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Follow-up: White House Says No to Special Session
Posted By Bobby Eberle On August 5, 2008 at 7:09 am
Conservative Republicans took to the floor of the U.S. House on Friday to protest Nancy Pelosi's decision to adjourn the House of Representatives for the 5-week summer break without addressing the concerns of Republicans, Democrats, and the American people for more domestic oil drilling. The protests continued on Monday with letters to President Bush to convene a special session of Congress and force Pelosi to get back to work.
Congressmen sent letters to the president. GOPUSA activists did so as well. However, the White House has come back with a reply: No thanks. The administration rejected the calls from House Republicans and grassroots conservatives, saying it "won't make a difference." Sorry, but that is the wrong decision.
We finally have Republicans stepping forward and taking on the Democrats. We have grassroots activists rallying behind these leaders in support. And... we have the White House pouring water on the small flames that could've spread to a larger fire of energy and support leading up to Election Day. Great job!
As reported in The Hill, White House spokesman Tony Fratto said, "We don't have plans to call Congress into session -- it won't make a difference if Democratic leaders are unwilling to bring up a bill for an up-down vote."
Make no difference? Come on! The Hill notes that "while the president can declare that Congress must sit for an emergency session, he cannot set the agenda -- only the leadership of the majority party can do that." Wrong! President Bush can set the agenda in the minds of the American people. Who cares what Pelosi puts down on the congressional agenda. If President Bush would simply address the American people and tell them that he is bringing Congress back into session to address the country's energy problems, then Republicans and the American people win. Each day that passes without Pelosi focusing on the issue is another day where America can see what the Democrats are all about. And the White House says that it won't make a difference???
A report in Politico regarding the continuation of the GOP protest in the House notes that the conservative GOP lawmakers "clearly felt energized by their demand that Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) call the House back into session to vote on offshore oil drilling."
Republicans are trying to cash in on the positive press coverage they received on Friday when Reps. Tom Price (R-Ga.) and Mike Pence (R-Ind.) led a spontaneous revolt to protest the Democrats' decision to adjourn the House for the five-week August recess without giving the minority party a chance to speak out on rising gas prices. Even after Democrats turned off the lights and microphones, and with TV cameras shut down, Republicans kept talking and chanting, "Drill, drill, drill!"
Now, some Republicans want to take things a step further. The Washington Times is reporting that the "showdown on Capitol Hill over expanding offshore drilling could lead to a threatened government shutdown when Congress returns from its five-week summer break in early September."
Some Republicans say they are prepared to vote against a resolution to fund the federal government for the 2009 fiscal year unless Democrats agree to lift an offshore drilling moratorium. If the budget resolution fails, many agencies and departments would be denied money to operate and would be forced to close.
For those unfamiliar with the drilling ban, the Washington Times provides a nice summary:
The congressional drilling moratorium was first enacted in 1982 and has been renewed every year since. It prohibits oil and gas leasing on most of the outer continental shelf -- three miles to 200 miles offshore - and expanded oil shale development in the West. The ban is set to expire at the end of September, but Democratic leaders are expected to include a one-year extension in legislation that they will introduce next month to continue funding the government for the 2009 fiscal year, which begins Oct. 1.
What have conservatives been frustrated about for the last several years. I've heard the feedback, and I can speak for myself as well: Inaction, backing down to the Democrats, acting like liberals, and so on. Now, we finally have a chance to do something, and the White House says no... it won't make a difference. In the hearts and minds of Republican activists around the country, it makes a HUGE difference. Addressing domestic oil production is important to the American people for supply and security reasons. Republicans could win both on the issue and politically by forcing Congress back into session.
I don't know who is giving President Bush political advice these days, but when you have a chance to not only address an important issue, but also force the Democrats into action, AND energize the conservative base leading into an election, you do it! You don't take a pass.
***
Once again, Bush disappoints me.
Posted By Bobby Eberle On August 5, 2008 at 7:09 am
Conservative Republicans took to the floor of the U.S. House on Friday to protest Nancy Pelosi's decision to adjourn the House of Representatives for the 5-week summer break without addressing the concerns of Republicans, Democrats, and the American people for more domestic oil drilling. The protests continued on Monday with letters to President Bush to convene a special session of Congress and force Pelosi to get back to work.
Congressmen sent letters to the president. GOPUSA activists did so as well. However, the White House has come back with a reply: No thanks. The administration rejected the calls from House Republicans and grassroots conservatives, saying it "won't make a difference." Sorry, but that is the wrong decision.
We finally have Republicans stepping forward and taking on the Democrats. We have grassroots activists rallying behind these leaders in support. And... we have the White House pouring water on the small flames that could've spread to a larger fire of energy and support leading up to Election Day. Great job!
As reported in The Hill, White House spokesman Tony Fratto said, "We don't have plans to call Congress into session -- it won't make a difference if Democratic leaders are unwilling to bring up a bill for an up-down vote."
Make no difference? Come on! The Hill notes that "while the president can declare that Congress must sit for an emergency session, he cannot set the agenda -- only the leadership of the majority party can do that." Wrong! President Bush can set the agenda in the minds of the American people. Who cares what Pelosi puts down on the congressional agenda. If President Bush would simply address the American people and tell them that he is bringing Congress back into session to address the country's energy problems, then Republicans and the American people win. Each day that passes without Pelosi focusing on the issue is another day where America can see what the Democrats are all about. And the White House says that it won't make a difference???
A report in Politico regarding the continuation of the GOP protest in the House notes that the conservative GOP lawmakers "clearly felt energized by their demand that Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) call the House back into session to vote on offshore oil drilling."
Republicans are trying to cash in on the positive press coverage they received on Friday when Reps. Tom Price (R-Ga.) and Mike Pence (R-Ind.) led a spontaneous revolt to protest the Democrats' decision to adjourn the House for the five-week August recess without giving the minority party a chance to speak out on rising gas prices. Even after Democrats turned off the lights and microphones, and with TV cameras shut down, Republicans kept talking and chanting, "Drill, drill, drill!"
Now, some Republicans want to take things a step further. The Washington Times is reporting that the "showdown on Capitol Hill over expanding offshore drilling could lead to a threatened government shutdown when Congress returns from its five-week summer break in early September."
Some Republicans say they are prepared to vote against a resolution to fund the federal government for the 2009 fiscal year unless Democrats agree to lift an offshore drilling moratorium. If the budget resolution fails, many agencies and departments would be denied money to operate and would be forced to close.
For those unfamiliar with the drilling ban, the Washington Times provides a nice summary:
The congressional drilling moratorium was first enacted in 1982 and has been renewed every year since. It prohibits oil and gas leasing on most of the outer continental shelf -- three miles to 200 miles offshore - and expanded oil shale development in the West. The ban is set to expire at the end of September, but Democratic leaders are expected to include a one-year extension in legislation that they will introduce next month to continue funding the government for the 2009 fiscal year, which begins Oct. 1.
What have conservatives been frustrated about for the last several years. I've heard the feedback, and I can speak for myself as well: Inaction, backing down to the Democrats, acting like liberals, and so on. Now, we finally have a chance to do something, and the White House says no... it won't make a difference. In the hearts and minds of Republican activists around the country, it makes a HUGE difference. Addressing domestic oil production is important to the American people for supply and security reasons. Republicans could win both on the issue and politically by forcing Congress back into session.
I don't know who is giving President Bush political advice these days, but when you have a chance to not only address an important issue, but also force the Democrats into action, AND energize the conservative base leading into an election, you do it! You don't take a pass.
***
Once again, Bush disappoints me.
