Oddest darn thing that you ever saw: they’re going to stop playing procedural games, for some reason.

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) said Monday morning that the newest Democratic energy bill will be brought to the floor under normal rules and will be subject to a vote on a Republican alternative that is likely to call for even more drilling than Democrats are prepared to swallow.

Hoyer, holding his weekly session with reporters, would not discuss details of the new Democratic energy bill — which was first outlined by caucus Vice Chairman John Larson (D-Conn.) over the weekend. But Hoyer did outline the process for bringing the bill to the floor, and said it will be brought up under regular order.

[snip]

The move is a dramatic departure from Democrats’ pre-August recess strategy, in which they brought up each of their energy bills under suspension of the rules and, in doing so, avoided having any votes on Republican measures calling for offshore drilling. But by embracing this strategy, Democrats also failed to get the two-thirds majority necessary to pass the majority of their energy bills.

Via Hot Air

This is, of course, merely the start. As the article notes, OCS and ANWR drilling – two things that we really must do, and yes, I’m sure that Palin is pointing out the need for the latter is to McCain right now – is not yet a done deal. Well, that’s why we call it “negotiating.” Now that we’ve broken the major logjam, the rest is mere detail.

Good job, House Republicans. Here, give them cookies.

Moe Lane

PS: What? Oh, I believe that Pelosi and Reid call it “surrendering.” Heavens knows that they’ve had plenty of practice at it.