideological purity and litmus tests
Erick?
Jeff Emanuel (Diary) Saturday, August 2nd at 1:58PM EDT (link)JE
Me bad
SteveLA (Diary) Saturday, August 2nd at 2:01PM EDT (link)Jeff, my apologies, had Erick stuck in the queue.
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Competency over ideological purity and litmus tests
Typical Liberal Strategy
NightTwister (Diary) Saturday, August 2nd at 2:10PM EDT (link)Talk: Diversity, tolerance, free speech, free exchange of ideas, every voice heard.
Action: Uniformity, intolerance, limited and controlled speech, dictated ideas, and opposing voices silenced.
I’m somewhat surprised that more people don’t see through their rhetoric, but based on the current state of public education and the general laziness and apathy of the American people, maybe I shouldn’t be so surprised.
“Baseball fits America well because it expresses our longing for the rule of law while licensing our resentment of law givers.” ― Major League Commissioner of Baseball A. Bartlett Giamatti
Yes, by all means, let's find the dark cloud
Mike gamecock DeVine (Diary) Saturday, August 2nd at 2:30PM EDT (link)in the silver lining before 24 hours passes.
The fact is that what the House repubs did was huge and will be a part of what produces the desired main result: a drilling law that will bring prices down so that Americans can get back to living the good life.
Do you complain that ice cream is too cold?
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Now, on that you may be right
Mike gamecock DeVine (Diary) Saturday, August 2nd at 2:38PM EDT (link)and I concede that, but I think we need a bill to signal the markets and get gas prices down ASAP due to the extreme depression in living standards this is causing to lower income families and small businesses, that I think its more likely this circumstance makes a Sept bill more likely.
Becker, I know families and small business people that can’t live a life as all their money is going to gas and food. They can’t go anywhere and they are not eating as healthy meals and they can’t get things for their kids.
This is very serious NOW. And I want relief for them NOW, not next year. Now!
hear me bro?
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you may be right on that
Mike gamecock DeVine (Diary) Saturday, August 2nd at 2:40PM EDT (link)I don’t know.
yes, I said that
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Playiing small ball
SteveLA (Diary) Saturday, August 2nd at 2:46PM EDT (link)game,
Maybe you like the direction that the Republican party has been going over the last few years, I don’t.
When there’s a gift of a public relations opportunity dropped into the Republican party’s lap and a chance to beat Democrats over the head with it, I’d like to see that beating take place.
The issue of high gas prices is a gift, one that all Republicans need to embrace, not just those R’s that care about fiscal matters.
If you want to give Republican leadership yet another pass for yet another example of failed leadership, knock yourself out. This was a poorly reported poke at the Democrats and the fact that Republican leadership all the way to the White house did not capitalize on it by making that poke front page news is infuriating, but that’s what the R brand has come to.
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Competency over ideological purity and litmus tests
Bush needs to get an iphone...
speciallist (Diary) Saturday, August 2nd at 2:46PM EDT (link)This message was coming up every 10 min…It won’t let me delete it.
The result of what we did yesterday
Mike gamecock DeVine (Diary) Saturday, August 2nd at 2:51PM EDT (link)will be a bill to expand oil drilling in September.
mission will be accomplished earlier than 2009
bravo
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Define "Republican leadership"
Jeff Emanuel (Diary) Saturday, August 2nd at 3:03PM EDT (link)Boehner, Blunt, and Cantor — Minority Leader, Minority Whip, and Deputy Whip, respectively — were all present and participating.
I agree about GWB, though — we’re 7 1/2 years into an 8-year Public Relations nightmare. Fortunately, this version will end soon. Unfortunately, I don’t expect the problem to go away.
JE
Gamecock, not to quibble with your extraordinarily effective...
Jeff Emanuel (Diary) Saturday, August 2nd at 3:14PM EDT (link)…predictive abilities, but I think your statement above is correct IF and ONLY IF the House GOP keeps the heat on, AND the candidates (and current President) use their bulliest-of-all-pulpits to keep that heat on.
As soon as the House and Senate Ds feel the targets slip from their backs, and the heat lessen, you know they’ll start making plans for more paid vacation rather than actually doing what we (sadly) pay them to do.
JE
The other elected leaders
SteveLA (Diary) Saturday, August 2nd at 3:15PM EDT (link)President Bush
VP Cheney
Senator Mitch McConnell
Senator John McCain
All silent right now on the actions by the Rebel Republicans
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Competency over ideological purity and litmus tests
may be Jeff, but I think the main heat
Mike gamecock DeVine (Diary) Saturday, August 2nd at 3:24PM EDT (link)will come from the main suffers during the long hot summers in their districts.
I think they are devising a strategy now, as is Obama, to get some face saving minor r/d money for alternatives while agreeing to allow OSD with permission of states.
Cockstradamus understands quibbles re crystal balls.
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Monday
MCPO_Airdale Saturday, August 2nd at 3:30PM EDT (link)Republican Representatives should be back on the floor Monday and every day until the President calls a Special Session. Otherwise, the media will continue to ignore what happened on Friday.
um, but what about wednesday's 'up or down' vote on gas prices?
maxam (Diary) Saturday, August 2nd at 3:31PM EDT (link)House Conservatives Engage In Political Stunt, Demand A Vote On Gas Prices After Obstructing A Vote
Or their votes on measures to limit oil speculation?
[House Conservatives Employ DeLay-Style Tactics To Kill Legislation That Would Rein In Oil Profiteers] (http://thinkprogress.org/wonkroom/2008/07/31/speculator-bill-killed/)
Or the administration’s reports showing that opening up ANWR and OCS won’t have any impact for ten years and even then won’t have significant impact?
Here’re the savings from Arctic drilling — 75 cents a barrel
Impacts of Increased Access to Oil and Natural Gas Resources in the Lower 48 Federal Outer Continental Shelf
Or the fact that this exact stunt has been pulled by the republicans in the past?
ANWR: Drilling for Answers
And will any republican come out and claim directly that opening up drilling will have an effect on gas prices?
Bush Disagrees With His Own Energy Dept, Claims Drilling In Arctic Refuge Will ‘Bring Enormous Benefits’
and, i suppose more on-topic...
maxam (Diary) Saturday, August 2nd at 3:36PM EDT (link)has anyone proposed a solution for the short term while we’re waiting for the OSD oil to come into the production stream? and have we dealt with the problem of potentially disastrous oil spills from off-shore drilling yet?
And the cheerleader in chief ?
SteveLA (Diary) Saturday, August 2nd at 3:36PM EDT (link)So the American people are supposed to nag their Congresscritters into doing something about high gas prices during the five weeks of recess, that’s your story?
Meantime the Cheerleader in Chief, aka President Bush, what’s he doing?
Visit to the Olympics…check
Visit to Prairie Chapel …check
Staying out of the Bully Pulpit….check
Not good enough!
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Competency over ideological purity and litmus tests
yes and yes
Darin_H (Diary) Saturday, August 2nd at 3:43PM EDT (link)has anyone proposed a solution for the short term while we’re waiting for the OSD oil to come into the production stream?
Did you notice the $20 drop in the price of a barrel just because the President signed the executive order to allow OSD? (it’s why Congress now needs to act). The price will come down if we signal to the market that supply will be coming. It won’t solve everything, but it’s a step in the right direction.
and have we dealt with the problem of potentially disastrous oil spills from off-shore drilling yet?
Yes. There aren’t any with today’s technology. Cuil it, you’ll find out.
A visionary coward says that anger can be power, as long as there’s a victim on TV – Flat Top, Goo Goo Dolls
Really sucks to find yourself on the wrong side of this one, huh, maxam?
Moe Lane (Diary) Saturday, August 2nd at 3:48PM EDT (link)Particularly since Obama just gave you and yours the shaft on drilling*. Tell me, did you give him any money? Please tell me that you gave him money. That’s the only thing that would make your flailing on this about funnier.
For the love of God, man: get some self-respect.
Moe
*He also admitted playing the race card! Hope you didn’t spend too much time trying to spin away that.
The Kim Kardashian of blogging.
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What you seem to consistently avoid
mbecker908 (Diary) Saturday, August 2nd at 3:58PM EDT (link)is the FACT that a complete lack of Presidential leadership on virtually every issue – including Iraq – is on the verge of sending the Republican Party into the wilderness for another 40 years.
During GWB’s tenure we’ve managed to lose control of the House and Senate, we’ve managed to become the party of fiscal irresponsibility, we’ve become the poster boys for corruption in government, we’ve become a whipping boy on every national issue. Specifically, on Iraq, GWB has offered no defense – let alone an offense – against daily attacks from the Ds and the media. He’s admitted that the “16 words” were a horrible mistake even though they were and still are absolutely true. He’s surrendered the bully pulpit. He’s done nothing on military funding but wage a war of attrition to get partial funding at the last moment and has made absolutely zero political points from the Ds stonewalling and outright lies about the situation in Iraq.
The Ds are absolutely free to say and do whatever they want, with the complicity of the media, and they know they won’t be challenged by the President.
So, might we see the Congressional ban on offshore drilling be allowed to expire? Probably. Is that a win for either the people or the Republican Party? Only in minimalist terms. We’ll still be the party of big oil and big profits and they’ll still be looking out for the little guy.
Bottom line, without regard to what may happen in September, GWB’s actions over the past few days are just as deplorable as Nancy & Harry’s. The guy is on vacation and can’t be bothered to help the people or construct a huge issue advantage for Republicans in November. Shameful. But it’s exactly what I’ve come to expect from President Bush.
Off-shore drilling is safer than not drilling
Brian Simpson (Diary) Saturday, August 2nd at 4:04PM EDT (link)Blocking U.S. Drilling Pollutes the Earth, Harms Environment
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Important principles may and must be inflexible. ~ Abraham Lincoln
Your comment really drives home the point
mbecker908 (Diary) Saturday, August 2nd at 4:15PM EDT (link)that Steve and I have been making.
If this is important, and it is, what the hell is GWB doing trotting off to China and Texas for the summer? Where is he on this? He’s on vacation, that’s where.
This is virtually a once in a lifetime opportunity. The idiot Ds don’t just drop the ball, they hand it off to us and leave the field with time left on the clock. Do we bother to take advantage? No. That would probably be cheating. We’ll wait for September. Or October. Or whenever.
GWB managed to carve out time to sign that abomination that Barney Frank and Chris Dodd cobbled together so the Ds could pat themselves on the back during their vacation, but he couldn’t find the time or the courage to face down the Ds on the number one issue of the time. Shameful. And disgusting. And just soooooooooooo Bush.
Wow first chance to watch the video
Dave_in_Fla (Diary) Saturday, August 2nd at 4:17PM EDT (link)Pence said they had 50 members there by the time he was talking. Good stuff!
“If they were merely incompetent, then at least SOME of their actions would have been to the benefit of the country.” – Joe McCarthy
Senator Mitch McConnell
Freedoms Truth (Diary) Saturday, August 2nd at 4:39PM EDT (link)Senator Mitch McConnell is on target on this. He got that great video of Sen Salazar being against drilling even if oil was $10. This week.
The Congress has passed NO APPROPRIATIONS. AT ALL! The Democrat leadership is completely incompetent.
Give the GOP leaders a shout out and they will find their spine to push this issue forward and WIN ON IT.
Freedoms Truth,
Travis Monitor – http://travismonitor.blogspot.com
Austin, TX
you never miss a chance to blame Pres. Bush
pilgrim (Diary) Saturday, August 2nd at 4:39PM EDT (link)I can appreciate the distinction between not complimenting Pres. Bush and blaming him for everything under the sun. I am a conservative who has been having trouble with spineless Republicans before George W. Bush was the Gov. of Texas. I do not defend him from the standpoint of leading the charge for the Republican Party, and I do not blame him alone for all that is wrong with the Republican Party
My tipping point came in 1995 when the leadership of Newt Gingrich and Bob Dole folded like a lawnchair to Pres. Clinton over the government shutdown.
I don’t claim any of GC’s crystal ball prowess, but it gets real tiresome for me to read ‘blame Bush’ screeds every time I visit RedState.
I'm not blaming Bush.
mbecker908 (Diary) Saturday, August 2nd at 4:46PM EDT (link)I’m pointing out that the guy is supposed to be the leader of the country and the Party and he’s not doing his job. Like it or not the reason the Republican Party is in the straits we’re in is almost totally because of a lack of leadership on GWB’s part.
I disagree with your premise, mbecker
pilgrim (Diary) Saturday, August 2nd at 5:10PM EDT (link)Your saying the straits the Republican Party finds themselves in are almost directly because of Pres. Bush’s lack of leadership. That is like saying the ball is in his court, and John McCain and every Republican running for Congress are depending on Pres. Bush’s leadership to win it for them.
We are in deep doo doo if a lot of folks are thinking along these lines. The Ds are going to try to frame the election as a third term for Pres. Bush, but it is crazy for the Rs to go along with the narrative that they will try to frame.
Well pilgrim, the ball has been exactly IN
mbecker908 (Diary) Saturday, August 2nd at 5:32PM EDT (link)GWB’s court for the past seven and one half years. And, like it or not, he’s still the leader of the Republican Party and he will be until January 19, 2009.
“Every Republican” running for office is obviously not dependent on GWB doing his job either well or at all. For instance, I doubt my Rep (John Shadegg) or either of my US Senators (McCain & Kyl) could lose if GWB got caught doing a Lewinski in the Oval Office.
OTOH, I would certainly suspect that we would still control both the House and the Senate if there had been real leadership from the WH on fiscal issues and if GWB had bothered to put up a fight on Iraq. We are in the hole today because of him. There is something we can do about it, however. If the Republican Leadership in the House and Senate and McCain would get together on just a handful of issues – like this one – we could nationalize the Congressional races and limit our losses or even pick up a seat or two. It would be nice if GWB could be counted on to contribute, but that’s just asking too much.
History argues against GOP 2006
Mike gamecock DeVine (Diary) Saturday, August 2nd at 5:41PM EDT (link)victory, no matter the circustances. It was a Year Six grievance election and had the GOP held the House under that circumstance it would have been the first time in history.
In fact, the size of the loss of seats was the best performance ever in a Year Six and had we had decades long larger majorities, we might have been able to.
In fact, increasing majorities in 2002 and 2004 was a gop record.
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“One man with courage makes a majority.” – Andrew Jackson
If the ball wasn't in the President's court when it's time to lead on vital issues...
Neil Stevens (Diary) Saturday, August 2nd at 5:42PM EDT (link)Then when is in his court?
RS contributing editor and “a hardy variety of crabgrass.”
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Thanks to Newt
Mary_Contrary (Diary) Saturday, August 2nd at 5:48PM EDT (link)He really played a part in getting this party going.
Bush has won the Iraq War
Mike gamecock DeVine (Diary) Saturday, August 2nd at 5:51PM EDT (link)Hard to say he didn’t put up a fight on Iraq, esp after 2006 with dem majorities he won every fight for funding. We haven’t been attack on our soil since 911 as he has fought and won the battles over intel. He got Roberts and Alito thru a senate dem fight. He got two huge tax cuts thru that prevented recessions.
He did fight on SS reform but lost. Just like on oil drilling since 2009.
We are on the verge of getting oil now when Obama is caving.
On some issues he was on the other side! He even won all those (NCLB and Medicare RX drug reform) but one of those (amnesty for illegals).
So, as you know, I have been a big critic of Bush too at times, but let’s put it in context.
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So Neil, the outcome of the '08 election
pilgrim (Diary) Saturday, August 2nd at 5:55PM EDT (link)Are you one of those who are going to make Pres. Bush the scapegoat if the Rs fare badly? I expected better from you. I actually think the Rs are going to do all right in the election. I do not attribute that to Pres. Bush’s leadership. If I am wrong I am not going to blame it all on Pres. Bush.
R candidates need to grow a spine and stand up and fight for their victories. It’s just silly to me to go along with the narrative being framed by the Ds and the media that this election is about a third term for Pres. Bush.
Now...right now
SteveLA (Diary) Saturday, August 2nd at 6:05PM EDT (link)Making excuses for Mitch McConnell being AWOL from leadership on pressing the good work of the Rebel Republicans because he’s done good work in the past sort of misses the point.
As once said around the water cooler, “What have you done for me lately”?
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Competency over ideological purity and litmus tests
55555 - nt
Mike gamecock DeVine (Diary) Saturday, August 2nd at 6:07PM EDT (link)sweet
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Huh?
Neil Stevens (Diary) Saturday, August 2nd at 6:09PM EDT (link)I said nothing about any elections or anything. I merely agree with Becker that this President is mailing it in most of the time.
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Hey Teamsters Pres Hoffa
Mary_Contrary (Diary) Saturday, August 2nd at 6:14PM EDT (link)Think of all the jobs that will be created as soon as “drill here, drill now” legislation passes.
my apologies. I misunderstood.
pilgrim (Diary) Saturday, August 2nd at 6:23PM EDT (link)I thought the point was being made that the dire straits and the future of the Republican Party are to be blamed on Pres. Bush.
If the point is that Pres. Bush has not been the cheer-leader-in chief to orate to the US citizens a la Pres. Reagan I agree with that. That is not something that he ever excelled at.
The future of the Republican Party will be not be about Pres. Bush.
The future of the party
Neil Stevens (Diary) Saturday, August 2nd at 6:29PM EDT (link)I think the future of the party rests with the Republican voters, myself, which is why I think it’s so important that RedState should foster state and local activism.
That’s where it begins. That’s where we need to work to ensure that never again are conservatives left with only one Presidential candidate, and a half-hearted one at that.
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I think we call it petitioning for a
Mike gamecock DeVine (Diary) Saturday, August 2nd at 6:55PM EDT (link)redress of greivances!
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The quickest NOW is September,
Mike gamecock DeVine (Diary) Saturday, August 2nd at 7:02PM EDT (link)to actually get a law passed and actual relief to people, before 2009.
I suspect the bully pulpit will be used in August. But Congress was not going to pass a law in a special session. I have already agreed with you that a special session might be used to drive home political points that could pay off in November. So could other things. But I think a special session would kill the chance for a bill this year and that is what I desperately want as soon as possible.
Now, if President Bush would declare a national emergency and allow drilling, I am for it.
I was Napoleon fan as a teen.
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And right NOW gc, it's all about politics.
mbecker908 (Diary) Saturday, August 2nd at 7:32PM EDT (link)And the leader of the party is, once again, totally uninvolved, disinterested and unwilling to make a frontal challenge to the Democrats.
We may – may – get relief when the current ban expires but you can be guaranteed the Republicans will get no credit and energy will not be able to be nationalized as an issue in the election.
We must lead the way
fcf13 Saturday, August 2nd at 7:40PM EDT (link)and not let the events of yesterday, Aug. 1, ’08, be forgotten. It will be a long five weeks before the House meets again, and it’s fair to say the mainstream media will not give the events of yesterday anymore airtime. Some call yesterday a “gimmicky” stunt, but our Democratic Republic is greatly threatened, and I’m proud to say our GOP members stood up to the hypocracy and iron-fist rule of the Democratic majority.
For the Dems to claim to be the party of the “little guy,” yet stand by and watch those at the poverty level (little guy) spend $.50 out of every dollar on energy costs is hypocritical and wrong; the little guy can’t “drive small cars and wait for the wind.” With the liberal media bias, the little guy is unaware of the injustices being done to them by their (more than likely) elected leaders. The censorship Nancy Pelosi attempted to enforce yesterday cannot go unpunished and all American’s must be made aware of what she did. She made attempts to remove the media and the tourists from the galleries (I was in the Capitol for most of the afternoon), and if it weren’t for representives like Virgina Fox (NC) staying in the press gallery and actually escorting random tourists onto the House floor (very awesome to watch, and no, she’s not my rep), Pelosi’s iron fist would’ve ruled supreme.
WE MUST send out mass emails to our friends, spread the word on twitter and RS.com, and keep this event in the forefront for the next five weeks and beyond; because not only does the GOP own the energy agenda, events like this can restore us to our roots and will greatly help us in the Nov. elections.
Total hogwash gc.
mbecker908 (Diary) Saturday, August 2nd at 7:58PM EDT (link)The problem he’s created with his silence and total lack of leadership on the home front is that he’s abdicated the “high ground” on military issues and national security to the Ds. According to Rasmussen Rs only enjoy a 5 point lead on who’s best with national security and only 1 point on Iraq. He’s allowed the Ds to repeat their lies so often without calling them on it that those lies are accepted as the truth. We find ourselves in a situation now with a D Congress in ’09, if McCain feels the need to act unilaterally with military action against Iran he may not be able to negotiate the political minefield to do it.
On intel, he’s really been on vacation. The NYT and WaPo print classified information about very important programs and the best he can muster is one lousy statement at a press conference. No federal grand jury to investigate the leaks. No pulling of press creds for the offending outlets. He did N.O.T.H.I.N.G.
Social Security. He put up no fight at all. He didn’t even bother to offer a program with any specifics at all. He didn’t bother to get the members of his own party on board. This was as dead as HillaryCare that didn’t see the light of day in a Dem Congress. He wasted everybody’s time with this one.
Oil. Yeah, we may get something but it will be in the time and in the way that the Ds want it to happen. We get no credit and no bump. Because GWB mailed this one in too.
No attacks since 911. Probably because aQ has been busy with virgins in Iraq. I’ll happily give him credit for that. What I won’t do is pass off praise for a war well conducted with his complete and utter failure on the homefront.
Roberts and Alito. Or was it HM? Yeah, we got two justices hopefully of very high quality. We did have to take down the WH switchboard for several days to get one of them. And then there’s the little problem of his complete and total inattention to the nominees he sent to the Senate. He’d send them, the Judiciary would stall – FOR YEARS – and he did exactly nothing. His performance on non-SCOTUS nominees has cost us dozens of extraordinarily well qualified appellate and lower court judges including Miguel Estrada who would have been an excellent SCOTUS nominee. He probably wouldn’t accept another nomination if his life depended on it.
Tax cuts. He got them through early and only with sunsets on them. And what has he done to make them permanent? Oh yeah, nothing. It’s the Bush trademark.
I absolutely agree with your comment about “putting it in context”. In context, right now, GWB has done an absolutely horrible job as the leader of the Republican Party. Nixon was worse. As far as being President he’s probably a 5 on a 10 scale on a few items and about a 2 on most.
GWB’s performance in office will ultimately be judged by historians. But in the short run, after eight years, he’s pretty well perceived to have botched everything he’s touched. He had some great moments and great opportunities. He’s not capitalized on any of them.
The President's job is NOT
mbecker908 (Diary) Saturday, August 2nd at 8:04PM EDT (link)to be cheerleader in chief. It is to lead the country and lead the party.
President Reagan certainly was NOT a cheerleader, he led. He enunciated ideas that were new to the American people (we can WIN the cold war, the USSR was an evil empire, Mr. G tear down this wall, etc) and provided leadership to see those ideas turn into legislation and to see the Wall come down.
President Bush hasn’t provided leadership on one single issue and his pom-poms haven’t seen much use either.
Mbeck, Bush is not "totally" uninvolved
Mike gamecock DeVine (Diary) Saturday, August 2nd at 10:21PM EDT (link)Totally disinterested nor totally unwilling to challenge the Dems.
That is just a sophomoric overstatement. Take the lawyer’s advice and avoid those “all” or “never” type words. Come on man, let’s be serious.
Bush named Dems by name in several speeches and thru down the gauntlet with the exec power moratorium elimination.
His strategy is different.
Just like in the war. He has won the war his way. But that’s not good enough for you. That’s sad. It is a great triumph for the US and our armed forces, yet rather than rejoice, you brood.
sad
There is no guarantee that we won’t get the credit. Obviously, it is most likely we will. All the statements and votes of the players are recorded.
Mike DeVine’s Examiner.com and Charlotte Observer columns
“One man with courage makes a majority.” – Andrew Jackson
We're going to let the historians decide
mbecker908 (Diary) Saturday, August 2nd at 10:29PM EDT (link)this one. You and I will likely never agree on GWB. I find him to be just a shade above Carter and Clinton and you seem to believe he walks on water.
Sorry, but I vehemently disagree with every one of your points. I’m just too tired to argue them anymore today.
After the inauguration I’ll write a diary on GWB and we can discuss it then. Until then we just have to suffer through a few more months of his incompetence.
mbeck's wash would make a hog dirtier
Mike gamecock DeVine (Diary) Saturday, August 2nd at 10:31PM EDT (link)Mbeck, on Iraq, you really need help.
We have won the war. Admit it Obam… I mean Becker. I bet you just eat food so no one else can eat it.
Seriously beck? I’ll bet McClellan wasn’t happy when the North won either since Lincoln didn’t win it his way.
He has gathered intel sufficiently well to keep more Americans from being killed. Rounded up sleeper cells, etc.
Did I mention he prevented thousands more Americans from being killed?
Roberts and Alito are on the court. They are stellar. There is no reason to believe the best vetter of judges the gop ever had hadn’t vetted HM well enough given he had 10 years.
‘Beck, get some help on the war. read stratasphere, read letters from zawahiri, look at graves of the aq dead, look at ferris wheel in Baghdad, heck, read the ap and wash post.
We won. be happy
that is an order
smile
Mike DeVine’s Examiner.com and Charlotte Observer columns
“One man with courage makes a majority.” – Andrew Jackson
Remember, he's the Negus of No Gracias, and Bey of Bash
speciallist (Diary) Saturday, August 2nd at 10:48PM EDT (link)n/t
Supply and demand
aardpig Saturday, August 2nd at 11:02PM EDT (link)My worry is that, if prices come down, then demand will rise in response. If demand rises, then prices will go back up.
(Along these lines, I wonder whether the $20 drop was in response to Pres. Bush’s signing the executive order, or in response to reduced demand…)
“I’m frankly sick and tired of the political preachers across this country telling me as a citizen that if I want to be a moral person, I must believe in A, B, C and D. Just who do they think they are?”. — B.G.
Several points...
mbecker908 (Diary) Saturday, August 2nd at 11:09PM EDT (link)again.
Yes, we’re on our way to winning the war in Iraq. We are not even close to winning the war here at home. And THAT is my bitch with Bush. The soldiers and Marines have done their job in Iraq and done it well. They’ve paid the price for victory. On the home front the President who sent them to war can’t see his way clear to defend their honor that’s under attack from the Congressional Dems (and some Republicans) and the media on a daily basis.
Your comparison with Lincoln is interesting because he at least managed to come out of the Civil War with the North behind him. He practiced the fine art of involvement and leadership. His head wasn’t stuck in the sand when CongressCritters assailed him, he threatened (and likely would have) jailed them. Lincoln was involved and decisive, GWB is neither.
You keep coming back to the same old points, gc, while absolutely ignoring what I’m saying.
I like the basics of GWB’s foreign policy although the execution with Powell and Condi leaves a whole lot to desire. His domestic performance has been utterly pathetic. His willingness to engage the Ds on any issue is equally pathetic. And his lack of involvement in getting judges vetted and approved is beyond pathetic.
You can cheerlead all you want on the war, but wait until the next time a Republican President should have military action at the head of the table and we’ll see what happens. In all likelihood it will be taken off the table because of the sure knowledge of the Ds that they can control political agenda just like they have with Iraq.
I need no help on the war, certainly not on the Iraq side of things. Frankly, that was never in doubt. But to say we’ve won clearly ignores the political facts on the ground in the country.
You admit we are winning, yet
Mike gamecock DeVine (Diary) Saturday, August 2nd at 11:38PM EDT (link)say I ignore your points. You preposterous point was that Bush didn’t lead on the war we are winning, yet he is the Commander in Chief that stayed the course long enough to win.
You claim we are losing on the home front. Becker, the point is that had we not won the home front we would have already surrendered. He got re-elected. The people didn’t give the dems the power to end the war. And we have won the war.
You point to fears of future events as “proof” we have not won, while saying we are winning.
incoherent
Lincoln with the North at his back?
Lincoln would have lost had not Atlanta been taken.
Bush won re-election while Iraq was going badly.
Some people just won’t accept yes for an answer. I had a client one time that complained to a judge when I got criminal charges thrown out against her at prelim hearing so that she wouldn’t have to go to trial. We won without the risk of a jury. Yet, what she wanted was to have her “say”even if she got convicted? a kook
Yes, becker, we have problems in the future. We did after 1865 even though Lincoln’s back was had.
Why do we have problems?
Liberalism and the human tendency toward isolationism.
Not Bush.
non sequitur
I’m glad you realized that I am writing the history and re-engaged.
Mike DeVine’s Examiner.com and Charlotte Observer columns
“One man with courage makes a majority.” – Andrew Jackson
Well, damn well this Republican cheerleader
dbecraft Sunday, August 3rd at 2:26AM EDT (link)get with the program and push for drilling! If he is in any way against that, than the Republicans will justify their losing big-time!
Formally known as Deagle… “Golf is a way of life…”
The price of gas...
KarlLiebknecht Sunday, August 3rd at 2:30AM EDT (link)Nice post, but I’m not sure that congress can wave a magic wand and lower the price of gas. the 4 dollar gallon is here to stay. Drilling in the ocean or lowering the gas tax would only lower the price infinitesimally. Time to sell your Hummer.
No, it will not suceed indefinitely, but
dbecraft Sunday, August 3rd at 2:36AM EDT (link)you have to drill now while you explore other avenues to supply energy. I say open up all options, nuclear, oil, hydrogen, wind, sun, and anything else that will help. Democrats say no to nuclear, oil, and anything else that the greens oppose.
Where are you on this issue?
Formally known as Deagle… “Golf is a way of life…”
To expand on this. The Dems also oppose
Brian Hibbert (Diary) Sunday, August 3rd at 11:04AM EDT (link)wind power and hydroelectric power.
Obama’s vision for the future is not the shining city on the hill, it’s sitting in the dark and shivering.
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Not to mention that, for all the Dems keep screaming
janis (Diary) Sunday, August 3rd at 11:13AM EDT (link)about jobs being lost, they sure are willing and enthusiastic about denying the thousands of jobs to Americans who would be eager to be employed in the energy industry. Care to defend that particular hypocrisy?