GOP Senators Vote Against National Security (I hate to point this out, but I must) RUSH LIMBAUGH

rushlimbaugh ^ | 3/20/2003 | rushlimbaugh

[TLBSHOW]

GOP Senators Vote Against National Security

I hate to point this out, but I must. There was a big vote in the Senate on Wednesday against national security and lower energy prices - and eight Republicans supported it. They voted against oil development in that tiny, frozen, distant, 8% corner of the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge. They bought all the video and pictures taken of caribou 500 miles away from the actual point of drilling.

The Canadians drill just fine across the frozen border on their side of the continent. Why did we even bother to buy Alaska from the Russians if we aren't going to use our expertise to develop it - cleanly and efficiently in accord with the wishes of the native Alaskan people? Here are the GOP votes against lower fuel prices and national security:

• Susan Collins of Maine • Olympia Snowe of Maine • Lincoln Chafee of Rhode Island • Gordon Smith of Oregon • Mike DeWine of Ohio • Peter Fitzgerald of Illinois • John McCain of Arizona • Norm Coleman of Minnesota

Notice that Alaska's two senators, Lisa Murkowski and Ted Stevens, both voted for development. They voted for national security, for reducing our dependence on Middle Eastern oil, and for lower energy prices. I can't tell you why these other GOP senators caved, other than to say the local environmentalist wacko movements in their states - not those in Alaska - probably got to them and it was easier to cave than point out the facts.

[GraniteStateConservative]

Those people mostly ran against drilling in ANWR (not sure about Fitzgerald). It would be a betrayal of their voters to switch.

[TLBSHOW]

I can't tell you why these other GOP senators caved, other than to say the local environmentalist wacko movements in their states - not those in Alaska - probably got to them and it was easier to cave than point out the facts.

Rush Limbaugh!

You see if we don't get our people to stop this BS we won't get anything done that the President wants and the nation needs. Like oil here and not from the middle East!

[dark_lord]

I have a different hypothesis. This is an important issue. They didn't vote against it, strictly speaking. They voted against having it attached to another bill. Stated reason - it is so important it needs to be discussed and voted on separately. Real reason - $$$. The Senators want certain projects for their states. Standard pork barrel politics.

[GraniteStateConservative]

Getting the two Hawaii senators on our side means that we were really far away from winning. Both could easily have voted the way Daschle wanted them to-- puting us much further away from 50 votes.

[GraniteStateConservative]

No, all of them are opposed to drilling in ANWR. Period.

[get'emall]

Mike DeWhine is a RINO. Actually (and as an Ohioan, I'm ashamed to admit) so is George Voinovich. The problem we have in Ohio is that should we aspire to vote against one of these lame-o's, our option is someone like Marcy Kaptur or Dennis Kucinich.

[BritExPatInFla]

In a few days we will have all of the oil we need courtesy of our grateful new Iraqi friends. It shouldn't be too hard to convince them that we deserve a fair price (read free) in exchange for liberating them and helping to set up a proper government.

[Alberta's Child]

They voted for national security, for reducing our dependence on Middle Eastern oil, and for lower energy prices.

I'm surprised Rush Limbaugh of all people has now bought into this whole myth.

Heaven help us if we start drilling in ANWR, 'cause ANWR oil ain't "cheap oil" by any stretch -- the last estimate I read was that nobody would drill in ANWR unless the price of a barrel of crude was in the $30 to $33 range for the long haul.

[Alberta's Child]

Funny how the same guy who is so concerned about our so-called reliance on the Middle East for oil never gave a damn about the our reliance on Mexico, China, or Indonesia for manufactured goods.

[TLBSHOW]

I'm surprised Rush Limbaugh of all people has now bought into this whole myth.

LOL

I doubt it since the rats last year filibustered this bill.
Problem is many of the republicans that are elected are nothing more than rats! That is the bottom line!

[RightWhale]

Same for the natural gas at Prudhoe, and that's a lot more valuable in the long run than ANWR. It's the market value that controls these decisions, and these projects are still economically marginal.

[Beck_isright]

"• Susan Collins of Maine • Olympia Snowe of Maine • Lincoln Chafee of Rhode Island • Gordon Smith of Oregon • Mike DeWine of Ohio • Peter Fitzgerald of Illinois • John McCain of Arizona • Norm Coleman of Minnesota"

I assume we can label these cowards as "Yellow Stains of the GOP" or traitors? Which applies?

V

[deport]

This isn't new as at least six of them voted lasted year against ANWR by voting against cloture on the democrat filibuster..... There were eight Republican votes last year against cloture... Bob Smith was another and I can't remember the other Republican now.

[caisson71]

Having a vote to authorize drilling doesn't mean anyone will start drilling immediately. Drilling will have to be economically profitable and price competative. However, it will be leverage against a stickup from OPEC, Mexico, Canada, etc.

[OperationFreedom]

Yeah... but you never can say anything good about us so...

Whine on baby!

[TLBSHOW]

BTTT

[fightu4it]

Peter Fitzgerald of Illinois •

I can't believe that Peter voted nay. IMHO he is one of the smartest people on the hill. I have said many times that I would support him in a run for president. What was his reason for his vote? He must have information that I do not on this bill. Damn, double damn, I would sure hate to loose such a bright star in the party. There just has to be more to it!

[Alberta's Child]

???

[Alberta's Child]

. . . it will be leverage against a stickup from OPEC, Mexico, Canada, etc.

That is one of the fallacies about commodities. A nation that is wealthy in natural resources is shooting itself in the foot if it decides to "stick up" anyone who is willing to pay for what it has.

Imagine owning a store in a neighborhood that is 50% black and 50% white, and refusing to sell to one race or another. You're probably going to be out of business in a hurry.