Posted on 08/18/2008 2:20:55 AM PDT by ricks_place
The Senate Republicans who are trying to force Congress to lift restrictions on offshore drilling say they have 38 senators backing their efforts to force a showdown over the critical campaign issue of energy prices — one that could shut down the government.
Democratic leaders in Congress want to extend the moratorium on new offshore oil and gas drilling, which is due to expire Oct. 1, and the most likely route would be to attach the proposal to a catchall spending bill needed to keep the federal government running.
But at least 38 Republicans have signed a letter pledging to "actively oppose" that extension.
Sen. Jim DeMint, South Carolina Republican, began circulating the letter to his colleagues after the Senate adjourned for its summer recess Aug. 2 and said he expects more of them to endorse his proposal before Congress returns in early September.
"There's been a great response already [to the letter], but frankly, every senator should sign on because it's irrational to say 'no' to proven American energy during this [energy] crisis," Mr. DeMint said.
Congress has not passed any of the annual spending bills needed to keep the government running into the next fiscal year, which begins Oct. 1.
Democrats appear poised to pass a resolution continuing funding at current levels until after the November elections, and are expected to try to add an amendment to extend the moratorium.
Republicans could block the legislation by rallying 41 senators to join a filibuster, but some hesitate to threaten a government shutdown during an election year.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...
Drill! Drill! Drill!
They have a 9% or less approval rating...shut it down. We need to be ready with a flurry of editorials to go out to MSM and the blogs, even campaign commercials explaining this tough choice. The President explaining in a National Address the reason for the government shutdown.
Yeah, they'll call it an election year stunt, they'll whine about it, they'll do a lot of things, but the mask will be pulled off.
It will give us a chance to get the American people to compare Energy Plans, which the democrats have none other than to tax oil companies more, inflate our tires, brown-shirt energy CEOs at congressional hearings by threatening "socializing" the oil companies.
Even my democrat neighbors are rooting for the House Republicans and writing and calling our democrat representative to support Boehner's Bill in the House. By the time the filibuster would happen, most of the country will get it. The loudest screams will be from the fringe which has taken over the democrat party and it will be their death cry.
Pelosi and Reid be warned: You chose to shutdown the House, We the People will shutdown the government for your failure to enact a viable energy plan.
So, how do I determine whether my two were among the 38?
OMG. Wrong, wrong, wrong!
The Newt Congress passed a budget. Slick vetoed it. The old media blamed Newt. How could the Wash Times make such a mistake?
One obvious point to be made. The socialist Democrats have shut down Congress for five weeks!
Shut her DOWN!
I hope they shut it down and leave it shut down. Think of all our money they won’t be spending!
I never understood the big threat of ‘shutting down the government’. Sounds good to me...
Rather than find out if they are on the list, write them and encourage them or tell them you support a filibuster.
By the way, isn’t DeMint one of the gang of 10 Rinos? What the hell is he doing commenting on this at all? That clown needs to go crawl under a rock somewhere.
I am so tired of these Dims playing games with our energy policy.
Drill! Drill! Drill!
Meanwhile the French are actually building Nuke plants
“and the most likely route would be to attach the proposal to a catchall spending bill needed to keep the federal government running.”
This is one of the mosst aggravating elements of the legislative process, IMO. The use of ‘amendments’ to bills as a vehicle to pass otherwise ill-conceived or politically-hot-potato crappola; or, to make otherwise stupid legislation more palatable to borderline opponents.
I really would like to see both houses adopt rules restricting amendments to the subject of the legislation to be amended, not some pie-in-the-sky idiocy.
I know why it’s being done, but I think it’s a shoddy practice that should be stopped.
Call them and ask.
Rush gave his name out in error on his show I think on Thursday. De Ment is NOT part of that “gang of 10” weasels, and Rush publicly apologized for including him on Friday.
Nope.
The ‘Gang of Ten’:
Sen. Saxby Chambliss, R-GA
Sen. John Thune, R-SD
Sen. Lindsey O. Graham, R-SC
Sen. Kent Conrad, D-ND
Sen. Ben Nelson, D-NE
Sen. Blanche Lincoln, D-AR
Sen. Bob Corker, R-TN
Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-LA
Sen. Johnny Isakson, R-GA
Sen. Mark Pryor, D-AR
And Senator DeMint is not a ‘clown’. But your rock misses you, I’m sure.
We are CLOSE to Victory!
Okay good.
I misspoke, may Sen. DeMint live long and prosper! And may those ten clowns crawl under said rock.
Well done. I retract my statement about you having a rock. It was someone else’s rock.
;-)
Trust me....the Republicans will choke. They never pass up an opportunity to pass up an opportunity.
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