Thought Congress had Adjourned? GOP Lawmakers to Return for Energy Debate

The Olympics are coming and no one is paying attention.
When Congress returns in September, I am sure a plan will be worked out where there is an energy plan that can be worked out that will be bipartisan.

Pandering to folks who only read headlines. Senator Obama stated he might agree to off-shore drilling as part of a COMPROMISE. So what are they willing to budge on in return for him compromising his opposition to an economically risky resumption of offshore drilling. Economically risky since the “lowering of gas prices” is agreed to both be very small and many year out, while the economic hazards of a spill are well proven. Also politically risky for Obama since it will incite his left wing – he does not have a cult of personality who supports his every word, when he wanders off the left’s line (see FISA) he gets pilloried.
Or are the Republicans just planning to take his offer of compromise and arrogantly refuse to budge an inch on such issues as funding alternative energy research, protecting ANWR (for the elk or when our kids *really* need oil – take your pick), CAFE, fair royalty agreements with oil companies, etc.
“If we’ve got a plan on the table that I think meets the goals that America has to set and there are some things in there that I don’t like, then obviously that’s something that I would consider because that’s the nature of how we govern in a democracy.” Senator Obama

Thanks Nancy Pelosi… Thanks for NOTHING!!! Go Cindy, now if we could only get Arnold to be, ahem… “recalled.”

To encourage the Republicans, remember the stand of Democrat Senator Jim Webb. Sen. Jim Webb, D-Virginia, opened and then immediately gaveled the
Senate session to a close. He spent 57 seconds in the chamber.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada, announced December 19 that he would keep the Senate open with a series of “pro forma” sessions through mid-January. This was done to stop the President of the United States, George W Bush, from making any recess appointments.

What, is Exxon holding a special succession of congress? That’s the only time the republicans pay attention.

The dedication shown by the House Republicans to the oil lobbyists is remarkable. I mean what’s in it for them?
Oh, campaign donations.
Well I’m sure they would do the same thing for,say..the victims of Katrina.

***A computer expert-forensic investigator debunks Obama’s birth certificate as a FAKE:
http://texasdarlin.wordpress.com/
WOW, this is getting interesting…

I boo the Republicans who are so narcisstic as to believe they can get drilling rights el pronto by reconvening. They are so narcisstic they are creating a side show. I’m not laughing, but they are really living in another demension. To have that many representative living in a delusion is scary!

What about leases the oil companies already hold, and apparently aren’t tapping? Do they really need new leases right now, or is this just the equivalent of a land grab? Interesting that it seems to follow a series of industry commercials on further exploiting domestic resources.
Why are certain politicians suggesting new leases are such an urgent issue when it could take a decade to bring new supplies online, and make a modest dent in worldwide demand? After all, petroleum is sold in a GLOBAL marketplace (there’s no strictly domestic market), in which American EXPORTS have actually increased while people complain about prices.
As a famous oil man recently noted, we can’t drill our way out of this situation. America consumes too much fuel (~388,000,000 gallons daily of gasoline alone), and too little comes from alternative sources.

The GOP figures it needs to do something after all their scandals and the complete disaster of the last 8 years. I still think they are all pretty much useless. Better if they make that vacation twice as long. Most of the laws they are making nowadays are an affront to our liberties anyways.

Mary: Thank for your clarification. The fact that the large deer species that inhabits ANWR is actually caribou not elk is relevant to my point or indeed the issue… how? As my nuanced phrasing was clearly too subtle: I don’t care about the cute fluffy things, but I personally feel strongly that the oil in ANWR is far more valuable as a resource for the future.

I wonder if Obama will change his mind again by tomorrow. LOL
He has flip=flopped on so many items this week it is Hilarious, to see if he knows what he is doing.

as usual, and im surprised its taken this long, but Obamas words are being completely misrepresented here, and by the national press.
He simply stated that he was open for any option to reduce Americas dependence on foreign oil, and if that includes offshore, than so be it.
He didnt say ” everybody run out and buy a boat, a few hundred feet of pipe and a drill rig so we can go shooting holes in the ocean floor”
Talk about desparate for a story, sheesh.
Unfortunately, the position being delivered to us by our politicians and the ever present oil money in this country have us beleiving we are so dependant on foreign oil, but we arent.And we could eliminate foreign oil from our country all together, but we (by virtue of a few bad votes for BUSH 1 and 2) decided it was better to sell our oil on the world market, more profitable and ever expanding.Well, here we are, and We the People are still subsidising oil exploration, and all sorts of other crap to the oil companys, while they put their profits in their respective pockets. How would you like a FEW BILLION DOLLARS to fall into your bank account over a few months time??
We The People should follow the only sane thing ive heard of coming out of south america for some time, reclaim our oil fields, nationalize the production fields, and then let the big oil companys squabble over who gets to refine it for us.If they dont like it, get out.Its our oil, from American soil. The only purpose for offshore drilling is to avoid regulation, and by-pass what few laws the USA has on oil pumped from our space, namely how the oil is declared by where it first makes land fall.
Ever wonder why all those island east of Florida have all the oil handling equipment on them and not Florida??why ship it a few hudred miles further when florida has all kinds of shoreland to process the crude??

Well, Patty, that shows how psychological this whole thing has become if Bush’s lifting of the moratorium is what caused prices to drop. Considering that it did nothing to affect the supply-demand picture. But oil traders are probably smart enough to know that it’ll be years before additional drilling makes any difference. I suspect it was a modest drop in demand, along with eased tensions with Iran, that caused prices to fall for now. Perhaps you give the recent political gyrations too much credit.

It is VERY sad and disappointing that they adjourned without even a vote, and even more so that the dems are not coming back as well. From the price of gas, to the price of everything that is shipped, we need this NOW not later, or never in the dems case. We need all of the above, but drilling should be the first step until we come up with new widespread alternatives! Thank you GOP for trying, shame on the dems!

Obama flip flopping again. Is there any policy this guy hasn’t change position on?

Isn’y it amazing how the Republican minority can whine when they have to. If you guys ever had to get a real job, you’d be in deep . . . .! You may want to polish up the resume. I’m thinking that you bums need to consider America first, not yourselves. We’re intelligent enough to see through you.

Rep. Mike Pence With Laura Ingraham

Laura Ingraham hosted Rep. Mike Pence (R-IN), with a live report from the House floor/scene of the the Republican revolt. Pence said there were 20 Republicans speaking in the House to a full gallery, despite the House shutdown. He said

Do our politicians know anything about the economy? Who advises them? When Bush authorized drilling for oil the price dropped $20 a barrel in a week. If the house voted yes, the price would have dropped by $50 this week and not one drop of oil would have ever been taken from our offshore fields. Oil prices come from speculators and we need to give them something to speculate about. A yes vote could give us gas for under $3 a gallon by Fall even though it would take 5 years to actually get any oil. In that 5 years we could do a lot to reduce our dependence which would lower the price even more. Where is the House leadership? Oh thats right they went on a vacation because they can afford the gas. I say call them back or get rid of them.

Congress voted for domestic drilling in 1992. Had we done so, we would have had more domestic oil flowing by 2002. President Clinton vetoed that law. Now the democrats insist on keeping us hostage to dictators sending more that $700 billion a year to other countries, many who are our enemies. This is more than the cost of the Iraq/Afghanistan war against terrorists who have vowed to do additional attacks against the U.S that will be worse than 9-11. Instead of allowing a vote, Nancy P. and Harry Reid gave congress on a 5 week vacation while we Americans struggle with high energy costs, loss of jobs, with airlines, retailers and car manufacturers incurring billions in losses big enough to put them out of business. It seems that the democrat energy strategy is to turn out the lights of congress and turn off the sound to silence dialogue and debate. They are in the “dark” on what is critical to our country and what is important to Americans. Replace them for playing politics or showing incompetence regarding our economy, national security and our future.

i’m not surprised energy prices are high. The US has not invested much in developing domestic energy sources in over 30 yrs.
1980 US oil produced was ~ 10 million bpd
1980 US oil consumption was ~ 14 million bpd.
2007 US oil produced ~ 4.5 million bpd
2007 US oil consumed ~ 21.5 million bpd
If our leaders in Wash continue not to be serious developing all sources (oil, nat gas, wind, solar, nuclear, etc) for intermediate and long term, as well as push conservation & efficiency (use less, better mileage cars, hybrids, light rail subway, etc) in short term till renewable technologies can be developed, then other countries will surpass us economically.
You have to start someplace & sometime, even if it takes 10 years to bring sources online. Otherwise, the country will continue to be where we are today, which is at the control of foreign sources.
i hope it doesn’t take a real disaster before our leaders act.

As far as the politicians go, it is simply a matter of who gives whom the most and highest campaign contributations, not hippocracy, in both and each party. You give the most money and the politicians will fall all over themselves doing your bidding.
As for evergy independance, we need to work together, not fight over who is to blame for the mess we’re in, which is, after all, largely our own faults. WE are the ones who use the gas,and there is no getting around it.

Who do these politicians work for??? Last time I checked they worked for the country and I don’t remember approving any paid vacations…

Wow, what great theater, Republicans!
Expensive for us, and big oil, too.
You guys are a laugh riot. Really desperate looking – are the big oil guys who’s money you pocket by the hand fulls holding your feet to the fire? I smell the fat burning now. Sorry, not buying this stunt.
Just stay on vacation – till November, please.

would LOVE to have 5 weeks vacation–I think it is awful that anyone would try to interrupt this well deserved time off for Nancy and Harry. They have done so much for us.