As Congress Recesses, Republicans Protest

(AP)  The last House vote before a vacation usually sparks a stampede toward the doors and waiting planes. Not so on Friday, when Republicans occupied the House floor for a rare, and at times bizarre, protest against Democratic energy policies.

The microphones were off, the House had stopped TV feeds to C-Span and the lights dimmed after the pre-noon vote to adjourn for the August recess. That didn't deter Republicans, who one after another rose to demand that Congress stay in session until it does something about high gas prices.

Unlike a normal session where the rules of decorum are strictly enforced, GOP lawmakers and their aides who filled the chamber clapped, chanted, gave standing ovations and booed the Democrats.

"Madame Speaker, where art thou?" shouted out Rep. Ted Poe, R-Texas, in a glancing rhetorical shot at House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. "Where oh where has Congress gone?"

It was a rare treat for tourists. Republicans invited many, in their shorts and sandals, into the chamber, usually strictly off-limits, to better hear the revivalist-like speeches.

The talkathon finally ended around 5:00 p.m. EDT, more than five hours after it began and 30 minutes after police escorted tourists out of the chamber. The Capitol closes to tourists at 4:30 p.m. In a grand finale, lawmakers led a roomful of aides in a rendition of "God Bless America" and walked off to chants of "USA, USA."

The event, said Rep. John Shadegg of Arizona, one of the organizers with Reps. Mike Pence of Indiana and Tom Price of Georgia, was "the equivalent of the Boston Tea Party over the energy issue."

Republicans are angry that Democrats blocked them from a vote on allowing more offshore oil drilling and increasing domestic oil supplies.

Democrats have faulted Republicans for obstructing their efforts to stop market speculation, press oil companies to develop the leases they have and force the president to release oil from the strategic petroleum reserve. The result is that Congress is leaving town without a comprehensive energy bill.

[intheburgfan]

I find the Republicans grandstanding in Washington while the Congress is in recess to be an abysmal, and utterly hypocritical and disgusting display of political shenanigans. These are the same Republicans that held complete control of Washington and power for the first six years of the Bush presidency. They could have initiated or forced through any offshore oil drilling legislation that they wished during this period.

Instead, they did absolutely nothing constructive about the American addiction to oil, and now, with a presidential election on the horizon, they seek to display that they are now ready to do something about America%u2019s addiction to oil. What a load of asinine political tomfoolery; I hope that Americans will not accept this as nothing but what it is, mere political grandstanding by a bunch of buffoons!

Throw the bums out and send a clear message to McCain by voting for Senator Obama, and let the Republicans and big oil know, that we are not going to take it anymore!

WHAT DO WE DO THEN?

Senator Barack Obama is for a $1000 tax cut, plus a stimulus check for average Americans to help offset the price of gas.

Senator McCain is for keeping the 3.4 trillion dollars in tax cuts for the rich, while not being able to afford anything much for the average American.

* McCain is for big oil and Wall Street!

* Senator Obama is for the average American and main street!

[ragnar30066]

Pelosi is not a ***. She is leading a retreat. The proper response to a retreat is to pursue and destroy.

Each and every one of you needs to determine if you have a Congressman who listens to Pelosi instead of you. If so, find 20 friends who will each find 20 friends to replace that Congressman this November.

If you don''t have a Pelosi puppet, then support yours and find someone''s to hammer with emails, letters and phone calls.

We need to turn these people out of office, turn this boat around, or we''ll end up being a Third World country.

Drill Here, Drill Now, Pay Less

[voltaire333]

Why is it that the first to lie, cheat, steal and play dirty politics, are also the first to cry "foul." Republicans make my stomach turn.

[liberty_1776]

Why does the Democrat Party refuse to vote on expanding offshore oil drilling to reduce US dependency on foreign oil?

Everyone knows that 70% of Americans favor expanding US offshore drilling. Why are the Democrats ignoring the will of the people who put them in office???

We must vote out the Democrats in November!

[dnsallday]

by standlee5 .................................

Standlee5, You shoud educated yourself before posting on any blog. All you do is expose your ignorance here.
It''s embarrasing really, to see somebody who knows so little about any situation, insist on pretending she has a clue.

[dnsallday]

If the Republicons were so worried about not getting enough work done, then why have the blocked more legislation than any other body of Congress in the history of the United States?
Just the same BS from them that we have all come to expect.

[liberty_1776]

We must punish the Democrats by kicking them out of office this year. They fought tooth and nail to keep us from voting on drilling for more domestic oil. Every time you squeeze the handle and watch those numbers race up on the pump, think about getting rid of the incumbent Democrats. They could have instantly lowered gas prices in the US by allowing new drilling. Remember in November!

[boatdocster]

Hmm, drill offshore and maybe lower gas prices in 5-10 years. No extra refinery capability in the US to process the gas. Even if Oil companies drill it at 10.00 a barrel, they will sell it to us at 130.00. Sitting on large land leases now (but still do not have enough refinery bandwidth to process the extra oil) Not liked by the Democrats.

Pass a law to end oil speculation, which most experts agree is driving up the price now, adding perhaps 30% to oil prices. Strong possibility to lower gas prices now, not 5-10 years in the future. Blocked by the Republicans (along with heating oil for low income families).

7 years of total mismanagement but the GOP and Bush, and blame on the folks that have been in charge for the last 8 months.

Pelosi and Reid need to pass real legislation that will help America get off oil, and in few more months they should be able to do so.

Tell me again why we are going to pay an annual pension of 1.2 million to a President who has broken laws, ignored the Constitution and screwed everything he has touched...

[minnick8-2009]

Thirty years ago, it was apparent that the lefty''s and the Dems wanted us to freeze to death in the dark. I hope it for them. Unfortunately, they will take us all with them.

[minnick8-2009]

It wasn''''t the Denocrats and left wingers.

Posted by Rafterman1

You didn''t bother to read about the 40 years of attempts to develop resources. If you had, you wouldn''t have come back with your retort.