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Reps Party In Dark House

Mike

Well-known member
August 01, 2008
Categories: Leadership

House Dems turn out the lights but GOP keeps talking

Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and the Democrats adjourned the House and turned off the lights and killed the microphones, but Republicans are still on the floor talking gas prices.

Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) and other GOP leaders opposed the motion to adjourn the House, arguing that Pelosi's refusal to schedule a vote allowing offshore drilling is hurting the American economy. They have refused to leave the floor after the adjournment motion passed at 11:23 a.m. and are busy bashing Pelosi and her fellow Democrats for leaving town for the August recess.

At one point, the lights went off in the House and the microphones were turned off in the chamber, meaning Republicans were talking in the dark. But as Rep. John Shadegg (R-Ariz..) was speaking, the lights went back on, and the microphones were turned on shortly afterward.

But C-SPAN, which has no control over the cameras in the chamber, has stopped broadcasting the House floor, meaning no one is witnessing this except the assembled Republicans, their aides, and one Democrat, Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio), who has now left.

Only about a half-dozen Republicans were on the floor when this began, but the crowd has grown to about 20 now, according to Patrick O'Connor.


"This is the people's House," Rep, Thaddeus McCotter (R-Mich.) said. "This is not Pelosi's politiburo."

Democratic aides were furious at the GOP stunt, and reporters were kicked out of the Speaker's Lobby, the space next to the House floor where they normally interview lawmakers.

"You're not covering this, are you?" complaining one senior Democratic aide. Another called the Republicans "morons" for staying on the floor.

Update - The Capitol Police are now trying to kick reporters out of the press gallery above the floor, meaning we can't watch the Republicans anymore. But Minority Whip Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) is now in the gallery talking to reporters, so the cops have held off for a minute. Clearly, Democrats don't want Republicans getting any press for this episode. GOP leaders are trying to find other Republicans to rotate in for Blunt so reporters aren't kicked out.

Update 2 - This message was sent out by Blunt's office:

"Although, this Democrat Majority just Adjourned for the Democrat 5-Week Vacation, House Republicans are continuing to fight on the House Floor. Although the lights, mics and C-SPAN camera's have been turned off, House Republicans are on the Floor speaking to the tax payers in the gallery who, not surprisingly, agree with Republican Energy proposals.

All Republicans who are in town are encouraged to come to the House Floor."

Update 3 - Democrats just turned out the lights again. Republicans cheered.

Update 4 - Republican leaders just sent out a notice looking for a bullhorn and leadership aides are trying to corral all the members who are still in town to come speak on the floor and sustain this one-sided debate.

Also, Republicans can thank Shadegg for turning on the microphones the first time. Apparently, the fiesty Arizona conservative started typing random codes into the chamber's public address system and accidentally typed the correct code, allowing Republicans brief access to the microphone before it was turned off again.

"I love this," Shadegg told reporters up in the press gallery afterward. "Congress can be so boring...This is a kick."


» Continue reading House Dems turn out the lights but GOP keeps talking

Update 4 - The scene on the floor is kind of crazy. Normally, members are not allowed to speak directly to the visitor galleries, or visitors are prohibited from cheering. But in this case, the members are walking up and down on the floor during their speeches, standing on cheers, the visitors are cheering loudly. Some members even brought in visitors, who are now sitting on the House floor in the seats normally filled by lawmakers, cheering and clapping. Very funny.

Democrats faced a choice here - should they leave the cameras on and let Republicans rip Pelosi & Co. on C-Span, or should they leave the cameras off and let the Republicans have their "tantrum," as one Democratic aide characterized it, with the cameras off. So the cameras are off, but Republicans, and the crowd, are clearly enjoying the scene.

Uodate 5 - Republicans are literally hugging each other on the House floor. Rep. Don Manzullo (R-Ill.), not normally known as an distinguished orator, just gave a rousing speech, accusing Democrats of stifling dissent. He referenced President John Quincy Adams, who returned as a House member after being defeated in his bid for re-election as president. Waving his arms and yelling, Manzullo brought the crowd (including a lot of staff shipped in by GOP leaders to fill up the place), and he left the floor to hugs from his colleagues. You don't see that up here every day.

Update 6 - Rep Devin Nunes (R-Calif.) just pretended to be a Democrat. He stood on the other side of the chaber and listed all of the GOP bills that the Dems killed.

He then said "I am a Democrat and here is my energy plan" and he held up a picture of an old VW Bug with a sail attached to it. He paraded around he house floor with the sign while the crowd cheered.




By John Bresnahan 11:56 AM
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
SPEACHIFY- and politicking--- thats all any of them want to do- but even tho 290 members agree they have a good bill to start with (including 75 Repubs) they choose partisan politics over the good of the nation and the common folk.....



House Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin C. Peterson of Minnesota released the following statement today regarding the floor vote
on H.R. 6604, the Commodity Markets Transparency and Accountability Act of 2008:

"With the support of more than 290 Members of Congress, including more than 75 Republicans, H.R. 6604 was well on its way to being
passed over the two-thirds vote requirement, sending a clear signal that transparency and enforcement would return to the
commodities and futures markets. Then Republican leadership demanded that Members change their votes in order to protect President
Bush
.


H.R. 6604 is a bipartisan bill that passed the Agriculture Committee by voice vote. It is the product of a comprehensive series of
hearings to examine the issues surrounding futures trading from all sides. And it clearly has enough support to pass this House.
We will continue to pursue meaningful steps to address the conditions that have thrown some futures markets into disorder and hope
that Members will have the courage of their convictions to join us."


The U.S. House Committee on Agriculture web site http://agriculture.house.gov has additional information on this and other subjects.
 

Mike

Well-known member
The Dems refused to allow language in the bill to open up drilling or even allow a vote on the floor of drilling.

The overwhelming majority of constituents want to open drilling.

I don't blame the Reps for being pissed.

This is gonna backlash on the Dems.
 

Mike

Well-known member
Congress starts break with no gas price solution By Thomas Ferraro and Richard Cowan
1 hour, 3 minutes ago



WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Congress began a five-week vacation on Friday, leaving unresolved how to ease the surge in gasoline prices that is certain to be an issue until election day in November and beyond.

ADVERTISEMENT

Lawmakers will resume wrangling over how to bring down the cost at the pump and move the United States toward energy independence when they return on September 8.

Yet any solution may be put off until after the elections on November 4, when Democrats are expected to expand their majority in Congress and may also win control of the White House.

"There are some (Democrats) who think things are going to look a lot different in the makeup of the next Congress and 'Why don't we just wait until we are more advantaged,"' said Stephen Hess, a congressional scholar at the Brookings Institution, a Washington-based think tank.

Soaring energy prices are a top concern for American voters, along with record home foreclosures, rising unemployment and an overall sluggish economy.

In recent weeks, Democrats and Republicans, in heated debates in the Senate and House of Representatives, have blamed each other for failure to find common ground on comprehensive energy legislation.

With President George W. Bush leading the charge, Republicans have pushed for expanded drilling while Democrats have sought to rein in oil speculators who have been blamed for helping fuel the increase in gas prices.

Rep. Roy Blunt of Missouri, the second-ranking Republican in the House, chastised Democrats for starting the recess without passing an energy bill.

"It's my hope that they'll come back in September chastened by their constituents and ready to work with Republicans on tackling the energy crisis facing this nation," Blunt said.

Blunt said Republicans want votes on "expanding access to America's abundant, diverse and currently locked-away energy resources."

'WE NEED TO ACT NOW'

Even after the House formally adjourned shortly before noon, many Republicans remained in the chamber to make their case on energy, drawing applause and cheers from a crowd of a few hundred that included staff members and tourists.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a California Democrat, laid blame for Congress' inaction directly at the feet of Republicans, who she said "are here to protect the interests of the oil companies plain and simple."

By blocking Democratic initiatives to immediately release oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve and rein in financial market speculation on oil, Pelosi added, "Republicans in the Congress and the president don't want to do any of the things that would have an impact on gas prices immediately."

Her remarks came as U.S. oil companies have been reporting record profits.

A bipartisan group of 10 senators, none of them members of their parties' respective leadership, offered a comprehensive plan of their own on Friday.

It includes increased drilling favored by Republicans, as well as ending $30 billion in tax breaks for the oil and gas industry that Democrats have sought.

"Our country faces a critical challenge because of skyrocketing energy costs," the lawmakers said in a joint statement issued at a news conference.

"This is not a Democratic issue or a Republican issue, it is an issue that affects all of us," they added. "We need to act now."

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, a Nevada Democrat, has agreed to a bipartisan request for an energy summit in September.

Congressional scholar Hess said he was not optimistic lawmakers would do anything this year to bring down gasoline prices.

With Congress traditionally tying itself into partisan knots, Hess said, "I'm never confident they will do anything, and I'm normally right."

Democrats are hopeful, however, that if they win the White House and expand their majorities in the House and Senate in November elections, they will be able to clear Republican procedural hurdles and avoid presidential vetoes next year and jam through legislation of their liking.

(
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
Democrats are hopeful, however, that if they win the White House and expand their majorities in the House and Senate in November elections, they will be able to clear Republican procedural hurdles and avoid presidential vetoes next year and jam through legislation of their liking.

And thats whats surprising to me that the Repubs can't seem to see....

Get what you can now- because its going to be worse after Nov...With all the Repubs jumping from a sinking ship this year- combined with the continuing backlash against Bush-- the Dems are almost ascertained to pick up 25-35 house seats, 3-6 Senate seats and possibly the White House....

People know that the Bush Boys- 2 oilmen- have been in office for 7 years- with 6 of those having a rubberstamp Republican Congress and that they are who initiated the current oil/energy direction and economic policies...They have had 7 years of watching gas prices go from $1.46 a gallon when Bush took office to the $4.19 it is here today- while listening to years of Oil Companies making ever new record profits... So I don't think a couple months is going to change that attitude.....

While I haven't ruled out any Presidential candidate (except the Prohibition Party one :wink: )- I support the Repubs side of drilling- but can't support their borrow and unlimited foreign spending on my grandkids inheritance economic policy which the Repub leadership has seemed to ButtKiss GW all the way on- and is now supported by McSame...
Most are P.O.ed that this debt was allowed in the first place- but can see that if we don't start repaying it (which we can't do without taxes on someone) the futures of our kids and grandkids is pretty dismal...

Even conservative economist/investor Ben Stein has been supporting a surcharge on income tax on those making over $200,000 to pay off the military and war debt-(as a way of the wealthy supporting the war effort, since the middle class and poor are the ones most putting up the warriors) knowing these debts need to be paid and not left for future generations ....

Repubs don't ride the high horse anymore- and should be jumping on the best compromise they can grab....
 

aplusmnt

Well-known member
Oldtimer said:
And thats whats surprising to me that the Repubs can't seem to see....

Get what you can now-

while listening to years of Oil Companies making ever new record profits... So I don't think a couple months is going to change that attitude.....

Repubs don't ride the high horse anymore- and should be jumping on the best compromise they can grab....

They should do what is right, not what is the best they can get! Selling out should not be an option.

We need two things here one is Politicians to quit messing things up by making strict environment laws, quit stopping drilling where the oil is and then back off and let the Market take care of things. They already messed up more than they helped with Ethanol, now food prices are going through the roof and ethanol is helping in no way and only hurting America.


Funny thing is you left loons like to keep quoting Record oil company profits. If Clinton would not have allowed them to merge, you would not be able to use them catchy and misleading statistics. Exxon would not have the largest profits ever recorded if Clinton did not sign off on letting them merge with Mobil. They would just be two companies making good profits but no record setting ones.

Clinton sure likes to reverse things when in office, Mobil and Exxon were forced to split back in 1911 by the Supreme Court when they were both Standard Oil. Then years later comes Clinton who lets them come back together. :roll: Kind of resembles his allowing the Repeal of The Glass Steagall Act from the Depression days. And Republicans are suppose to be the ones that sell out to big business?
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
aplusmnt said:
Oldtimer said:
And thats whats surprising to me that the Repubs can't seem to see....

Get what you can now-

while listening to years of Oil Companies making ever new record profits... So I don't think a couple months is going to change that attitude.....

Repubs don't ride the high horse anymore- and should be jumping on the best compromise they can grab....

They should do what is right, not what is the best they can get! Selling out should not be an option.

We need two things here one is Politicians to quit messing things up by making strict environment laws, quit stopping drilling where the oil is and then back off and let the Market take care of things. They already messed up more than they helped with Ethanol, now food prices are going through the roof and ethanol is helping in no way and only hurting America.


Funny thing is you left loons like to keep quoting Record oil company profits. If Clinton would not have allowed them to merge, you would not be able to use them catchy and misleading statistics. Exxon would not have the largest profits ever recorded if Clinton did not sign off on letting them merge with Mobil. They would just be two companies making good profits but no record setting ones.



Well if the new bipartisan agreement I posted ends up passing- it sounds like that will get worse...Altho I only caught a portion of their news conference-- it sounded like it was going to increase bio diesel incentives and tax breaks for bio diesel production by a huge amount...

As far as Big Oil- its tough to feel sorry for them when the excuse they are giving for not drilling more wells here in the Bakken field is because of no drilling rigs being available---but instead of investing that money into building and developing more- they take it in profits :roll: :( ...

Even just Exxon alones profits which are estimated at being around $40 BILLION for this year could build a lot of oil rigs....
 

Sandhusker

Well-known member
"Democrats are hopeful, however, that if they win the White House and expand their majorities in the House and Senate in November elections, they will be able to clear Republican procedural hurdles and avoid presidential vetoes next year and jam through legislation of their liking. "

Obama, Pelosi, and Reid running this country. If that does't send an 8.0 tremor down your spine and shrink your spinchter shut.....
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
Sandhusker said:
"Democrats are hopeful, however, that if they win the White House and expand their majorities in the House and Senate in November elections, they will be able to clear Republican procedural hurdles and avoid presidential vetoes next year and jam through legislation of their liking. "

Obama, Pelosi, and Reid running this country. If that does't send an 8.0 tremor down your spine and shrink your spinchter shut.....

Well if thats what happens- You can thank one person- and I don't even think I need to name him.....
 

Sandhusker

Well-known member
Oldtimer said:
Sandhusker said:
"Democrats are hopeful, however, that if they win the White House and expand their majorities in the House and Senate in November elections, they will be able to clear Republican procedural hurdles and avoid presidential vetoes next year and jam through legislation of their liking. "

Obama, Pelosi, and Reid running this country. If that does't send an 8.0 tremor down your spine and shrink your spinchter shut.....

Well if thats what happens- You can thank one person- and I don't even think I need to name him.....

No, we would have to thank the fools that are running so hard from Bush that they're not paying attention to where they're running to.
 

Larrry

Well-known member
Looks like the Dems like High fuel prices(of course we knew that)
I guess the dems are in the pockets of big oil. Damn there goes the dems arguments.
 
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